FLORIDA HERE WE COME

Here is the bib I will be wearing on my back as I do my race.

Unfortunately, my family will not be with me on this day. Wonderful Disney had a cheer squad that everyone can get updates during my race to see my progress.

My coach email me wanting to know my projected finish time. My response was in front of the bus. Disney has a time limit. If you are not going at a certain rate or you are not going to finish by 3 and half hours, they will pick you up by a bus to cross the finish line.

Everyone keep up the positive attitude.

I have also been asked to Mentor the summer group for Team in Training. I will be helping the summer participates achieve their goals in fundraising and mileage. I will have a choice of either going to San Diego or Seattle. Of course, the kids are already putting in their ideas. I can't wait to start this project.

Bob is doing great on this maintenance chemo. He is looking good and feeling great. Everyone keep him in your prayers that he stays in remission.

What a great group of guys

Last Thursday, we were summon to the garage. Bob's group of guys from Duck's Unlimited meet in a garage for their meetings. When we got there we had fun just catching up with everyone. They then called the meeting to order.

THEY PRESENT BOB AND ME AN ENVELOPE. WITHIN IN THE ENVELOPE WAS $900. ALL THE GUYS GOT TOGETHER TO DONATE MONEY TO MY FUNDRAISING.

Bob gave a very touching speech on what he has gone thru.

I still can't get over the support this town has given. As I was speaking to someone the other day, I mention that between my fundraising, the breast coalition, and fundraising for cassie

http://caringbridge.org/visit/cassiehorrocks. We have raised over $30,000 in the last two months. This community is amazing. I have even been told by my mentors and trainers how impressed they are of our community. They said our community should be recognized for how supported they are to people in need.

I have also been asked to be a mentor possibly for the summer events. I would be giving support to the participant's in the Team in Training. I would help motivate them to stay with the program and to do their best in fundraising. I would be able to chose between the marathon in San Diego or Seattle. I am very excited about helping others.

THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE SUPPORTED ME AND DONATED. I HAVE WENT OVER MY GOAL AND BEYOND. THIS IS ALL DONE BY EVERYONE'S LOVE AND SUPPPORT.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

LOVE TO YOU ALL.

UPDATE

Bob is doing well with the chemo. We had the Vol. firefighter night at McDonald's. Martha was great to hold a separate table for us to raise money. We raised over $500.We are going to get there.

don't forget Oct. 18th is the Scavenger Hunt Party.

Hopefully our last fundraiser.'

Thank you to all that have supported us.

Training is going good. I did injure my knee but it is just being old. I still can walk good just can't run.
I can still do the half marathon but I am not sure about the running part. It is getting better. I do the training day on Sat. we will see then.

maintanence keep it coming

Bob went to the Dr. on the 17th. He was put into the long period of the Maintenance chemo. He will start next wens. The treatment will be 4 weeks once a week. He will then be off for 4 weeks. This will rotate for 20 months. He is very up beat about this. He got a good report from the doctor. His CT came back clean. We haven't heard anything about the bone marrow bx. I am expecting this to be clean also.

Thank you for all of your support.

We have had a great support from everyone for raising our funds. We are about Half way there. Not to bad for only actually doing this for 3 wks.
THANKS to everyone that order pizza. We raised$200. Alec's school sponsered a fundraiser on Wens. Every child that dressed wacky paid a $1. They raised over $230. Great job kids!!!!

A reminder: they are selling bracelets for Cassie Horracks. They are $3 a bracelet. If you didn't know, Cassie was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on her brain stem. Cassie was in Caitlan's class. If you see someone with the bracelets, please buy one.

It is coming along.

We are doing well on our fundraising. We have sold (ask for donations) at the Mizzou/Illini game last Saturday. We also sold beads at the Litchfield football last Friday nite. If you are wanting raffle tickets for a half of side of beef, send me an email. We are selling spots for HEE HAW bingo. Yes it is a redneck thing. If you don't know what it is, we sell squares for money. You pick a square where you thinks the steaming pie will land. Many use a steer but we are doing at the football game on Oct. 17th. We thought a pony would be better for kids.

