Keep hanging in there!

Rob and Susie,
I know the last few months have been trying for both of you, but keep hanging in there. Hopefully you are half way there. I know your faith has been tested, but this whole experience will bring your faith to light and strengthen your faith in God. The little annoyances of life will look so small compared to all of this. Keep doing such a great job being positive and creating a positive environment for your kids. Know that we are here if you need anything and our prayers continue to be with you. Maybe Rob will even be up to playing some summer softball. Happy Thanksgiving! Amy Browning

Gearing up for Thanksgiving

The last few days have been pretty hard for Rob. He has been in bed the majority of the time since Sunday evening. This evening, he joined the boys and me for a spaghetti and meat sauce dinner (his request) and then we had some family time with the kids, curled up in the big chair and watching cartoons. I hope and pray that this is a sign that he is on the upswing and will start getting his energy back and begin to feel better. This round of chemo seems to have been the hardest for him and for his body so far. Thankfully, Rob has not been sick or nauseated with the chemo, but he does experience many other side effects. The tingling in his fingers may be getting a little worse and we will need to let the Dr know if this continues. The drug that causes this can be adjusted to hopefully control this. He also has major soreness in his body and aches and pains in his hips and back, also a side effect of the chemo. The pain makes it hard for him to sleep or to rest comfortably. He is experiencing headaches and is completely wiped out by the chemo for several days.

On a positive note, he has completed 3 rounds of chemo and we pray that we are half-way there! A CT Scan will take place the first week of December and we will have a better idea of how well the tumor is responding to chemo. The Dr continues to be very pleased with Rob and his appearance, his energy, his weight gain and his ability to bounce back after chemo. These are all such great signs and must indicate progress!! The Dr commented that if the chemo was not working, that Rob would be a "very sick man" right now. So, we are blessed to know that the chemo, as difficult as it is for Rob, is working!

Rob continues to be amazing through all of this and he has a positive attitude! We are gearing up for Turkey Day with our families and hope that Rob feels well enough to at least be able to have a few short visits with everyone and enjoy some Thanksgiving feasts and festivities.

Your prayers are being answered and we appreciate so much that you continue to hold Rob in your prayers and support us during this time.

Love to all of you!

Susie

Hugs from Atlanta

Rob,

We are thinking of you today. While your body fights and may be weakened from the chemo, your spirit is strong.

Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Hugs,

Amy, Mike, Mary, Molly and Michael

Go Hoosiers!

I talked to Rob today and he sounds fantastic. His energy level is high as is evidenced by the fact that as I type this he is in Bloomington rooting on the Hoosiers in Assembly Hall. :-) If you are watching the game on Big Ten Network you might spot him in his Indiana hooded sweatshirt behind the IU bench. On the medical front Rob goes in Monday for his next round of chemo - which is the half-way point (good news!) and then he gets a CT Scan a couple of weeks later where they will see how much damage has been done on the tumor (hopefully a ton).

Robby G, you and the fam are in our thoughts and prayers as you gear up for this next milestone. Go Big Red! (yes IU and Denison are both the Big Red - cool eh?)

The Sharp Fam

Rob at the IU game

Last Saturday was an fantastic day for IU football. We arrived early enough to enjoy some tailgating, then went inside for the game. We had a great time stuffing ourselves with brats and hanging out with friends. While the game itself didn't turn out how we wanted, the weather was beautiful, especially for the first day of November! Always a good time at the Hoosier games and look forward to many more!!

A little wierd, but cool!!!

Hey Rob! Glad I could finally find my way to your blog. "It was a little wierd, but cool" to spend time at your place on Halloween. Just had to quote your little man! Hope you are having a good week. Peace brother! Father Rick

Rob's Progress

Just wanted to update everyone on how Rob has been doing since his second round of chemo. Thankfully, he has not had any severe side effects from chemo. However, Rob is experiencing many other common side effects. He is very tired and has had a headache for a few days. He also has many aches and pains in his back and hips. Today he noticed that he has a tingling sensation in his fingertips. These are all very common side effects, but regardless they are bothersome for Rob.

