Sorry Guys... The video is a litle fuzzy and it rotates a few seconds into it. More videos to come... His recovery is amazing...
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Robert Comes Home
After a 3 month stint in the hospital and in rehab, Robert walked through the doors to his future; a future that was almost taken from him when that bullet went through his brain. It is amazing... God is good and my brother is a living, breathing example of the miraculous work of my savior. Prayers have been answered and there are so many emotions that I am filled with that it is hard to write this.Now, that he has made it out of rehab the real work begins. Our journey has really just begun. I don't know how life is going to be now but I am just willing to accept it with open arms. Robert went from only moving his right arm to now being able to walk on a walker, wheel himself in a wheelchair, dance, laugh, talk
, read, write, dress himself, and bathe himself. It is wonderful being able to watch this. But now we have to keep him motivated, keep pushing him to do more and make sure that while he is home he is not stagnant. He must move and must continue his therapy regimens.So we, as a family, have a lot of work ahead of us. Robert has a lot of work ahead of him. It is going to be hard and even frustrating at times but I know that we will get through this. My family sticks together through thick and thin. God could not have blessed me with a better group of people. So with the support system Robert has I think, better yet I know that we will come out of this on top as with everything our family does.
Robert said from the very beginning that he was going to walk out of rehab...and he lived up to his words…so watch him do his thing!!!
So I have been trying to post the video but it won't work but I will try and post it when blogger wants to act right.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
It's About Time
Well, It has been a minute since I have updated the blog. I have been having trouble uploading the videos that I want everyone to see, it was graduation week and Robert had a seizure. A lot has happened since the last entry and Robert has of course been making great progress... Below is a video of him walking backward on his walker and a video of him walking on Mother's day with his Aunt Marilyn and his father. I will try my hardest to post the other videos...so keep a look out for them... Right now, here are some brief entries that tracked some of his progress during my time away from the blog.... Enjoy!
Our Minor Set BackMay 3, 2009
We are back in the main hospital again. I didn’t think that we would see this place again. So, once again we are sitting in the family waiting room holding down the fort. This time we had a new family in the waiting room who were just as loud and commandeering as we are. So we shared the room just this one time. Aside from the DVD player, the bed mats and the array of food, this waiting room feels the same as the last time. The emotions are still the same, stifling and impatience and prayer circles and laughter. All the same.
Robert had a seizure…A grand mal seizure… He had four of them…the first was a mild silent one. He said he felt like he was trapped in his own mind. He heard people talking to him but he wanted to respond but he couldn’t, he was stuck. He was rushed to the ER where he had three more seizures. He had to be sedated to control his seizures. He was sent to ICU for observation after he was stabilized. We didn’t like seeing him like this. We felt and prayed that this wouldn’t set him back. He had his hopes set on attending my graduation and being out of rehab for a day. We were hoping that he would be able to make it back to rehab in time to see the ceremony.
May 4, 2009
Robert woke up…he is remembering what happened to him and is trying to adjust to being in ICU. He does not like it one bit. His vitals are fine. He is stable and no longer needs the care of the ICU nurses. So an order has been placed in his file to move him to a regular room until he is released to the rehab. However, we have to wait for a bed to come available for him to move. So he may not move today…
May 5, 2009
They moved Robert to a room finally…It is an individual room no bigger than a small closet. Its quite antique. The bed needs some oil because it squeaks loudly everytime you adjust the bed. The mattress is hard, the food is horrible and my brother is not happy. He is agitated, frustrated and upset. He thinks that because he had the seizure that it is setting him back from his therapy. They said he can be transferred to the rehab and the doctor has signed the order for him to be released.
May 6, 2009
Still at the main hospital and Robert is more agitated that ever before. There is no calming him down… I hate this.
May 7, 2009
Still at the main hospital… this is becoming unbearable for everyone.
Due to lack of staff presence and doctor orders being put in at the right time, Robert was not sent back to rehab until Friday May 8, 2009. His doctor hadn’t had a chance to evaluate him and he was not able to attend the actual graduation but he was cool about it. He watched the ceremony on television and got a surprise visit from me before I went to line up.
We were glad that he was back in rehab because he was so ready to get back t his therapy. He has been ready to walk and play the Wii and see his therapists and sleep in his “sealy posterpedic” bed. He was ready to see his favorite nurses and take a shower. His entire attitude changed once he was finally transferred. I was happy to see his smile again, to see and hear him laugh and to watch the positive spirit return to him. It is amazing.
May 18, 2009Here is a little update since Robert has been released from his bout in the main hospital...it seems like he is stronger and better than before he had the seizure. He has been sittting up on the side of the bed without any assistance. He is remembering telephone numbers and can recite them without any mistakes. He has mastered his telephone pad and has now begun calling the numbers he remembered with no assistance. I must say I was shocked to get an exciting phone call today from him because he finally dialed my number.
He is walking better, seeing better and overall feeling better. He is not taking any pain or sleep medicine any more. Just his seizure medicine and medicine for muscle stiffness and his clonis. Everyday there are new developments in his recovery and everyday he makes everyone see that their prayers have been answered.
I love the fact that he takes joy in the simplist things...seeing you smile, makes him smile... A visit, a phone call, bringing him funyuns or sweets or food for that matter makes him very happy. Robert's personal goal aside from the goals that he set in rehab is to get fat. Last week he weighed 138.9 pounds and as of Sunday he is 144 pounds. He is looking chubby in the face and he is steadily trying to get thick. He says he wants to weigh 250 pounds... So, he tries to eat as much as he can and as many times a day as he can. Today he had 20 nuggets from Chick-fil-a and a turkey sandwich. After an hour passed he ate a pecan swirl... If he hears you opening a wrapper, or chewing on something he wants some too depending on what it is.
All in all... we are moving on the right track. Robert has a projected release date of June 4, 2009. So he is working hard and determined to walk out the doors of rehab on that date. It is still amazing to watch him in action and to watch his recovery period. Sometimes I am at a loss for words because he does so much. Anyway, I have written enough...Enjoy the videos!!! Oh, the videos from my phone are sideways, I tried to rotate them but I couldn't so just bear with me!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
It's Been A Long Time...
It has been about two weeks since my last post... I know, it has been a long time. Of course you all know I could not leave you in suspense much longer... I asked Robert if he wanted to do the blog update and he agreed. However, he is doing his message as a campaign speech for the rehab center. Well, here it goes...
I am Robert Obama and I am running for president of the rehab center. Since I have been a patient here I have noticed a few things that need addressing... I am all about change. Although, we do not have a patients council here I believe it is high time that we start one. So, as a patient here, I am running as the first black president of the rehab center. If elected as your president I will ensure that patients will have quality food from the cafeteria and a choice to eat from the grill or the caff. As your president I will ensure that each patient will be drop free and have a pleasant recovery here. As your president I will make sure that we bring some spirit into this dead place... We need to stop being so serious and have a sense of humor and add some comedy and laughter in this dry place. We need to have socials, meet and greets and become acquainted with each other a little more. I think that will help with our therapy and
recovery.I love our rehab therapists they are great at their jobs. For the last couple of weeks they have helped me work on my memory; assisted me in walking with the harness, on the parallel bars and the local mat; tested me on my reading comprehension; worked with me on dressing myself without assistance; and finally worked with me on my stand pivot transfers from the bed to the chair. All the therapist need is the patients cooperation and willingness to achieve the weekly goals set for them.
As your president I want to make sure that each patient is motivated to do each therapy session because the therapists can not assist you in your recovery if you do not want to recover yourselves.
