Gone Fishin

It is with great sadness that we post this letter from Barbara. As we have more information we will post it. Thank you.




There is no easy way to do this. I have been trying to call our friends but I just can't seem to stop the tears long enough to make any sense. The word is begining to spread and I wanted to let you all know that God has taken my warrior. He fought so hard but he became too sick to fight any longer. He died last evening while I was holding his hand. He was peaceful and was not struggling for breath. He was so brave. Everyone knows that all he wanted was to be given a chance. I am so happy that he was granted that wish. His lung transplant was a success.
Our children Carolyn and Joe, my sister Bunny, my brother Bill and his wife Pat, and Bob's sister Mary Agnes are here with me. No arrangements have been made yet. I will need to complete things here and pack up the suite before I can return home. I hope to be able to be home by Saturday or Sunday. Arrangements in Lewes will be handled by Parsell. There is so much more I would like to say but it is just to hard right now. I thought it would be easier than phoning but I can't see to type anymore. Thank you all of your help and encouragement. I read him your notes and cards and I just know how much it meant to him.
Barb

One step at a time

From Barbara.

Good Morning,
A lot has happened since my last update.I only thought it fair that I let everyone know. During the past 24hrs., Bob has had a major upset. He has had to have an unplanned emergency surgery for what they are calling ischemic colitis. This is a condition that can be caused my a number of factors related to his disease and surgery. He has had to have a bowel resection. He appeared to be responding to the treatment when he again became distressed and was taken in to surgery again. More resection. He is having a real struggle and is now once more back in the ER for treatment.
He was doing so well and we were so pleased. We knew it would be a hard fight and he is a real fighter but this has turned into a battle.
Please keep him (us) in your prayers.
Barb

What a difference a day makes

"Bobby, wake up, wake up Bobby......"  These were the words Mary Agnes spoke to Bobby yesterday.  Amidst the tubes and monitors, beeps and buzzes of ICU, the kind and gentle sister yelled at her brother.  As she asked him, "Can you hear me?"  He nodded.  She said "Bobby, Barbara and I are here, you got your lungs!  You got your lungs!"  She had him nod back and forth and up and down and he listened to her (let's be honest, that was a miracle in itself!)

So the road ahead is long, full of unforeseen pitfalls and challenges, but it is the road forward.  This is the long and windy road back to the beach and to his fishing spot.  He wouldn't have had the success he has had so far without the love and support of friends and family like each one of you.

This weekend is Mother's Day.  Sitting up in the ICU with Bobby are two of the world's best mothers.  Two women who have sat together, cried together, and waited and waited and waited for Bobby to slowly recover.  Yesterday they enjoyed seeing him begin to respond.  It was a joyful day and surely one of many more to come.

Happy Mother's Day!

Life... It's not a sprint it's a marathon

This past weekend was the Pittsburgh marathon... It seemed so appropriate given the marathon Bobby is running right now in this journey for his lungs.....

We are now one week and a day from new lungs and Bobby is still fighting.  He is using his lungs well every day.  His heart is working hard to keep up with the demand of these new lungs and slowly slowly slowly he is healing.  He is still kept asleep and on a ventilator to allow the slow healing and recovery process to continue... Life is a marathon... It takes energy and commitment and the prayers and support of loving friends and family. 

Barbara has made many new friends while in Pittsburgh.  She has grown a supportive network of friends who share their own stories of the marathons they are running in life.  She also has lots of family coming to sit with her and with Bobby.  She has her Sister-in-Law with her, nieces have come to visit, and today her niece Sarah (yet another favorite niece) and daughter Carolyn are visiting! 

This is a beautiful time of year, spring is here, good weather and good fishing awaits.  Thank you so much for all your prayers and words of encouragement.  Bobby is running, slowly and surely he is moving forward in his marathon of life.  Thanks you for your cheers from the sidelines!  Keep up the noise it makes it so much easier when you have folks cheering you on.

All in good time

Here are some words from Barb.


