CML Comrade Bbo DelCotto - Sad News

[Guest guest]

Dear CML family,

I am writing today with some sad news regarding Bob DelCotto. You

may remember Bob and his wife, , from Illinois. and

Bob had not posted on Bob's Caringbridge site in quite some time.

All was going well as Bob recovered from his March, 2004 unrelated

transplant and they raised little , now two years old. You

can read about the first year of Bob's transplant journey at

http://www.caringbridge.org/il/bobdelcotto

left a message for me last night. When I spoke with her

this morning, she explained that Bob had " not been himself " since

October of 2005. He had lots of aches and pains in his back and

shoulder area. A few months later, he was putting together a toy

for little and his arm broke. This was the first real

warning sign, but still the doctors chalked it up to long-term

steroids, etc. Bbo was having such pain in his shoulders, hips and

abdomen, he was unable to eat. Fially, he was admitted to the

hospital and eventually put onto a feeding tube as, by then, he was

quite malnourished.

The DelCotto family has been through hell these last several

months. Scans showed tumors in the hips, etc., but the biopsies

yielded no diagnosis. Ultimately, a tumor in the neck area

confirmed extra-medullary blast crisis CML. This did not show in

blood or marrow tests so, of course, the DelCottos were devastated.

fought for Bob to the end, getting him into the BMS trial at

Loyola on the very last day of the trial by advocating with all her

might for her husband. Unfortunately, by then, his disease had

progressed too far.

Bob lost his fight this last Sunday. called me to ask that

I let you all know as she, like I, will always feel so connected to

this family that has seen us through such difficult times. She said

she has not been able to update the site as she has been with Bob at

the hospital for weeks on end. is consoled knowing that she

and Bob did everything they possibly could throughout the entire

ordeal. Now she knows that Bob is no longer in pain. Apparently it

was so, so awful and I just ache for and the family.

If you want to send an email or card, I know would

appreciate it. Her address is mdelcotto@... and her mailing

address is

DelCotto

8212 Chesterton Drive

Woodridge IL 60517

Love and hope to you all,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks so much for letting us know about Bob. I've often thought

about him and wondered how he was doing. I hoped so dearly that since

he hadn't updated his Caringbridge site that it meant he was doing

well. I'm so saddened to hear that he lost his battle after all this

time. He was a real trooper and my heart goes out to , baby

and his mother who I remember used to post about him.

Tracey

[Guest guest]

This is so sad. I will be hoping his family gets through this tough time.

:{

[ ] CML Comrade Bbo DelCotto - Sad News

Dear CML family,

I am writing today with some sad news regarding Bob DelCotto. You

may remember Bob and his wife, , from Illinois. and

Bob had not posted on Bob's Caringbridge site in quite some time.

All was going well as Bob recovered from his March, 2004 unrelated

transplant and they raised little , now two years old. You

can read about the first year of Bob's transplant journey at

http://www.caringbr idge.org/ il/bobdelcotto

left a message for me last night. When I spoke with her

this morning, she explained that Bob had " not been himself " since

October of 2005. He had lots of aches and pains in his back and

shoulder area. A few months later, he was putting together a toy

for little and his arm broke. This was the first real

warning sign, but still the doctors chalked it up to long-term

steroids, etc. Bbo was having such pain in his shoulders, hips and

abdomen, he was unable to eat. Fially, he was admitted to the

hospital and eventually put onto a feeding tube as, by then, he was

quite malnourished.

The DelCotto family has been through hell these last several

months. Scans showed tumors in the hips, etc., but the biopsies

yielded no diagnosis. Ultimately, a tumor in the neck area

confirmed extra-medullary blast crisis CML. This did not show in

blood or marrow tests so, of course, the DelCottos were devastated.

fought for Bob to the end, getting him into the BMS trial at

Loyola on the very last day of the trial by advocating with all her

might for her husband. Unfortunately, by then, his disease had

progressed too far.

Bob lost his fight this last Sunday. called me to ask that

I let you all know as she, like I, will always feel so connected to

this family that has seen us through such difficult times. She said

she has not been able to update the site as she has been with Bob at

the hospital for weeks on end. is consoled knowing that she

and Bob did everything they possibly could throughout the entire

ordeal. Now she knows that Bob is no longer in pain. Apparently it

was so, so awful and I just ache for and the family.

If you want to send an email or card, I know would

appreciate it. Her address is mdelcotto@.. . and her mailing

address is

DelCotto

8212 Chesterton Drive

Woodridge IL 60517

Love and hope to you all,