Rob & Holly Need Our Help

Rob Hodges has had a hell of a month – hospitalized for a week and since then has endured a waiting period of immense pain and discomfort while the unpleasant medications he is forced to take attempt to reduce acute inflammation.  Surgery is imminent.  Rob has Crohn’s Disease.  There is no cure. The inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissues and is extremely painful and often debilitating and can lead to life-threatening complications.  Though there is no cure, there are surgeries, therapies and medications which can make the disease manageable.  Rob has endured not only Crohn’s but has also struggled from the symptoms a hernia with little complaint, but I now have to speak up on his behalf because Rob is not only a sufferer from disease but he is also a casualty of our economic and political times – he has no health insurance.  Neither does Holly who is still paying off medical expenses in connection with her stroke.

Rob and Holly married young, are completely devoted to each other and have been part of the Memphis community for decades. Holly worked in public radio and Rob and been a manager at Garibaldis for years, supporting his family and giving to community (you will almost always see Rob throwing pizzas at the Italian Festival).  But before work, Holly and Rob met through their love of music.  I think this is how I know them best – growing up Holly was always only a few steps away from a guitar, and Rob, who has an Amazing Ear, could walk into a room, pick up any instrument and fiddle with it until he figured it out. He’s also an awesome horn player. For them, I believe, music is a form of expressing love.  For me, any ability to express myself musically has been hindered by a seemly cranky and elusive muse, but at this moment I am pouring all the love I have for my sister and my brother-in-law into the keyboard in front of me, asking you all to please, please consider giving what you can to help them get the medical assistance/surgery Rob needs.  Thank you so much for reading this, and know that anything you can do will be deeply appreciated.

Love to all~

Heather