He has been taking it easy and resting when he needs to rest. He did make it to the IU game on Saturday, however that really took it out of him and he was down most of the day on Sunday. I think that Rob realized the effect of steroids. As the Dr told us, steroids can give you a false sense of energy and then once you are finished with the dose of steroids, you're energy and stamina can really crash.

We are taking one day at a time and the boys and I are trying to give him peace and quiet when he needs it. Although it is hard for the kids to understand the magnitude of Rob's illness and that he has to rest often, they are handling things as well as can be expected and are still enjoying being little boys. I am trying to keep things as "normal" as possible for them and sticking to our daily routine seems to help all of us.

We are looking forward to having Rob's sisters and parents with us this weekend and hoping that Rob is feeling well enough soon to enjoy some of this summer-like weather before it leaves us.

All in all, Rob is doing well. He continues to have a great attitude with an admirable amount of strength and courage. Rob is an amazing man...despite his battle, he continues to be a great husband and the very best daddy.

"They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings. They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint." Isaiah 40:31

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Love, Susie

Second Round Of Chemo Update

So, Rob had his second round of chemo on Monday. It was a big day, starting at 6:30am with his arrival at the surgery center. He had the port placed in his chest, which will now be used to have blood drawn and to administer future rounds of chemo. After the port placement, they did a quick chest xray to make sure that the port was OK...it was! Even in Rob's haze of sedation, he requested to see the xray and asked about the size of the tumor. Of course, the technician did not want to give us any info about that tumor. (more about that in a minute.)

From the recovery, Rob went straight for chemo....6 hours of chemo! He slept for the most part. Besides the sedation from the surgery, he also had a pretty large dose of benadryl..so, no playing cards with me that day...I was on my own to entertain myself! Chemo went well, he felt pretty good with the exception of a brief moment with a hot flash and near passing out. The nurses quickly came to his aid and stopped the medications for a few minutes until he felt better.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Rob had an exam with Dr. Braden...Rob has gained 8 pounds!! The Doc was very pleased with this and said that the steroids are working. Hooray! So...again Rob asked about that quick xray they did on Monday...wondering if anything had changed in the size of the tumor. (Keep in mind...the xray was taken after only 1 round of chemo...Rob had not yet received the second dose of chemo.) Dr. Braden checked out the xray and it was noted that the tumor "had decreased in size." Thank God for this!!! We are very excited about that news. We don't have measurements because the xray was taken solely for the purpose to review the port placement, but we at least know the radiologist noted a decrease in the size of the tumor. This is such uplifting and GREAT news! We can only thank God for this, as we know he is working in such beautiful ways right now to heal Rob.

So, Rob is doing well. He is tired and doesn't have a lot of physical strength right now, but he has a great attitude and is very upbeat. His body is sore and achy from the injection they give to boost his white blood cells. This effects his bone marrow and causes aches and pains for several days, but again...we know it is working! So, please continue to pray for Rob and his complete healing. We also ask that you please pray that Anthem insurance and St. Francis hospital can resolve their differences and we are not forced to change doctors and hospitals during all of this.

Thank you all for your love and support. Our family and friends mean the world to us and we could not get through this without all of you!

"Wait for the Lord's help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord's help." Psalm 27:14

Burning Down the House

Last night we burned down St. Elmos Steak House with Rob and Suz before hitting the David Byrne concert. Rob snarfed shrimp cocktail (with horse radish that'll take your head clean off), a blue cheese wedge (skip the tomatoes), navy bean soup, a bone-in filet (with mushrooms), cheesy mashed red potatoes, some cheesecake and chocoloate cake with a cup of decaf for dessert...and a couple of beers to wash it all down. Whew! And the concert was really tight...so tight in fact Rob had to unbutton his pants.

