Saturday: Sorrow

Dear Friends,

It is with great sadness that we share with you that Bob lost his courageous fight against cancer this afternoon.  Maggie, Meganne, Eryn, and Marty were with him all day, and they were by his side when he passed peacefully and painlessly. 

We are grateful tonight for the outpouring of support you have offered the family during this difficult time.  As soon as we are able, we will post details regarding a memorial service planned in Saratoga October 10th, as well as suggestions for remembrances in lieu of flowers.

Many thanks to you all, 

The Leach family

Thursday: Where the heart is

Bob is home.  He's weak, more fatigued than a week ago, but well-supported with home care, and happy to be where he belongs.  Plans are in the works for Eryn to bring herself and Bob's dog, Finn, home to see him tomorrow, so there is much to be thankful for.

Tuesday: Perseverance

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.  -N.G.
  After a few days of testing, resting, and assessment at Stanford, the doctors say it's their goal to send Bob home again tomorrow.  A team of health care professionals will be available to lighten the load for Maggie and Meganne at home, and the family will continue to work with the doctors at Stanford to evaluate ongoing treatment options. Bob is looking forward to spending time in his own house, in his own garden, and--hopefully soon--with his dog.

Saturday: Readmitted

Bob was readmitted to Stanford yesterday because he is just not well enough to remain at home right now. Despite his recent improvements, the doctors are emphasizing that his disease has progressed to an advanced stage.  They will continue to evaluate him over the course of the next week and work with the family to go forward with a plan. For now we are taking it day by day.

Thursday: Focused ahead

Thank you all for the many, many notes with good wishes for Bob.  As we move forward with big challenges ahead, we are taking one day at a time, and will keep you posted periodically as we have news.

Tuesday: Homecoming

Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill

It didn't take the doctors long to decide to send Bob home, and tonight, after a long day of preparing the house and going through all the discharge procedures, we were all home together: Maggie, Bob, Meganne, Matt, Jenny, and I.  We had a nice family dinner, with toasts and laughs.

Tomorrow, I will be heading back to Seattle, but a new phase will begin for the family, filled with an overwhelming new set of challenges: bringing in home care nurses; making trips to Stanford for additional tests and chemo; scheduling physical, occupational and speech therapy at home; and managing medications, nutrition & daily activities.  Maggie sends her gratitude to all of you who have called, written, helped out, visited, and kept Bob in your thoughts and prayers.  Your support, near and far, have sustained us all.

Tonight. we're beyond exhausted, but so happy that Bob is finally in his own bed, where he is presently sleeping soundly.

Monday: Good News Day

A busy day today--Bob was dressed and up most of the day, had a massage, walked to the garden again.  The staff told him how much they love his humor and personality.  He's a motivated patient and a lot of fun for them--so much fun, in fact, and doing so well, that the doctors are talking about sending him home.  He's happy, and so are we.  It's a good news day.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Take it Easy

An easy weekend as Bob adjusts to this round of chemo.  He's been eating well, listening to music, getting out into the garden, and resting.

Thursday: Nourishment & Movement

 

Bob wants to know: What is his contract with the doctors?  They realize that he is a goal guy, and the attending says, "Eat as much as you can, and move as much as you can."  This has become the focus of Bob's day.  His feeding tube has been removed, so he is calculating calories and getting out of bed several times each day these past couple of days.  Today, taking a walk with the physical therapist, he was determined to go all the way to the garden and back. The nurses and staff came out to watch, clapped and cheered as he went by.  They all love his spirit.

Tuesday/Wednesday: "Progress, again"

When we arrived at the hospital this morning (Maggie has had 2 nights of good sleep at home), Bob was not in his bed.  We found him walking around in the hallway with the physical therapist.  Back in the room, he started organizing us to get his photos together so he could see them better, save the food he likes to take advantage of "calorie opportunities", and joked with the doctors as they said, "every day you're improving: progress, again!"  He's more talkative and in good spirits, starting the new round of chemo today, a good day.

Monday: Labor Day Greetings

Bob was up and dressed for a short time today; sends his best to all of you.

Saturday/Sunday: Gathering strength

Peacefully uneventful days, with a few minutes out in the garden.  Bob is staying steady.  A strong weekend will allow a new round of chemo to begin on Monday.

If he holds this course, it's likely there won't be any real news for some days. He has some good momentum, and it looks like his strength is gathering.

Friday: Gratitude

Today was my hands-on orientation to the World of Bob.  Tonight, back at Maggie's, I am humbled by the kind of time and work she and Meganne have been putting in daily, and by Bob's courageous fight.

The care that is consistently delivered --by every single person I met at the hospital--is impressive. It seems that we have our own private doctors and nurses just waiting outside Bob's door to help.  It's a team that inspires confidence and gratitude.

The hospital is beautiful and cheerful: inspiring art on the walls, live music where it's accessible to patients, billowing gardens that go on and on around the hospital grounds and visible through the windows, cafeterias with appealing and healthy food. Today when I asked him if there was any food I could bring him that he might have a craving for, he thought carefully and said quietly, "a small martini."

Although he sleeps much of the day and is often uncomfortable, Bob is fairly alert when he is awake:  he queries the doctors,  asks for the sports page, makes plans to sit up for awhile, contemplates the qualities of the foods he likes best, keeps his sense of humor handy, and is graciously kind to, and appreciative of all who have helped him: his family, the nurse checking in, or all of you, keeping him in your thoughts. 

These past few days he is inching along, each day a little better than the day before. A short visit from Brother Chris, on his way to the lake today, brought a twinkle to Bob's eye.

Thursday: busy

I arrived today, checked out the hospital.  Bob was tired, resting quietly, but everything around him was a beehive of activity.  Writing from my phone tonight, more tomorrow.

Wednesday: Quiet Day

lllll

...

Just a quiet day.  I'm going down to be with Maggie tomorrow.  More soon.

Tuesday: Continuing

Today, mixed results.  The good news:

• Bob has a little more energy and alertness
• The pneumonia is slowly retreating, making room for easy breaths.
• The extra calories bring some added strength and clarity.
• Bob is talking to his doctors about his favorite place.....yes, the Lake.....and because it's hard for him to get the words out, he lets them know as he explains that he is having "mechanical difficulties."  
• He got out of bed to sit in a chair for a few minutes, and,
• The photographs, thanks to you for submitting them and to Molly for printing them, are bringing smiles to his face.

The no news:
      • Still testing, still waiting for some kind of explanation & prognosis.