Here at the rehab center we have excellent nursing care. Ms. Jennifer who not only makes sure you are comfortable and every need is met she takes an interest in your life and your recovery. Ms. Freda who can lift me in 2.5 seconds and make me laugh. She makes sure that I am entertained and no one bothers me. Ms. Freda, the picture is coming soon. Ms. Deborah, who escorts me to the eye doctor and makes sure I laugh and forget about the long wait to be seen. Ms. Claudette, she keeps everything clean and in order. Nothing is out of place with her. These are just a few exemplary ladies who deal with me on a daily basis. They work so well with me and other patients. As your president, I want to make sure that we keep staff on hand like these ladies at all times.
So as I advocate for a change in the policies here at the rehab center, I need your help as well. I need your help to not only elect me as your president but to also to an active role in your therapy. Use me as your example…Every goal that is set, I meet it every week. I have my family who take an active role in my recovery by visiting all the time and far and wide. Even my cousin Connie came from Laurinburg, NC just to see me along with my little cousin from Florida. It feels good to be loved and you all can feel the same way too.
There is one more thing I would like implemented as your president. We need to have a regular church service held here on Sundays for those patients who like to attend a worship service. We need to relish in our religion and feel the presence of our Lord always.
Since we are speaking about change… My mother is my first lady because she is the number one lady in my life. So in absence of my wife (which I do not have at the moment) my mother is gladly taking the place. My sisters are my campaign managers and keep me on task as the presidential candidate of the rehab center. Also, in my cabinet there is a place for my Des Babe… She keeps me loved and supports me in ways that my mom and sisters can not do.
Before I go, I want to leave you with one thing thought… We are a community of patients needing the best rehab this hospital can provide. I am advocating for change, we need a change in policy, a change in patient outlook and a change in ourselves.
I am Robert Obama and I approve this message.
So, there you have it! A lovely speech by my brother…working hard in therapy and keeping his mind open to bigger and better things.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Halfway There
We are halfway there. Robert’s doctors estimated that he would be in rehab for 12 weeks. We have hit the 6th week mark and as usual Robert continues to progress. It seems like with each passing day his spirit grows a little stronger, his will to recover gets a little bit thicker and his determination to surpass the doubts of his doubters is off the charts.
He has learned to control his emotions a little more and being sad is no longer an option. He quickly lets people know, “don’t come in here telling me what I can’t do, don’t down me. You are supposed to be here to encourage me, to assist me in getting through this.”
You know there are always those faithful few who want to be your biggest supporters but yet tear you down instead of building you up. Robert doesn’t want that negative energy around him. He is capable to fight his verbal battles alone now, no longer is he letting me or Donna do it. He lets us along with our Mother to fight the battle with the medical staff.
At any rate, this past week he has had an increase in therapy sessions and has started combating other obstacles in his recovery. On he finally moved his toes. He has been trying to move his toes since he was hospitalized. Now he is working to crack his toes (which he loves and use to do all the time.)
On Tuesday, Robert gave love lessons to his younger cousins. He told them, “wrap it up, and don’t be concerned about picking the right girl right now because these girls right now don’t even know how to be the right girl. Enjoy your youth, when the time comes for you to find your forever; you will know it’s her. Once you find that right one, just hold on to her.” Aside from love lessons, he stretched his legs out real good and worked on pushing himself up in the bed by using the bed rails and no assistance from nurses, techs or family members.
Walking Wednesday, Robert walked on a walker.
He has learned to control his emotions a little more and being sad is no longer an option. He quickly lets people know, “don’t come in here telling me what I can’t do, don’t down me. You are supposed to be here to encourage me, to assist me in getting through this.”
You know there are always those faithful few who want to be your biggest supporters but yet tear you down instead of building you up. Robert doesn’t want that negative energy around him. He is capable to fight his verbal battles alone now, no longer is he letting me or Donna do it. He lets us along with our Mother to fight the battle with the medical staff.
At any rate, this past week he has had an increase in therapy sessions and has started combating other obstacles in his recovery. On he finally moved his toes. He has been trying to move his toes since he was hospitalized. Now he is working to crack his toes (which he loves and use to do all the time.)
On Tuesday, Robert gave love lessons to his younger cousins. He told them, “wrap it up, and don’t be concerned about picking the right girl right now because these girls right now don’t even know how to be the right girl. Enjoy your youth, when the time comes for you to find your forever; you will know it’s her. Once you find that right one, just hold on to her.” Aside from love lessons, he stretched his legs out real good and worked on pushing himself up in the bed by using the bed rails and no assistance from nurses, techs or family members.
Walking Wednesday, Robert walked on a walker. He was very excited about that but he said, “I will be more excited to walk by myself.” He stretched some more today, his muscles tighten up a lot so he has to work and stretch his legs and arms to keep his muscles loose. He had group therapy today as well. He was read a paragraph and he had to summarize what he heard and had to answer a couple questions afterwards.
On Thursday he worked on standing up and transferring from his chair to the bed using the stand pivot combo and the squat pivot combo. His friends came and visited and they had a semi freestyle studio session in the atrium. Robert was giving God thanks for his life, and rapping about how well he has recovered he even amazed himself. His friends promised to bring the keyboard and some beats in for them to have a real freestyle session.
Friday he had fun. He worked on puzzles and played basketball. His recreational therapist promised that she would bring the Wii in for him to play that. He worked extensively on remembering all of his therapists’ names. He has gotten better with recognizing them and saying their names with little or no prompting.
Surprise…surprise…Robert’s New York family surprised him with a visit today and he was overjoyed and excited. He let me trim his beard today so he wouldn’t be a wolf for too much longer. He chilled today, not much therapy.
Sunday, Easter Sunday… Robert went to church. The rehab center had service and Robert was escorted to service by the New York crew, our uncle and Dad. He was had visitors all day long. We had a big Sunday dinner that our Aunt Edwina catered. We enjoyed mac & cheese, ham, baked chicken, rotisserie chicken, sweet potatoes, collard greens, homemade corn muffins, potato salad and stuffing. For desert we had apricot rum cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Robert refused to eat the cake because it had rum in it… no drinking for him. He joked saying, if he eats the cake we would be sticking a spoon in his mouth to stop him from swallowing his tongue. “I’m seizure free and I will remain that way,” he said.
All in all Robert had a great week. He enjoyed his visitors, his therapy and reveled in the fact that he is still alive and that accounts for everything. He is a blessing everyday and I can’t stop thanking God for all the blessings and miracles he has bestowed upon my family and my friends.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Stepping Stones
Hello followers of Robert’s progression…
These last two weeks have been rough trying to write and post progress stories on the blog because my laptop broke and Robert has been improving so much that when you are visiting with him he demands all of your attention. Every little thing you do he questions or want you to come sit beside him. He is still keeping everyone on their toes with laughter and his constant appetite. You would think that he would be fat by now because of everything he eats. He is putting on some weight but he had lost so much weight that it’s hard for some to see him getting chubby. His last weigh in he weighed 148 pounds. I will let you all know how many more pounds he has gained since then.
Well, without further adieu, here is Robert’s two week update:
So far Robert spent one week in ICU, one week in the main hospital, and five weeks in rehab. Robert has transformed from a comatose state to a very mobile and continuous evolving state. As mentioned before, while in ICU Rob was only moving his right arm. However, with therapy and healing time Robert can now feed himself, sit at the sink and wash his hands, he is beginning to see colors and shapes, he is remembering details and retaining information.
For the past two weeks in rehab Robert has really progressed. His vision has improved, he is walking more without the use of the harness and he is also becoming more aware of his left side. He is learning how to handle his muscle spasms and to control his emotions. And we have had two weeks fall/drop free. He is coming along very well.
During a meeting with his entire rehab medical team we learned a lot about Robert’s injuries, his impairments and his overall goals with each therapist. He is classified as having TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). The bullet damaged Robert’s frontal and parietal lobe. The frontal lobe is associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving and the parietal lobe is associated with movement, orientation, recognition, and perception of stimuli. He is prone to mood swings, seizures, and muscle spasms. He is taking medication to prevent seizures and headaches and to control his spasms.