What a blast!!! An evening we won't forget. We love you.
Lynn & Rudy

"Some things sure can sweep me off my feet. Burning down the house."
--David Byrne, Talking Heads
Speaking in Tongues album, 1983

Update

The last several days have been great for Rob. His energy is slowly returning and so far...no problems with his appetite. Rob is eating everything and has a HUGE appetite these days. I think we better take stock in Stouffers Red Box because he seems to crave those and our freezer is packed with many Red Box options.

We have had beautiful weather and even took a trip to Brown County State Park over the weekend for a short walk around the lake and a picnic lunch. Rob still tires easily, but it is so wonderful to see him enjoy the days and feel well enough to want to be outside a little.

Today, Rob will head to the hospital for some blood work in prep for the Port placement on Monday. On Monday, we will arrive at the hospital at 6:30am for the surgical procedure to place the port and then head to the second round of chemo. Monday will be a long day for Rob and the beginning of another challenging time for him. BUT - we will also know that he has 2 Chemo sessions down and hopefully only 4 more to go after Monday!

So, we plan to make the most of the next few days before Chemo and enjoy the fall weather.

Life is good. We are living each moment to its fullest and taking advantage of the good days. We are thanking God for the days that Rob feels good and we are thanking God for the healing process that he has already started in Rob's body.

"We live by what we believe, not by what we can see." 2 Corinthians 5:7 We believe in God and his power. Our faith and the love and support of our family and friends will carry us through this time in our lives.

Love, Susie

Bald is Beautiful

So, Rob shaved his head this weekend. Not only does this give him a number of great options for Halloween, but it makes him downright cool. Note this excerpt of a question in the October issue of GQ.

Q: I’ve been losing my hair for a while now and am thinking of shaving my head. But unlike most guys, who use electric clippers, I’m thinking of going bald. Yul Brynner style. You got any friends who pull off this look? Seems cool but also a bit daunting. Got any advice?

A: If you have a nicely shaped head, the total shave is unquestionably preferable to hirsute male-pattern baldness. Yul Brynner made the first breakthrough, and by the time Michael Jordan hit his peak it was definitely considered sexy. And in an era of many unfortunate hairstyles, it’s a paragon of classicism.

So Rob, your new hair style makes you cool and classic. Make the most of it and, as Mr. Spock would say, "live long and prosper."

Super Friends

Thomas and Sam hanging out in their Halloween costumes with Sharpy. These kids are buff just like their Dad. :-)

Feeling Pretty Good!!

Rob is doing quite well this week. He had a great weekend with a visit from our friends, Tom and Sara. We also participated in the Light the Night Walk on Saturday evening, which Rob attended. He didn't have the energy to walk with us, but he at least got to be a part of the evening and see so many great friends and family...all there in honor of him!


Yesterday and today have both been good days for him. He is up and moving around more and even felt like sitting on the deck with us while the boys carved pumpkins with their Uncle Joe and cousin, Jenny.

Rob is scheduled to see the surgeon on Thursday as a follow-up. I imagine this is just a quick check to make sure his incision is healing the way it should be. On Friday, Rob will have a consultation for outpatient surgery to have his Pic line removed and a port put in his chest. He will start receiving chemo through the port and this should be more comfortable for him as the pic line provides some challenges with sleeping, showering, etc. We anticipate that the outpatient surgery for the port placement will take place next week.

Please continue to hold Rob in your prayers! Rob has a big fight ahead of him, but he is strong, faithful and ready to beat this thing.

Keep fighting, Rob...you are amazing and doing a great job!! I love you with all my heart - today, tomorrow and every day of our journey.

Love, Suz

"I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

Double Rainbow

Rob...

This appeared in our yard this week for us to share with you!