We had a yard sale at the Moose this past Saturday. We sold over $1000. Boy that was alot of work. For the rest of the home football games we will be selling the raffle tickets and spots. Some of the girls will be going to other towns homecoming's to sell beads.

Sept. 16th will be our fundraiser at Pizza Hut. You will need a coupon. We will get 20% of every one's bill from 5 to 8.

Oct 8th McDonalds' will be having their Fire Safety night. They will be having a raffle going to our cause. We will also be out there selling the beef raffle.

Our big fundraiser will be on OCT 18th. KEEP THAT OPEN!!!!!!!

We are doing a scavenger hunt/ dinner/ dance at Shaw's. $25 a couple or $15 a person. We hope to have this as our thank you to everyone that has given us support. Please make sure you will be there.

My training is going well. I am getting better at running for longer periods without having to stop to walk. I am up to 3 miles a day. Within that I am running at least half of it. The best part I have lost over 10lbs. YEH

Everyone keep these dates open.
Hope to see you at one of these.

Thank you for your help and support.

KICK OFF NIGHT

We attend the Kick off Party for TEAM IN TRAINING. This is our official training shirts. My cohorts in training are Jen Lewis and Evonne White. Behind is Bob and the Illinois honored teammate Rodney. Rodney has CLL. They have honorary teammates for those who what to participate but do not have a special person they are doing this for. Bob will be our honored teammate along with Rodney. Rodney does the races with us. We have had a great response from the community for this cause.

EVERYONE KEEP OCTOBER 18TH OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!

WE ARE HAVING A SCAVENGER HUNT/DINNER AND DANCE PARTY AT SHAW'S

OCT 18TH STARTING AT 7PM. WE WILL BE RAFFLING OFF SEVERAL PRIZES THAT NIGHT BESIDE PRIZES FOR THE WINNERS FOR THE SCAVENGER HUNT.

A GOOD TIME FOR ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE.

Am I crazy or what?????

I have signed up to do a half marathon on Jan 10th for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society TEAM IN TRAINING. I am responsible to raise over $3800. I have two other girls doing this with me. Our total amount we need to raise will be over $12,000. If you see any fundraising going on with this logo, this will be for our fundraiser. Please let everyone you know about this. I am doing is in honor of Bob's courageous fight. I am also doing this for my cousin Shari. If you remember Shari passed away in Jan. of 1985 from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This event will be on the weekend Shari passed 23 years ago.

My goal is let others know about the society.Hopefully, have an outreach site for this area from the Gateway chapter. It is based in St. Louis but it serves our community. Bob and I have used their resources. I wanted raise money help others. There are so many in our community that has be afflicted with either Leukemia, Lymphoma or Myeloma.

PLEASE HELP ME GET THE WORD OUT!!!!! Look in the paper for following fundraising events.

I have attached my website for donations. Please help me make my goal.

Thanks for your support.


Thank you again for all of your support and prayers. They all have been appreciated.

Second to last shot

Bob return on wens. for his last set of chemo consisting of only the rituxin. This is done as an outpatient and only takes about 4 hrs. He saw Dr. Barlett. All his labs are coming along good. Doctor feels he is in remission. YEH!!!! Everything is going great. He is even playing golf again. He said he would be playing before summer is over. He will see the doctor in Oct. for a routine visit.

SURPRISE I AM HOME

Bob came home today. Doctors let him go home since his counts kept raising and no fever. He surprised Donna at work. Things are going great and even has some taste back. He is glad to finally be home and so is Dolly.


Thanks for all of your prayers and thoughts. Keep them coming.

Feeling better

Bob was feeling nauseated. He received his stem cells on Tuesday. This took about a hour. He is feeling much better now. The Nurse said he will be feeling pretty well wipe out soon. As all as he doesn't have nausea he will be doing OK.