We also learned that Robert has spasticity; this is when the muscles tighten or contract because the brain is over firing and sending continuous messages to the muscles to tighten. Through therapy and slight medication he is learning how to handle himself when this occurs. Robert also suffers from spatial awareness. He is not certain of his body’s position in space. His vision is another impairment and during the assessment Robert was only seeing bright lights and limited colors. Now he can describe what you have on, what you are doing, where you are in reference to him. He has been watching TV and even went on a movie date with Destiny on Sunday. They saw Slum Dog Millionaire in the Atrium of the rehab center.
In therapy he is learning how to cope and overcome his impairments. For his spasticity, his therapist has him walking on a harness assisted machine on the track, and rolling on the mat and walking with out the harness. For his short term memory he has been using reverbalization or repetition. At first Robert was not aware of the day and date. Now he can tell you what day it is and estimate around what time it is. He also gets stuck on a word and he has learned to talk around what he doesn’t remember in order to get him to find the word he wants to use. He is also participating in group therapy during lunch that helps him remember things and process his progress.
Because of vision impairment he is learning new ways to find his food on his plate by tapping his utensil on the table until he has located his food. He is learning how to dress himself and clean himself with out assistance and with limited vision. He is also working on tactile cueing and verbal cueing when transferring from one surface to the next.
All in all, Robert is really overcoming many obstacles. He has a positive attitude and his determination to get back to himself and back to laying pipe is keeping him going. He is doing amazingly well with everything that he undergoes.
It is truly remarkable how well God works. He shows me and my family everyday what he can do for his people. I know I can speak for the entire family when I say we are very thankful for all these blessings that God has bestowed on this family. We have stones thrown in our way so we can step on them and rise to the occasion. Every obstacle that we have encountered this past year is nothing more than stepping stones.
These last two weeks have been rough trying to write and post progress stories on the blog because my laptop broke and Robert has been improving so much that when you are visiting with him he demands all of your attention. Every little thing you do he questions or want you to come sit beside him. He is still keeping everyone on their toes with laughter and his constant appetite. You would think that he would be fat by now because of everything he eats. He is putting on some weight but he had lost so much weight that it’s hard for some to see him getting chubby. His last weigh in he weighed 148 pounds. I will let you all know how many more pounds he has gained since then.
Well, without further adieu, here is Robert’s two week update:
So far Robert spent one week in ICU, one week in the main hospital, and five weeks in rehab. Robert has transformed from a comatose state to a very mobile and continuous evolving state. As mentioned before, while in ICU Rob was only moving his right arm. However, with therapy and healing time Robert can now feed himself, sit at the sink and wash his hands, he is beginning to see colors and shapes, he is remembering details and retaining information.
For the past two weeks in rehab Robert has really progressed. His vision has improved, he is walking more without the use of the harness and he is also becoming more aware of his left side. He is learning how to handle his muscle spasms and to control his emotions. And we have had two weeks fall/drop free. He is coming along very well.
During a meeting with his entire rehab medical team we learned a lot about Robert’s injuries, his impairments and his overall goals with each therapist. He is classified as having TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). The bullet damaged Robert’s frontal and parietal lobe. The frontal lobe is associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving and the parietal lobe is associated with movement, orientation, recognition, and perception of stimuli. He is prone to mood swings, seizures, and muscle spasms. He is taking medication to prevent seizures and headaches and to control his spasms.
We also learned that Robert has spasticity; this is when the muscles tighten or contract because the brain is over firing and sending continuous messages to the muscles to tighten. Through therapy and slight medication he is learning how to handle himself when this occurs. Robert also suffers from spatial awareness. He is not certain of his body’s position in space. His vision is another impairment and during the assessment Robert was only seeing bright lights and limited colors. Now he can describe what you have on, what you are doing, where you are in reference to him. He has been watching TV and even went on a movie date with Destiny on Sunday. They saw Slum Dog Millionaire in the Atrium of the rehab center.
In therapy he is learning how to cope and overcome his impairments. For his spasticity, his therapist has him walking on a harness assisted machine on the track, and rolling on the mat and walking with out the harness. For his short term memory he has been using reverbalization or repetition. At first Robert was not aware of the day and date. Now he can tell you what day it is and estimate around what time it is. He also gets stuck on a word and he has learned to talk around what he doesn’t remember in order to get him to find the word he wants to use. He is also participating in group therapy during lunch that helps him remember things and process his progress.
Because of vision impairment he is learning new ways to find his food on his plate by tapping his utensil on the table until he has located his food. He is learning how to dress himself and clean himself with out assistance and with limited vision. He is also working on tactile cueing and verbal cueing when transferring from one surface to the next.
All in all, Robert is really overcoming many obstacles. He has a positive attitude and his determination to get back to himself and back to laying pipe is keeping him going. He is doing amazingly well with everything that he undergoes.
It is truly remarkable how well God works. He shows me and my family everyday what he can do for his people. I know I can speak for the entire family when I say we are very thankful for all these blessings that God has bestowed on this family. We have stones thrown in our way so we can step on them and rise to the occasion. Every obstacle that we have encountered this past year is nothing more than stepping stones.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Robert's Fifth Week
It has been five weeks since Robert has been in the hospital, three of the five he has spent in rehab. As stated before, he does so much everyday. He is retaining information better, learning to cope with his headaches as to not become dependent on pain medicing and he is feeding himself and sitting in the chair longer. He is just doing so much that often times I forget to document every little thing he does.
You never know how precious something so small seems such as the simple act of touching your hands or blinking your eyes. Imagine watching someone who was only able to move one arm make a quick turnaround and can move every limb... Watching my brother recover is an amazing process. I know I can speak for my entire family when I say we take things for granted in life and we have all learned to appreciate everything we have and can do...complaining doesn't exist anymore...
Anyway, here is what happened with him this week:
Monday:
Robert had a rough day today. I was able to sit in therapy with him. During his physical therapy he lifted a foam thing in sets of 15 and held for 5 seconds above his head…
He played catch with his friend. He was working on strengthening his left arm, gripping the ball, releasing it and gripping it again.
Tuesday:
Robert walked today. He said he was walking and ready to run. He enjoyed his therapy today, he is gripping juice bottles and drinking without a straw now. He is doing very well… Dancing and moving his body much more. You wouldn’t even think that just a month ago he could only move his right arm. He has hot and cold flashes often which make it difficult for him to get comfortable while trying to rest.
Wednesday:
Laying flat on his stomach atop a mat, Robert worked on doing push ups and learning how to work one on one with his occupational therapist. He had a heavy day today… working with his physical therapist 3 times, therapeutic recreation twice, and speech therapy once and occupational therapy twice. He was so tired by the end of therapy that he just rested.
Thursday:
He rolled…and rolled and rolled. During his therapy today he had to lay flat on his stomach and stretch his limbs and rolled. He rolled until he got dizzy. He said he rolled until he couldn’t roll anymore. He rode on an exercise bike for about 7 ½ minutes without anything holding him up or anyone assisting him.
Friday:
With the assistance of the walking robot…Robert was walking again. He was quite the comedian this day… No need to repeat everything he said but once again, he had the entire room in tears.
Saturday:
Today, Robert listened to a lot of songs and had a few visitors. He sat in chair for a while. His therapy was not as strenuous as his therapy during the week… He had physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. He is doing so well.
Sunday:
The weather was nice today so we took Robert outside. We had an early morning conversation today where he requested to go to church. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to take him off the premises so I told him I would play a sermon online for him. However, my Pastor said he would bring church to Robert one Sunday… I can’t wait to see how he enjoys that. When I got the hospital from church today my sister and I sang some songs with him and he enjoyed that a lot. He even started clapping like our Grandfather use to clap back in church. He was enjoying himself today.
