After completing radiation, Rob began four rounds of chemotherapy. While his tumor responded well, the treatment took a severe toll on his body.
“ It was the worst year of our lives,” Lyddia says.
Due to side effects, Rob’ s care team paused chemotherapy. The tumor had shrunk significantly. Then, just as it began growing again, a new immunotherapy drug was fast-tracked by the Federal Drug Administration. The drug offered hope— but came with serious risks. After careful thought, they decided the potential benefits outweighed the dangers.
For more than two years, Rob received biweekly immunotherapy infusions— despite continued health challenges, including pneumonia. Despite it all, Rob responded very well to the immunotherapy and began setting both short and long-term goals.
Rob and his granddaughter Rob walking his grandson to school
“ My first goal was walking Lucas, my grandson, to school his first day of kindergarten, and I did that,” Rob says.“ And I ' ve done that every year since.”
During that time, they also learned their daughter was expecting a baby girl. Rob hugged her and said he hoped to meet his granddaughter, Piper. Now, Lucas, who was an infant when Rob was first diagnosed, has finished fifth grade, and Piper has finished first grade. And Rob is still walking them both to their first day of school every year. He also travels to Dallas often to visit his other grandson, Damron.