Greetings,
I thought it was about time for another update. The past few days have been a little difficult. Bob has hit a couple of rough patches since he received his transplant on Monday. At the time of transplant, the surgeons had elected to leave his chest open and support his new lungs and his heart on a system called ECMO. On Wednesday, he was taken backand his chest was closed and the ECMO was removed His lungs were pink and soft and working well. His heart was having difficulty adjusting. It had been working so hard to push oxygen into his lungs ,so like any muscle ,the exercise had enlarged the right side. So basically, he ended up with a very tight situation in a very small chest cavity. He has a very small chest cavity due to his size, his age, and the disease. Closing the chest seemed to cause compression and a very unhappy heart. After working to try and get him back to a normal rhythm, the decision was made last night to re-open the chest. Today he seems to be doing better. He is still asleep and will be for several more days. They continue to monitor him closely.
This is an awesome facility and he is receiving such good care. You know that he is a fighter and will do whatever is asked of him. We knew going in to this that it would be a rough road. There would be ups and downs. We have not been disappointed. We are now 5 days from transplant
Thank you all for your support and concerns. I really enjoy reading your emails and all of the encouragement you send.I will try to keep you informed as best I can. I realize that when time goes by without news it can cause concerns so I will do my best.
Carolyn is working on a way so that you can access information and send messages. Hopefully, she will have it together soon.
Barb

All in good time

Here are some words from Barb.


Greetings,
I thought it was about time for another update. The past few days have been a little difficult. Bob has hit a couple of rough patches since he received his transplant on Monday. At the time of transplant, the surgeons had elected to leave his chest open and support his new lungs and his heart on a system called ECMO. On Wednesday, he was taken backand his chest was closed and the ECMO was removed His lungs were pink and soft and working well. His heart was having difficulty adjusting. It had been working so hard to push oxygen into his lungs ,so like any muscle ,the exercise had enlarged the right side. So basically, he ended up with a very tight situation in a very small chest cavity. He has a very small chest cavity due to his size, his age, and the disease. Closing the chest seemed to cause compression and a very unhappy heart. After working to try and get him back to a normal rhythm, the decision was made last night to re-open the chest. Today he seems to be doing better. He is still asleep and will be for several more days. They continue to monitor him closely.
This is an awesome facility and he is receiving such good care. You know that he is a fighter and will do whatever is asked of him. We knew going in to this that it would be a rough road. There would be ups and downs. We have not been disappointed. We are now 5 days from transplant
Thank you all for your support and concerns. I really enjoy reading your emails and all of the encouragement you send.I will try to keep you informed as best I can. I realize that when time goes by without news it can cause concerns so I will do my best.
Carolyn is working on a way so that you can access information and send messages. Hopefully, she will have it together soon.
Barb

Never Doubt

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

You all are amazing!  Tonight I had the pleasure of speaking with Mindy, Bobby's nurse in the Cardio-Thoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU).  Her consistent message was, we are all here to make sure that Barbara and all her family understand everything going on with Bobby.  UPMC is an amazing place!  Every doctor, nurse, physical therapist, pharmacist, respiratory therapist and many many more are here for Bobby.  They let Barbara know the plan for the day, the week and the month.  Right now the plan is to get his kidneys working at full pace (apparently they did not get the message that Bobby has a fishing date on 1 June) and keep his lungs fluffy and pink and providing him oxygen day after day. His heart is strong and doing as much as it can to keep the Bobby machine moving forward!  He is doing very well and progressing exactly as the doctors predicted.  We do have to remember he is pretty old... He is a Christ Our King graduate, after all!

So, to each one of you... Bobby is doing exactly what the U Pitt Docs and staff want, he is slowly getting better and better.  We still need you prayers, your love, your support and he cannot wait to see you in Delaware when he is able to return home in a few months.  You are all so  amazing!  Keep sending your pictures so we can put them on his wall! 

The Gift of Life

April was Organ Donor appreciation month and on the last day of April our hero, Bobby Romspert was forever tied to the life of another, a generous donor who gave him life and breath!  He is truly a fighter.  He underwent over 12 hours of surgery, returned from the OR with an open chest with an ECMO machine providing oxygen and resting his heart.  He recovered nicely, went back today to the OR for 4 hours to remove the ECMO, and his heart is beating well on its own.  Per his surgeon, his new lungs are fluffy and pink and full of wonderful air!  He is a fighter and a man with a mission.  There is a fishing spot waiting for him on the Eastern Shore and many a friend to spend some time with him there, I am sure.

We have no idea who the generous family is who allowed Bobby to be given the gift of life, but we are forever thankful and honored that he or she was so generous to share their greatest gift with us. 

Bobby's favorite nieces, Colleen, Sharon, and I had the opportunity to drive to University of Pittsburgh and visit with him this past weekend.  We spent some amazing time with him, Barbara and Mary Agnes.  We laughed, we cried, and we enjoyed just having time to talk.  Little did we know that he would get those wonderful breaths of air only a day later.  He and I had a couple of quiet hours on Friday morning... as he struggled for every breath... All he could keep saying was how much he appreciated the thoughts, prayers and incredible generosity of his amazing friends and family.  He couldn't believe how much you all have done.  His love and thanks for each one of you, for all you have done to support he and Barbara was ever present on his mind.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.