You never know how precious something so small seems such as the simple act of touching your hands or blinking your eyes. Imagine watching someone who was only able to move one arm make a quick turnaround and can move every limb... Watching my brother recover is an amazing process. I know I can speak for my entire family when I say we take things for granted in life and we have all learned to appreciate everything we have and can do...complaining doesn't exist anymore...
Anyway, here is what happened with him this week:
Monday:
Robert had a rough day today. I was able to sit in therapy with him. During his physical therapy he lifted a foam thing in sets of 15 and held for 5 seconds above his head…
He played catch with his friend. He was working on strengthening his left arm, gripping the ball, releasing it and gripping it again.
Tuesday:
Robert walked today. He said he was walking and ready to run. He enjoyed his therapy today, he is gripping juice bottles and drinking without a straw now. He is doing very well… Dancing and moving his body much more. You wouldn’t even think that just a month ago he could only move his right arm. He has hot and cold flashes often which make it difficult for him to get comfortable while trying to rest.
Wednesday:
Laying flat on his stomach atop a mat, Robert worked on doing push ups and learning how to work one on one with his occupational therapist. He had a heavy day today… working with his physical therapist 3 times, therapeutic recreation twice, and speech therapy once and occupational therapy twice. He was so tired by the end of therapy that he just rested.
Thursday:
He rolled…and rolled and rolled. During his therapy today he had to lay flat on his stomach and stretch his limbs and rolled. He rolled until he got dizzy. He said he rolled until he couldn’t roll anymore. He rode on an exercise bike for about 7 ½ minutes without anything holding him up or anyone assisting him.
Friday:
With the assistance of the walking robot…Robert was walking again. He was quite the comedian this day… No need to repeat everything he said but once again, he had the entire room in tears.
Saturday:
Today, Robert listened to a lot of songs and had a few visitors. He sat in chair for a while. His therapy was not as strenuous as his therapy during the week… He had physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. He is doing so well.
Sunday:
The weather was nice today so we took Robert outside. We had an early morning conversation today where he requested to go to church. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to take him off the premises so I told him I would play a sermon online for him. However, my Pastor said he would bring church to Robert one Sunday… I can’t wait to see how he enjoys that. When I got the hospital from church today my sister and I sang some songs with him and he enjoyed that a lot. He even started clapping like our Grandfather use to clap back in church. He was enjoying himself today.
Monday, March 16, 2009
"I'm Getting Back"
Determination, ambition and drive have been getting my brother through his rehab. He is determined to get better or “get back” in his words. He approaches his therapy sessions ambitiously and anxiously awaiting his next challenge. He has been excited to partake in his sessions and was disappointed when he found out that he doesn’t have therapy on Sundays. He says, “Man, I am in here to rehab, to get back… I want therapy everyday. I don’t need rest...”
However, he does need his rest. He has his good days and his bad days but lately he has been having some rough days. After his fall last week Robert’s headaches have been increasing. Every day his head pounds a little harder. Sometimes he refuses to take his medicine because he feels like he is overly medicated. He didn’t like taking medicine before he got shot and he definitely doesn’t like taking it now.
He has sensitivity to light as well. Right now he is visually impaired. He can only see bright lights but when he focuses he can make out images. Only time will tell when his vision will improve. Due to his lack of sight all his other senses are heightened. If you whisper, Robert can still hear you. If you talk outside his room, he hears you. His sense of smell is impeccable. He can smell the slightest trace of perfume or cologne and if you have on a lot, he feels like he can’t breathe. He even kicked his cousin out because he had on too much cologne and it made him feel like he was suffocating. His taste is very sensitive as well. He won’t just eat everything. It can’t be too seasoned or too bland. He feels most anything that is on him. You can not cover his face with a towel or a blanket if he is cold because he feels that his airway is blocked. He can’t have too much bed linen or he feels closed in. He will verbalize any discomfort immediately, sometimes aggressively if you don’t respond in a timely manner. All these are good signs and he shows improvement everyday. I won’t go into detail about his daily activities this week but I will tell you the highlights of his week.
During a real nice day, we took Robert outside. He enjoyed feeling the breeze, listening to the kids play, laughing and joking around with several visitors. He got his hair cut as well. With the assistance from my Aunt and little cousin we cut Rob’s dreads. He still has a few left in the back of his head but once his wounds heal a little more those few will be gone and he will get his hair cut close. He says his head feels much better with out them for now, but he misses them.
This past week Robert worked on walking. He stood up on stilts and learned the basic elements of walking. He was lifted onto a treadmill where he was able to feel how to walk. He has been turning more on his own, transferring from the bed to the chair without the use of a machine and he also played basketball, put together puzzles and recognized texture differences in every day items.
We really knew his therapy was working for him when he almost jumped out the bed to defend his mother. His neighbor grabbed my moms arm and wouldn’t release her. Robert heard it and jumped and swung his legs out the bed so fast he was really about to get up and fight. It took two of us to keep him in the bed and about an hour to come him down and even then he was still talking about defending his mom. “Don’t nobody mess with my mom or my sisters… I will put them to sleep,” one of the cleaner statements he made. I told him to use that situation as motivation during his therapy sessions. So now he is lifting up more and moving a little faster.
Robert loves his therapy sessions but he loves his visits even more. He gets so excited when he hears familiar voices, hears voices of the past that he adored and loves reconnecting and he loves to laugh. Of course he is a comedian so he makes us all laugh.
He has really come a long way since Feb. 14. He is asking more questions and trying to piece things together. He is thinking more and working hard everyday. This week marked one month since he has been hospitalized and we all know that God has a plan for him. He is blessed beyond measure. He has so many prayer circles and Men of God visiting with him weekly. We are watching the work of God unfold in front of our eyes. Robert is truly a blessing.
However, he does need his rest. He has his good days and his bad days but lately he has been having some rough days. After his fall last week Robert’s headaches have been increasing. Every day his head pounds a little harder. Sometimes he refuses to take his medicine because he feels like he is overly medicated. He didn’t like taking medicine before he got shot and he definitely doesn’t like taking it now.
He has sensitivity to light as well. Right now he is visually impaired. He can only see bright lights but when he focuses he can make out images. Only time will tell when his vision will improve. Due to his lack of sight all his other senses are heightened. If you whisper, Robert can still hear you. If you talk outside his room, he hears you. His sense of smell is impeccable. He can smell the slightest trace of perfume or cologne and if you have on a lot, he feels like he can’t breathe. He even kicked his cousin out because he had on too much cologne and it made him feel like he was suffocating. His taste is very sensitive as well. He won’t just eat everything. It can’t be too seasoned or too bland. He feels most anything that is on him. You can not cover his face with a towel or a blanket if he is cold because he feels that his airway is blocked. He can’t have too much bed linen or he feels closed in. He will verbalize any discomfort immediately, sometimes aggressively if you don’t respond in a timely manner. All these are good signs and he shows improvement everyday. I won’t go into detail about his daily activities this week but I will tell you the highlights of his week.
During a real nice day, we took Robert outside. He enjoyed feeling the breeze, listening to the kids play, laughing and joking around with several visitors. He got his hair cut as well. With the assistance from my Aunt and little cousin we cut Rob’s dreads. He still has a few left in the back of his head but once his wounds heal a little more those few will be gone and he will get his hair cut close. He says his head feels much better with out them for now, but he misses them.
This past week Robert worked on walking. He stood up on stilts and learned the basic elements of walking. He was lifted onto a treadmill where he was able to feel how to walk. He has been turning more on his own, transferring from the bed to the chair without the use of a machine and he also played basketball, put together puzzles and recognized texture differences in every day items.