Love - Amy, Mike, Mary, Molly and Michael

Luck of the Irish

This is a story about a clover plant I've had since Rob's birthday (St. Patrick's Day.) It flourished for the first few months before it slowly started losing clovers, to the point it got down to just 4 or 5 of them. As one of them would die off, miraculously a little sprout or two would pop out of the dirt just in time to replace it. This has gone on for over two years now. This plant has come back from the brink so many times I've lost count, including surviving little bugs tiny bugs I discovered once living in its soil. Then, a couple of months ago it got down to just one clover. As it started to die, I was sure a couple more sprouts would pop up. But they never did. I waited a long time before finally, sadly, pulling the last wilted clover from the dirt. This left the pot completely bloomless for the first time ever. For several weeks I just looked at the dirt everday, hoping for a miracle. I even moved it to a new spot hoping to improve its chances. But nothing. I stopped checking on it after a while, resigned to the fact that the clover plant and I had had a pretty good run. It sounds silly I know, but by now it had become about so much more than the plant. Last week while I was on the phone with Susie, hearing about the latest news from the Dr. that Rob's bone marrow was normal and he was only Stage 2 with a high survival rate, I happen to look over at the windowsill...and saw this little sprout.

You've got the luck of the Irish Rob...and so much more. I look forward to celebrating many more of your birthdays with you, which is after all, as you like to say...a national holiday.

Love,
Rudy

Meeting Place for Light the Night Walk

Hey Everyone - thank you for registering to walk with us tomorrow. We are going to meet inside Victory Field, section 110 at 6:15pm on Saturday. I will have my cell phone if you have trouble finding us. 908-9880.

Looking forward to seeing all of you!!

Susie

David Byrne

Rob - I know Susan told you about the tickets to go see David Byrne and Brian Eno in a couple weeks. When we saw him last at the Vogue say 8-9 years ago, he came out for an encore wearing a pink fuzzy suit. Here's a photo of him in that suit to get you geared up for the show. "I've changed my hair style so many time now I don't know what I look like." DUDE!

Today's Report

It has been a few days since my last Rob report. Yesterday we visited Dr. Braden and he offered us information and consultation on Rob's stage of cancer. He has labeled this Lymphoma as Primary Mediastinal Large B Cell Lymphoma. Rob is in Stage 2BE. Mediastinal refers to the location of Rob's tumor. Stage 2 is because of the size of the tumor, B indicates Rob is experiencing symptoms (i.e. night sweats, coughing, some pain in the chest, fatigue, etc) and E means that there is extranodal involvement (that area of the chest -where the tumor is - has many lymph nodes). The prognosis is 70-80% survival rate. Dr. Braden felt it may even be slightly better for Rob because the tumor is localized. This is great news!!!

Rob's next Chemo treatment will take place October 27th and will occur every 3 weeks for a total of at least 6 cycles, possibly 8.

Rob is doing well...the last couple of weeks have been hard for him...some pain, some weakness and fatigue. He is however in good spirits and ready to kick this. He looks great (of course, I am biased!) and has very good color.

I continue to worry about Rob, but I know that he will get through this. I know, if anyone can beat this, it is Rob. He is not one to give up and he LOVES a challenge. So, yes....God has given us a challenge and even though at times I feel like we really received the short straw this time...I know He does not give us anything we can't handle. I also know that this is one of life's lessons and God is teaching us to trust in Him and place all of our fears, worries and anxiety in Him. And although this is so much easier to say than it is to actually do, I know we are surrounded by so much love, support and prayers that we can face this challenge, conquer it and become even stronger

"He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me."
Psalm 18:19

Thank you for your continued prayers, love and support.

Love, Susie

Stay Strong, Rob

Rob, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at as you face this journey. Stay strong and positive as much as possible.

Hi Rob!

Hi Rob,

I learnt of your tough journey and the excellent progress you're making from Brian. I am glad to see you have so many wellwishers and I am not surprised because you are a great guy! In the short time that I have known you, I have to come to like and respect you as a person and colleague.

I want to thank your wonderful family for making extraordinary efforts to keep all those who care about you informed on your progress via this blog. You are all going through some very tough times and its inspiring to see the courage and love you all show individually and as a family.

I wanted to you to know that I think of you in my prayers everyday and wish you a speedy and full recovery. All of us can't wait to see you back at work :-).

Good luck and get well soon my friend!!

PK