On his 3 week bender

Bob went into the hospital on Wens. the 18th. We meet with Dr Cashen then waited for him to get a room. He didn't get a room until 6:45 pm. He received his worst dose of chemo on wens. night. They told he would feel like he would have a bad headache. He described it as like having a bad hangover. They waiting a day and yesterday he received another dose of chemo. According to the schedule he should receive his stem cells on Tuesday. Then he will have to just sit and wait until his blood counts get high enough for him to go home. Dr. Cashen stated that he will not get out until at least 3 weeks. I am sure he will be stir crazy by then. We are over the biggest hump after this. He will return to see Dr. Cashen after a week he is discharged. He will then have a two more doses of Rixtumib. These will be as outpatients. After this he should not have to be admitted for anything else. After the Rixtumib, they will put his name in the computer and be randomized on receiving the velecaid.

Thank you for all of your prayers and thoughts.

Bob's room number is 5926 in the schoenberg pavillion at Barnes Jewish hospital 224 S Euclid ave st louis mo

or email him at http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/internal.aspx?id=198 this will get you to email a patient with cancer. just put Robert Rogers

HE'S HOME

Just to let you know Bob is home. He is doing well. Next thing is we see the Dr. Cashen on June 11.

What took him soo long????

After long and grueling week, Bob had his pheresis done today. He received the call that they were able to collect over 6 million count. He has had a rough week. He has been in the hospital for one week. During that time, the doctors kept wondering where his fever was coming from. He ran a fever Tuesday until sat. morning. He was having cabin fever. They had him in a single room to keep exposure down. He was getting blood and platelets daily. He began feeling alot better. Luckily his counts began to rise on Sunday and was only a day behind on his stem cell collection. He now has a month off to relax and enjoy until his long stay in June.

Fever has sent in

Bob is in Barnes getting his shots. He has developed a fever. He seems to get the fever after his shots. The doctors (interns) keep asking where the fever is. He is getting frustrated. He is getting blood and antibiotics daily. Keep your fingers crossed he will get his stem cell collection on time. He says during the day he feels good one minute the next feels pretty bad.

Collection of Stem Cells

Bob will start his long road of stem cell recovery today. We had some problems this weekend of his port bleeding. I had to take him to Barnes Sat. for them to clean it up. Sunday, he woke up again with a little bleeding. Craig took him to Barnes today to get his Ritxamaub injection. While he was there, he got blood work. His platelets are way low. He is needing to get platelets. Unfortunately, everyone there today is also need them. The nurse said they in a shortage right now. He was running a fever yesterday slightly but not at the point he needed to go the hospital.

He did receive the platelets. He said he was feeling much better now. He now will return everyday to get his neupgen shots until his count is in the range they need. Hopefully that will happen on Friday. If not, they will take the stem cells on Monday. After that nothing will be done until June 16. This is when he will get the stem cell back.


Keep him in your prayers. They seem to be working.

We are at the Halfway mark

Sorry i haven't updated this. We took Bob to Barnes on Wens. for his next treatment. Tuesday, we had some confusion. They wanted Bob to come on Friday because they were afraid his stem collection might happen on a weekend. Due to the fact I was going to be out of town Friday and Donna and I had already taken off work for Wednesday, we asked to keep our appointment on Wednesday. We meet with Dr Cashen and Bartlett. Dr. Cashen went over what to expect during this next round of chemo, collection of stem cell and then getting his stem cell. He had a port put in to have easier access for the stem cell.
This chemo is a different chemo then he has received before. One good news no predisone for Bob this time. This he had a problem taking because it tasted so nasty. He is receiving Etoposide for 4 days, Ara -C(cytarabine) for 4 days, and on Sunday he will get Riuximab again. Hopefully he will get to come home on Monday in the afternoon. Then He will return on next Monday (12th) for a second Riuximab. The following day he will start his filgrastim shots daily. This is where they will retrieve the stem cells. They will either take on Friday or Monday. They will take blood every day to see if his WBC is increasing. Once it is over 5 they will do the pheresis. To collect the stem cell, it is just like getting a blood transfusion. He will be hooked up to a machine attached to his port. They will then cycle his blood, spin the blood to remove the stem cells and give back the rest.
During the period after his chemo, Bob is to keep away from large crowds and people who are sick. The purpose of this chemo to get rid of cancer left and lower his immune system. Approximately 50% will end up back in the hospital due to a fever and infection. If this happens, he will just be in the hospital while he receives his daily shots.He will notice a drop in energy and possible fever around this coming Friday.
We will meet Dr. Cashen June 11 to go over him receiving his stem cell back. If all goes right, He will receive his stem cell back on June 16th. He will be in the hospital approximately 3 wks.