We really knew his therapy was working for him when he almost jumped out the bed to defend his mother. His neighbor grabbed my moms arm and wouldn’t release her. Robert heard it and jumped and swung his legs out the bed so fast he was really about to get up and fight. It took two of us to keep him in the bed and about an hour to come him down and even then he was still talking about defending his mom. “Don’t nobody mess with my mom or my sisters… I will put them to sleep,” one of the cleaner statements he made. I told him to use that situation as motivation during his therapy sessions. So now he is lifting up more and moving a little faster.
Robert loves his therapy sessions but he loves his visits even more. He gets so excited when he hears familiar voices, hears voices of the past that he adored and loves reconnecting and he loves to laugh. Of course he is a comedian so he makes us all laugh.
He has really come a long way since Feb. 14. He is asking more questions and trying to piece things together. He is thinking more and working hard everyday. This week marked one month since he has been hospitalized and we all know that God has a plan for him. He is blessed beyond measure. He has so many prayer circles and Men of God visiting with him weekly. We are watching the work of God unfold in front of our eyes. Robert is truly a blessing.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
"I'm So Special"
*In my best Movado voice* “I’m so special, so special, so special, so special” is the new phrase or song of the year. Robert introduced us to this song this week and has been saying it ever since. I even took the liberty of youtubing the video. I found out that the only words I can decipher is “I’m so special, so special, so special, so special”.
This week was a good week for Robert. Of course he is still keeping us all laughing. Right now, he is saying his good nights to everybody. He enjoys the nightly rituals of having his feet rubbed. My father has been spoiling him but now it is Destiny’s turn but according to Robert, “You don’t do it like my pops does it… you need to improve.”
There are so many things that Robert says that has me rolling on the floor laughing my butt off. But there are not enough characters or time or space to write it all. Well, below is Robert’s report for the week.
Tuesday March 3, 2009
Today Robert moved to the Rehabilitation Center. The transfer went well but it was hard for Robert in terms of pain. It took him a while to calm down and let his pain meds take affect. It took about 30 minutes before he calmed down and spoke calmly and talked about how glad he was to be in rehabilitation. He said, “I gotta get back, I am ready to exercise and get strong.”
We met with his Doctors and they discussed with us how his rehab was going to go. He will be worked for six days straight, from the time he wakes up until dinner time. His only rest day is Sunday.
Wednesday March 4, 2009
At 8 am Rob ate breakfast. From 10 am until 11 he met with his speech therapist. From 11 to 12 he had Physical therapy where he did exercises, moving his limbs and sitting up for an hour. He ate lunch at 12 and then worked with his occupational therapist from 1 until 3:30pm. He performed daily duties like brushing his teeth and washing his face. He ate dinner at 5pm and then welcomed his visitors. He told us about his day and I expected him to be sleep when I got here but he was up and talking. Our Dad stayed with him until he went to sleep.
Thursday March 5, 2009
“I don’t want no beef stroganoff…” This was the saying of the day.
Today his schedule was pretty much the same but he had more physical therapy. He worked with his physical therapist from 11:30 until 3pm, only stopping for lunch.
When I got here today he was about to eat dinner, the infamous meal, Beef Stroganoff. It didn’t look appetizing. Auntie told him what it was and he went off. “I don’t eat Beef Stroganoff, what are they trying to feed me. I can’t even pronounce that let alone will I eat it. Call my brotha, they trying to feed me Beef Stroganoff.” So, for dinner Robert ate Chicken smothered in Mambo sauce with fried rice.
Friday March 6, 2009
Robert still talked about that beef stroganoff. He has refused to eat any of the hospital food. Once again, he had chicken smothered in Mambo sauce with fried rice. Today he worked with his speech therapist, therapeutic recreation, physical therapist (twice), occupational therapist (twice). He sat in the wheelchair from 11am until 7pm. He looked good in his wheelchair. He was pulling himself up and moving his head around more. He was doing a lot. I was so proud. Still talking about that beef stroganoff he refused his dinner from the hospital. Instead he ate Pizza from Uno’s and pineapples. That was all he wanted.
Saturday March 7, 2009
Well, today Robert answered his room phone when my mom called. It shocked her. LaDonna told him how to use his phone and he been trying to call people and talk all day. Well, apparently the phone must have fell off the bed and Robert went after it. He fell out of the bed. It was a scare for us today but he really tried to get that telephone. He went for a CT scan just to make sure he didn’t injure anything. His results looked much better than when he first arrived at rehab. He is doing well and is actually moving his head and neck and limbs much more than before. He was very irate this morning after the fall but now he is much better. After many visits and motivational speeches, he returned to his comedic stage.
His rehab schedule was cut short today because of the fall so he didn’t sit up today. But he will get rest tomorrow and start his rigorous routine on Mon
Monday, March 2, 2009
Laughter Explodes from Room 10
I am sitting in the room with my brother as I type this. The atmosphere is clean and quiet besides the hum of the bed when it moves or the machine sitting outside his window. My brother is trying to sleep now but the IV in his arm is bothering him. He has been a little irritated today with his exercises and his procedures he is a little worn out.
Today he had a vision test and a cat scan along with a very strenuous exercise regimen. He was irritated because he was hungry and couldn’t eat until after his cat scan. Now, he is lying still, trying not to pay attention to the IV that is bothering. Every few minutes he yells out that his arm or back is hurting. At 8pm his nurse came and gave him some Tylenol medicine for his pain… hopefully that will kick in. His sister LaDonna just left and he asked about her. Now, his only visitors are myself, my mom and my Dad. We are assuring Robert that his pain meds will kick in and he will go to sleep.
Twenty minutes has passed and Rob speaks, “Sis, I can’t sleep”. I tell him, just relax and close your eyes and you will fall off to sleep. If you can’t sleep just know that I am right beside you and you can talk to me until you fall asleep. He says, “There aint that much talking to do, what am I going to talk about”. I tell him, talk about you not being able to sleep. So he says, “Ok, Sis I can’t sleep”. My Dad cracks up laughing and so does Rob. Thus begins the comedy session.
It is now ten minutes till 11. Robert has been having my Mother, my Father and I laughing… He has been talking about my Mothers singing, my fathers feet and even asked if I was intoxicated from singing old songs and hand games like, Miss Mary Mack and Lullaby and Goodnight… He asked me to sing him a lullaby and I tried but I am not a singer.
The nurse has come in and given him more medicine, Tylenol with Codine and a blood thinner to prevent blood clots. He asked us to call his Aunt Marilyn to sing him a lullaby because we weren’t doing it right. He said, “Aunt Marilyn can sing, she can make anything sound good.” And she did, he closed his eyes immediately and relaxed and gave her accolades for her melodious voice. After getting his desired lullaby he talked about his Dad’s feet again and made us laugh once more. Now, he is knocked out sleep right along with his mother on his left who is wrapped in hospital blankets lying in a recliner chair and his father to his right sleeping in the chair. As for me, I am sitting across from them all, taking in this sight. I am admiring my brother’s appearance, gladly noticing how much he looks like himself. He is resting peacefully. He looks peaceful and he went to sleep feeling peaceful.
I am glad that God granted me another chance to see this moment. He granted me another chance to laugh with him and talk with him and love him while he can still receive it. I am just glad and I know everyone is by seeing how great God has been to him and this family. Thank You…
Today he had a vision test and a cat scan along with a very strenuous exercise regimen. He was irritated because he was hungry and couldn’t eat until after his cat scan. Now, he is lying still, trying not to pay attention to the IV that is bothering. Every few minutes he yells out that his arm or back is hurting. At 8pm his nurse came and gave him some Tylenol medicine for his pain… hopefully that will kick in. His sister LaDonna just left and he asked about her. Now, his only visitors are myself, my mom and my Dad. We are assuring Robert that his pain meds will kick in and he will go to sleep.
