Bobby: Prayers and Love for a Warrior

Our Story

Bobby, husband, Dad to three sons and Papa to six beautiful grandchildren. A proud Veteran of the United States Air Force and currently a Texas Department of Criminal Justice Correctional Officer V with the Rudd Unit in Brownfield. He has always been very active, strong and fit. After losing his brother to a sudden heart attack in December of 2016, I kept encouraging him to get a complete check up. In November of 2016 he was diagnosed with a blockage in the right coronary artery and a stent was placed. For about two weeks he was more energetic and feeling good. Then he started getting fatigued easily, shortness of breath, dizziness and headaches. He was admitted into the hospital on January 5, 2017 for severe anemia. His hemoglobin was 5.7 and received 3 blood transfusions. On January 7, 2017 he had an endoscopy of the upper GI where they found a large bleeding tumor at the junction of his esophagus and stomach. He was diagnosed with Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. January 16th, he had a PET scan that revealed not only did he have the esophageal tumor but he also had a tumor in a lymph node between his kidneys, which then made him Stage 4 in the cancer staging. Aggressive chemo treatments were started January 23, 2017 and he will eventually have radiation added to the regime and then hopefully it will reduce down and he will be able to have surgery at MD Anderson in Houston.

Bobby did very well after the first couple of months on his chemo infusions. June of 2017 he did 28 radiation treatments Mon-Fri for 5 1/2 weeks. It was really hard on him. His neuropathy got so bad, he was having to walk with a cane, he lost 30 lbs in 3 weeks time, his hands and feet looked like they were burned as they had a deep red purplish color to them and they were peeling so bad and the creases on the underside of his finger joints would split open and it was difficult for him to hold a glass to drink from much less a fork or spoon to eat. There were times he had to be fed because he could not take hold or control the eating utensils. After the radiation treatments he regained his strength, his feet and hands began healing and wasn’t stumbling as bad when he walked. By mid-November 2017, he was finally able to go back to work. It was the best thing that could have happened for him. His spirits were lifted so much by working and being with his co-workers that he is so fond of. They stood by his side for the 11 months he was off work.

Bobby was put on maintenance chemo, having oral chemo (Xeloda) 8 days on and 8 days off, he couldn’t take it as often as they would like because of the side effects he had against it, then his infusion every 3rd week. He did well, even though the neuropathy was very painful and annoying for him.

As of September 11, 2018, his scan showed he has developed two spots on his liver. We are waiting for insurance approval for his biopsy the change in his treatment plan. The treatment plan as of now will be taking Taxol and Cyramza infusions once weekly. There is nothing easy about this journey we have been on, it is emotionally draining and it takes a strong support system in order to get through the day most days. I am his caregiver, I work a full time job 12 hour shifts and at times if it wasn’t for the our faith, believing in God being the ultimate Physician and the hundreds of people including family and friends that cover us with prayers, love and support, we wouldn’t be where we are today.