GOOD DAY

Bob received word that his bone marrow came back clean. He will go in the hospital on Wen. for his next treatment

For his birthday, Craig and I got Bob tickets for the Baseball game today. He has never been to to the new stadium. This was also sportsman park replica day and police, firefighter day. He got to see the cards win, Pujols and Glaus? hit homeruns, and a bench clearing fight. He went with Donna, Craig and Alec. A great day for ball game for father, son and grandson bonding time. His birthday is May 6th. Hopefully, he will not still be in the hospital.

Everyone wish Bob Happy Birthday.

Results

Bob had several test yesterday. He was very busy with CT, labs, bone marrow, PFT test. Very thing is looking good. We are on the right track. He will be in Barnes next Wens. for four days. This chemo will be one that will be a little tougher on his immune system. He will then wait about 2 wks and then receive his daily shots. Still keep him in your prayers they seem to be working.

He is feeling much better now. He is talking almost normal. He is resting a lot better now.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

He's Home

Bob got to come home on Saturday. Sheila came home on Friday night. She and Donna then went down Sat. and brought him home. He seemed to do very well with the chemo. Still having problems taking the Predisone. This seems to make him very nauseated. Craig and I went and saw him on Friday night. We stop and pick up Rigazzi's pizza for him. This seem to make his appetite come back for a little bit. He will get his Neulasta shot today. After that, He shouldn't have to take those eecky pills again. Testing will be done on April 23. Next treatment will be April 30. This will be the 4 day chemo.

Thanks for the prayers.

PS check out my cousin blog (lessen). Babies come home on Thursday. They look so cute and happy to be in Kristi's arms.

Changes are coming

Our time table has changed.

We saw Dr. Barlet and Met Dr Cashen. Bob Started his chemo last night. We finally got into a room around 5:00 pm. This one should not be as bad as the first one. Doctors were impressed on how well Bob is responding to his treatment. The nodes in his neck have decreased half in size.

Dr. Cashen will be Bob's stem cell transplant Doctor. She has changed his time table. In 3 wks, Bob will have to go down to Barnes for follow up test. Then the following week, He will have to have another set of chemo. This one will be different. He will be in hospital for 4 days. They are Ara-C(cytarabine), Etoposide and Rituximab. The purpose of this treatment is to fully depelt down Bob's immune system. Two weeks later he will be given Nupgen shot to boost his white blood cell and stimulate the release of his stem cells (cells which will eventually develop into white blood cells , red blood cells and platelets.). He will have to get these shots daily for 5 to 10 days. So he will have to stay close to barnes. They did say this is an important period of risk of infection. So He can stay in their free lodging during this period. Once his count starts coming up this is when they will harvest his stem cells. This will be repeated daily until they have enough stem cells. We then then rest for 4 weeks.
So Approximately June 16 Bob will go into the hospital to receive his stem cells back. He will receive a High dose of Chemo of Carmustine, etoposide and cyclophosphamide. Two days after receiving the cyclophosphamide and all drugs are out of his system he will receive his stem cells. Four days after that he will get daily shots of G-CSF ( a growth factor to stimulate bone marrow to produce white cells). During this period he will receive blood transfusions and antibiotics. When his count is high enough, he then be allowed to leave. This should be about 3.5 wks.

Just got done talking to Bob. Everything went well last night. No episode of chills and slept real well. He is ready for the next round.

Bob wants a shout out to everyone.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HAS CALLED,SENT CARDS, EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND KEEPING HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS. HE IS DOING WELL AND FEELING GREAT.