Twenty minutes has passed and Rob speaks, “Sis, I can’t sleep”. I tell him, just relax and close your eyes and you will fall off to sleep. If you can’t sleep just know that I am right beside you and you can talk to me until you fall asleep. He says, “There aint that much talking to do, what am I going to talk about”. I tell him, talk about you not being able to sleep. So he says, “Ok, Sis I can’t sleep”. My Dad cracks up laughing and so does Rob. Thus begins the comedy session.
It is now ten minutes till 11. Robert has been having my Mother, my Father and I laughing… He has been talking about my Mothers singing, my fathers feet and even asked if I was intoxicated from singing old songs and hand games like, Miss Mary Mack and Lullaby and Goodnight… He asked me to sing him a lullaby and I tried but I am not a singer.
The nurse has come in and given him more medicine, Tylenol with Codine and a blood thinner to prevent blood clots. He asked us to call his Aunt Marilyn to sing him a lullaby because we weren’t doing it right. He said, “Aunt Marilyn can sing, she can make anything sound good.” And she did, he closed his eyes immediately and relaxed and gave her accolades for her melodious voice. After getting his desired lullaby he talked about his Dad’s feet again and made us laugh once more. Now, he is knocked out sleep right along with his mother on his left who is wrapped in hospital blankets lying in a recliner chair and his father to his right sleeping in the chair. As for me, I am sitting across from them all, taking in this sight. I am admiring my brother’s appearance, gladly noticing how much he looks like himself. He is resting peacefully. He looks peaceful and he went to sleep feeling peaceful.
I am glad that God granted me another chance to see this moment. He granted me another chance to laugh with him and talk with him and love him while he can still receive it. I am just glad and I know everyone is by seeing how great God has been to him and this family. Thank You…
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Robert's Second Week
Everyday Robert does something new, says something different and shows us that he is progressing. Progression is a process that involves the use of your mind and your body. He is clearly demonstrating that he is thinking and that he is responding to his brains commands. He is showing his growth and that he will not stand for sitting in this situation too much longer. Of course he has his good days and bad but everybody does right? We, his family, keep praying and staying optimistic. We know that the power of prayer brings about miraculous results. And Robert is living proof.
So how much has he progressed in the last week?
2-24-09
Robert has outgrown his ICU team. They moved him today. He was moved from the ICU to another floor in the Neuroscience Center. This area is equipped and trained to deal with patients who have brain injuries. They were supposed to move him at 2 pm today but he didn’t get transported until 9pm that night. During his wait to be moved he drank some water. When the doctors saw that he wasn’t choking on the water they knew he could eat pureed food. He was then placed on a puree diet. He ate pudding, mashed potatoes, jello and he drank juice and water. He did good eating his food and even asked for more.
We requested that Robert be placed in his own room but our request was denied. The doctors stated single rooms are for patients with infections or patients who need to be isolated and Robert wasn’t one of those. However, Robert wanted his own room too and in the end he got it. He shouted and yelled and cursed at his pain and they moved him to a private room. Once there he settled down and let his pain meds kick in. He relaxed and slept through the night.
2-25-09
I came to see Robert for a brief moment today. He was looking so much better. Talking a little more and he began eating solid foods. He ate pasta, applesauce, and a vegetable medley of mushrooms, onions, squash and carrots. He also had chocolate pudding that he didn't really like. He loved his juice but not the tea. He was very alert and it seemed that eating well he had more energy and didn't do very much sleeping. He was having a time controlling his emotions but when you remind him that's not how he acts or that's not
what he says then he calmed down. He really did not like hearing memories too much especially if you got into detail. He was with you and you could tell he remembered but he was frustrated about not really knowing.
He has been having trouble with his short term memory but with constant reminders he does well. He has movement all over his body but refuses to move due to lack of movement while he was in ICU. He will begin his physical therapy everyday starting tomorrow at noon.
2-26-09
Robert got a work out today. He was moved again to a double occupancy unit because he was a little more stable. Actually, he is the most stable patient out of his team. Someone else was in worse condition than him and needed the single room more than Robert did. He had me cracking up laughing today. You can see and feel some of his personality come out. He has always been the comedian so he had us laughing and joking with him. He told us that he doesn’t really like the hospital food but he does like to eat fruit and drink his juice. We found out today that we can cook food for him and bring it to him. So, Robert is about to be spoiled even more than he already is.
Robert graduated today and can move to a rehab center. He has to first be evaluated before he can go to the rehab center. They want to check him out to make sure he doesn’t have any infections or anything that will cause him to be moved back to the hospital for treatment.
2-27-09
Robert’s blood cell counts are elevated so he will not be moving to rehab today. Maybe on Monday or Tuesday but they are going to keep monitoring his counts all weekend. Today they removed his stitches and he was not having a good evening. He was in pain and uncomfortable. He verbalized where he was feeling pain and what was bothering him.
Donna and I noticed that his head leans to one side and his neck was stiff. So we asked him if we could move him to a more comfortable location. It hurt him and he was screaming. But even though it hurt he wanted to move it. He was doing well and he asked for help. So we did a little moving with him and let him tell us when he wanted to stop.
He catches little attitudes when he doesn’t get what he wants or when he wants it. He gets attitudes when you ask him too many questions or when you are making too much noise or talking too much. He is easily irritable. He likes your presence but he doesn’t like a lot of noise. So, we let him rest and didn’t talk too much.
2-28-09
Today was the first day I did not see Robert. I had to go out of town but thought about him the whole trip. I kept in contact with him through my mother. He has a crook in his neck from lying on one side the entire time he has been hospitalized. He was moved again to a single room. The doctors say he fares well when he is isolated. He is still talking more, thinking more and demanding and asking more questions. He asks why he has to do something or why he can’t do something.
He told my mom that she needs to get a tattoo that said Struggle Together with his name on it. He is so alert and can tell who is speaking to him by the sound of their voices. He is still not focusing with his eyes but he opens and closes them on demand.
3-1-09
I am so glad that I was able to see my brother today. Apparently, there was a nurse who was assigned to Robert that sounded like me. She was moving him and he was in pain. He fussed me out and I wasn’t even there. So when I spoke to him this afternoon, he was real short with me and I didn’t know why. Now I know it was because of the nurse.
Today, he ate good home cooking. He had a rib, a piece baked chicken, rice and greens and cornbread. He said he loved his food. So once a week he is going to get home cooking. He is looking forward to his chocolate that will be coming soon.
He moved his left arm for me today and lifted it up. He was talking more and is more alert. He is on point with things. He knows what is going on and he is even trying to tame his mother when she becomes irate with his visitors. I saw him smiling his hardest today when he talked to his nephew on the phone. That made him feel so good. He is progressing so much and it makes me so proud.
The doctors are shocked at his recovery. They are shocked because he is recovering so well and so fast. They said he is a miracle. I know that my God is taking care of my brother. He is just beating all the odds as usual. He looks good and talks good and can tell you more. Only time will tell how well he is doing with his memory. But everyday he gets better. Everyday that he opens his eyes and speaks to me, speaks to his mom, speaks to his sister, speaks to his friends and family is a blessing. He is a miracle. His ICU doctor said, Robert is a miracle in room 18.
So how much has he progressed in the last week?
2-24-09
Robert has outgrown his ICU team. They moved him today. He was moved from the ICU to another floor in the Neuroscience Center. This area is equipped and trained to deal with patients who have brain injuries. They were supposed to move him at 2 pm today but he didn’t get transported until 9pm that night. During his wait to be moved he drank some water. When the doctors saw that he wasn’t choking on the water they knew he could eat pureed food. He was then placed on a puree diet. He ate pudding, mashed potatoes, jello and he drank juice and water. He did good eating his food and even asked for more.
