Bob's Story

Day 1: 

Bob went into the hospital on December 29, 2021. He had a half-dollar size wound on his leg that wasn't healing. Now, we all know that it was a VERY rare occasion that he would wear anything other than his golf shorts, even in winter, so we figured his leg was chaffed or dry and irritated from scratching. He was admitted immediately upon getting to the ER as he was in atrial fibrillation and his hemoglobin was low. 

And now it starts. 

Day 17:

Tests upon tests to determine why he couldn't keep his hemoglobin up, why his white cell count was high, and now, why was his creatinine rising. One bone marrow biopsy later, and on January 14, 2022, I hear "Your husband has malignant cells affecting his bone marrow, he has Multiple Myeloma". 

We were informed this type cancer that has no cure, that he'll have to deal with it the rest of his life. The doctor told us that in most cases it's very treatable. In true Bob fashion, this wasn't most cases.

He started chemotherapy and dialysis as this disease creates an abnormal blood protein that kidneys can't handle and when your body is producing an excess amount of it it's even harder. Bob was having a good response to treatment, both the chemo and dialysis, and came home in early February. Bob started outpatient chemo and dialysis 3 times a week. He was driving on his own, spending time with his beloved dogs, got to go watch the Super Bowl at Cousin Joe's (the Super Bowl was Bob's Christmas), had lunch with friends and took me out for my birthday because he insisted.

Day 74:

Bob was back in the hospital on March 12, 2022 and on a vent 3 days later. Bob fought and was off the vent after 4 days, but we discovered his Multiple Myeloma (MM) had progressed to Plasma Cell Leukemia, which is stage 4 MM. On average, only 1,000 people per year progress to this stage.

For the next 7 weeks Bob fought his ass off, he was doing rehab and had an expected discharge date of May 10th....we were preparing for him to come home. Bob wanted nothing more than to sit in his recliner with his 3 beloved dogs (Bob was just as crazy about our dogs as I am!) and watch some golf.
However, this disease had other plans. His numbers were showing improvement but his body was tired, his organs were tired. 

Day 128:

At 10:46 am on May 5th, this world lost the most amazing smile, the most amazing laugh, the most amazing hug, the most amazing husband....

the most amazing human. 

Story written by Bob's wife, Kim