We requested that Robert be placed in his own room but our request was denied. The doctors stated single rooms are for patients with infections or patients who need to be isolated and Robert wasn’t one of those. However, Robert wanted his own room too and in the end he got it. He shouted and yelled and cursed at his pain and they moved him to a private room. Once there he settled down and let his pain meds kick in. He relaxed and slept through the night.
2-25-09
I came to see Robert for a brief moment today. He was looking so much better. Talking a little more and he began eating solid foods. He ate pasta, applesauce, and a vegetable medley of mushrooms, onions, squash and carrots. He also had chocolate pudding that he didn't really like. He loved his juice but not the tea. He was very alert and it seemed that eating well he had more energy and didn't do very much sleeping. He was having a time controlling his emotions but when you remind him that's not how he acts or that's not
what he says then he calmed down. He really did not like hearing memories too much especially if you got into detail. He was with you and you could tell he remembered but he was frustrated about not really knowing.
He has been having trouble with his short term memory but with constant reminders he does well. He has movement all over his body but refuses to move due to lack of movement while he was in ICU. He will begin his physical therapy everyday starting tomorrow at noon.
2-26-09
Robert got a work out today. He was moved again to a double occupancy unit because he was a little more stable. Actually, he is the most stable patient out of his team. Someone else was in worse condition than him and needed the single room more than Robert did. He had me cracking up laughing today. You can see and feel some of his personality come out. He has always been the comedian so he had us laughing and joking with him. He told us that he doesn’t really like the hospital food but he does like to eat fruit and drink his juice. We found out today that we can cook food for him and bring it to him. So, Robert is about to be spoiled even more than he already is.
Robert graduated today and can move to a rehab center. He has to first be evaluated before he can go to the rehab center. They want to check him out to make sure he doesn’t have any infections or anything that will cause him to be moved back to the hospital for treatment.
2-27-09
Robert’s blood cell counts are elevated so he will not be moving to rehab today. Maybe on Monday or Tuesday but they are going to keep monitoring his counts all weekend. Today they removed his stitches and he was not having a good evening. He was in pain and uncomfortable. He verbalized where he was feeling pain and what was bothering him.
Donna and I noticed that his head leans to one side and his neck was stiff. So we asked him if we could move him to a more comfortable location. It hurt him and he was screaming. But even though it hurt he wanted to move it. He was doing well and he asked for help. So we did a little moving with him and let him tell us when he wanted to stop.
He catches little attitudes when he doesn’t get what he wants or when he wants it. He gets attitudes when you ask him too many questions or when you are making too much noise or talking too much. He is easily irritable. He likes your presence but he doesn’t like a lot of noise. So, we let him rest and didn’t talk too much.
2-28-09
Today was the first day I did not see Robert. I had to go out of town but thought about him the whole trip. I kept in contact with him through my mother. He has a crook in his neck from lying on one side the entire time he has been hospitalized. He was moved again to a single room. The doctors say he fares well when he is isolated. He is still talking more, thinking more and demanding and asking more questions. He asks why he has to do something or why he can’t do something.
He told my mom that she needs to get a tattoo that said Struggle Together with his name on it. He is so alert and can tell who is speaking to him by the sound of their voices. He is still not focusing with his eyes but he opens and closes them on demand.
3-1-09
I am so glad that I was able to see my brother today. Apparently, there was a nurse who was assigned to Robert that sounded like me. She was moving him and he was in pain. He fussed me out and I wasn’t even there. So when I spoke to him this afternoon, he was real short with me and I didn’t know why. Now I know it was because of the nurse.
Today, he ate good home cooking. He had a rib, a piece baked chicken, rice and greens and cornbread. He said he loved his food. So once a week he is going to get home cooking. He is looking forward to his chocolate that will be coming soon.
He moved his left arm for me today and lifted it up. He was talking more and is more alert. He is on point with things. He knows what is going on and he is even trying to tame his mother when she becomes irate with his visitors. I saw him smiling his hardest today when he talked to his nephew on the phone. That made him feel so good. He is progressing so much and it makes me so proud.
The doctors are shocked at his recovery. They are shocked because he is recovering so well and so fast. They said he is a miracle. I know that my God is taking care of my brother. He is just beating all the odds as usual. He looks good and talks good and can tell you more. Only time will tell how well he is doing with his memory. But everyday he gets better. Everyday that he opens his eyes and speaks to me, speaks to his mom, speaks to his sister, speaks to his friends and family is a blessing. He is a miracle. His ICU doctor said, Robert is a miracle in room 18.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Robert Sports Polo Shades Today
Today was a solemn day. It was quiet and serene. Robert didn’t talk much; he just laid in the bed thinking. He is still a little weak from all of his procedures today. When my mom walked into the room this morning she was shocked at his appearance. Rob was sporting some Polo sun shades and sitting up real high. His cousin came by this morning and blessed him with some shades. Rob loves his shades and you can always find him with some on, whenever you see him. He calls them his hata blockers.
The neurosurgeons came in and cleaned his dressings and stapled his wound on the right side of his head. Today they inserted a feeding tube through his nose. A speech therapist was supposed to come and evaluate him and see if he was ready to eat solid food. But she could not perform the evaluation because Robert was too tired to talk back to her. They unwrapped and removed the bandages from his head. His hair has grown back so fast it looks like he has a Mohawk with his dreads. They pulled his dreads up in a ponytail so you can really see how well his wounds are healing.
Robert did exercises with his nurse today. He started moving his left extremities. He is responding to pain more so than anything. Only time will tell how well he has improved but with continued prayers and his strong will I know Rob will make a full recovery. He didn’t get moved to a room today but maybe tomorrow.
I must say, he is looking better and better each day. He is looking more like the little boy I used play with on Saturday mornings. He is looking more like the athlete that I use to cheer on at his games. He is looking more like the little brother that tried to act like the big brother and father to his sister and his mom. He is just looking like himself which makes his family and his friends happy.
Despite his disposition Robert still remains cool, sitting in the bed sporting his Polo shades.
The neurosurgeons came in and cleaned his dressings and stapled his wound on the right side of his head. Today they inserted a feeding tube through his nose. A speech therapist was supposed to come and evaluate him and see if he was ready to eat solid food. But she could not perform the evaluation because Robert was too tired to talk back to her. They unwrapped and removed the bandages from his head. His hair has grown back so fast it looks like he has a Mohawk with his dreads. They pulled his dreads up in a ponytail so you can really see how well his wounds are healing.
Robert did exercises with his nurse today. He started moving his left extremities. He is responding to pain more so than anything. Only time will tell how well he has improved but with continued prayers and his strong will I know Rob will make a full recovery. He didn’t get moved to a room today but maybe tomorrow.
I must say, he is looking better and better each day. He is looking more like the little boy I used play with on Saturday mornings. He is looking more like the athlete that I use to cheer on at his games. He is looking more like the little brother that tried to act like the big brother and father to his sister and his mom. He is just looking like himself which makes his family and his friends happy.
Despite his disposition Robert still remains cool, sitting in the bed sporting his Polo shades.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Robert's First Week...
On July 13, 1986 he came into this world weighing only 3 ½ pounds. He was born a fighter. Fighting to breath, fighting to live. He was so tiny and one of the ugliest babies I have ever seen in my life. He was connected to so many monitors, too much for my eyes to see. My mother presented him to my sister and me and said, “Girls, this is your brother Robert.” We cried, and asked if he had to come home with us. She told us yes, and we cried more… “No, he is ugly.” She proceeded to tell us that, “No matter what he looks like, he is ours and we will love him none the less.”
Robert was so ugly that I took his baby picture to my kindergarten class and posted it on the chalk board. My classmates were so scared of him that they would lie down and be quiet if my teacher told them, “Shsh…Robert’s sleeping.” You could hear a pin drop in the class. That picture stayed in that classroom until Robert was a student. That was so funny. But as he got older he got a little prettier.
Being the fighter that he is, Robert grew rapidly after leaving the hospital. For the first couple weeks he could fit in his bassinette and then his feet were sticking out the top. My mom and dad had to cut the feet out his pajamas because he grew so fast. He is always beating the odds, when the odds are against him. So after visiting with him on V-day I knew he would beat the odds again.
After his surgery he was moving his right arm, pointing to the tubes in his mouth. He was sleeping and sedated most of that day. He keeps biting down on the ventilator tube in his mouth and trying to pull it out. He looked like himself mostly but there was some swelling but not a lot. I just knew that his appearance on this day would be the worst that he would look. Boy was I wrong. Below is Robert’s progression since the accident.
Walking into his room on 2-15 I was not expecting to see my brother looking like he did. When I saw him I thought I was going to break down and cry. He was much more swollen than he was on V-day. The surgeon told us that he was going to swell but I never thought that he would have swelled that much. His head was so big, his eyes were swollen shut, and it just didn’t look like him. I was able to keep my composure and say encouraging words to him. Today he started moving his left arm and leg. He hasn’t moved his left hand yet. He started making facial expressions, moving his nose and poking out his lips. He has been responding to people by squeezing hands and making hand signals. Sometimes he will move his head. He is continuing to bite at pull at the tubes in his mouth. They are keeping him sedated because they don’t want him to bite a hole in the tubes. Currently, he has a ventilator tube, a feeding tube and a tube to drain the bile out of his stomach. He has a blood pressure cuff on his arm and two contractors on his legs to keep the blood circulating in legs. He is maintaining a fever. It is fluctuating between 99 and 101 degrees. They are keeping the room cool and keeping cold compresses on his forehead.
We started noticing that the right side of his neck is swelling and very blotchy red. Earlier today they inserted a filter in his groin area to prevent blood clots (if they formed in his legs) from spreading to his lungs. They are keeping his right arm tied to the bed to prevent him from pulling out his tubes.
On 2-16 the swelling went down and he started to move his left side. He would throw his right arm up when you pinched his shoulder. He broke the arm of the bed today trying to get up and move the tubes again. He is always fighting. He started looking better, looking more like himself.
On 2-17 the swelling really went down, he is actually looking more like the Robert we know. He has been opening and closing his eyes. He keeps over coming the sedation they are giving him so they gave him a double dose today. The doctors don’t want him to wake up just yet. They want to preserve his brain tissue. They want him to wake up when more of the swelling goes down. But he has been fighting them tooth and nail.
Well, it’s 2-18 and Robert is saying forget the sedation meds and is really trying to wake up. He has been fighting his nurse all day, opening and closing his eyes. They are still trying to sedate him.
2-19 and Robert is very agitated but still trying to wake up. The doctors have decided to let him wake up and are keeping him on low doses of sedation. On Friday, they are going to take the tubes out and see how well he does.
It is 2-20 and Robert has his eyes open. He lifted his left leg today and he is making hand signals. He can see us now, and knows what color clothes we are wearing. We ask and he raises his hands. He really tried to get out the bed today but he knows he can’t. They are suppose to take the tubes out today but they are going to wait. They have taken him off all sedation meds and allowing him to wake up.
OMG… it is 2-21 and Robert is up. He is off all sedation and they have taken the tubes out. He started off whispering and now he is talking. He has been talking since he woke up. He knows what year it is, he knows everyone’s name. He doesn’t want to open his eyes because it is too light in his room. He was laughing, crying and joking and yelling. Saying it is too hot, he is hungry and he is sleepy. He has asked questions and answered a lot of questions. God is good. All prayers that are going up are sending several blessings down to my brother. Praise God…
2-22-09 and Robert looks much better. He is quiet and calm today. He is tired and keeps telling everyone that he is tired. So we let him rest today. He was singing and joking and flashing everybody but he is doing much better. Fighting to live, just like his tattoo on his right wrist says. Robert is progressing well and may be moved to a room tonight or tomorrow.
The doctors are being optimistic about his wonderful recovery, so are the family and all his friends. Since birth Robert has amazed everyone, quickly gaining weight and growing. Now, Robert is making amazing progress. He is no longer sedated but talking and joking. Next week he will be doing something else more amazing. My brother the fighter, the survivor.
Robert was so ugly that I took his baby picture to my kindergarten class and posted it on the chalk board. My classmates were so scared of him that they would lie down and be quiet if my teacher told them, “Shsh…Robert’s sleeping.” You could hear a pin drop in the class. That picture stayed in that classroom until Robert was a student. That was so funny. But as he got older he got a little prettier.
Being the fighter that he is, Robert grew rapidly after leaving the hospital. For the first couple weeks he could fit in his bassinette and then his feet were sticking out the top. My mom and dad had to cut the feet out his pajamas because he grew so fast. He is always beating the odds, when the odds are against him. So after visiting with him on V-day I knew he would beat the odds again.
After his surgery he was moving his right arm, pointing to the tubes in his mouth. He was sleeping and sedated most of that day. He keeps biting down on the ventilator tube in his mouth and trying to pull it out. He looked like himself mostly but there was some swelling but not a lot. I just knew that his appearance on this day would be the worst that he would look. Boy was I wrong. Below is Robert’s progression since the accident.
Walking into his room on 2-15 I was not expecting to see my brother looking like he did. When I saw him I thought I was going to break down and cry. He was much more swollen than he was on V-day. The surgeon told us that he was going to swell but I never thought that he would have swelled that much. His head was so big, his eyes were swollen shut, and it just didn’t look like him. I was able to keep my composure and say encouraging words to him. Today he started moving his left arm and leg. He hasn’t moved his left hand yet. He started making facial expressions, moving his nose and poking out his lips. He has been responding to people by squeezing hands and making hand signals. Sometimes he will move his head. He is continuing to bite at pull at the tubes in his mouth. They are keeping him sedated because they don’t want him to bite a hole in the tubes. Currently, he has a ventilator tube, a feeding tube and a tube to drain the bile out of his stomach. He has a blood pressure cuff on his arm and two contractors on his legs to keep the blood circulating in legs. He is maintaining a fever. It is fluctuating between 99 and 101 degrees. They are keeping the room cool and keeping cold compresses on his forehead.
We started noticing that the right side of his neck is swelling and very blotchy red. Earlier today they inserted a filter in his groin area to prevent blood clots (if they formed in his legs) from spreading to his lungs. They are keeping his right arm tied to the bed to prevent him from pulling out his tubes.
On 2-16 the swelling went down and he started to move his left side. He would throw his right arm up when you pinched his shoulder. He broke the arm of the bed today trying to get up and move the tubes again. He is always fighting. He started looking better, looking more like himself.
On 2-17 the swelling really went down, he is actually looking more like the Robert we know. He has been opening and closing his eyes. He keeps over coming the sedation they are giving him so they gave him a double dose today. The doctors don’t want him to wake up just yet. They want to preserve his brain tissue. They want him to wake up when more of the swelling goes down. But he has been fighting them tooth and nail.
Well, it’s 2-18 and Robert is saying forget the sedation meds and is really trying to wake up. He has been fighting his nurse all day, opening and closing his eyes. They are still trying to sedate him.
2-19 and Robert is very agitated but still trying to wake up. The doctors have decided to let him wake up and are keeping him on low doses of sedation. On Friday, they are going to take the tubes out and see how well he does.
It is 2-20 and Robert has his eyes open. He lifted his left leg today and he is making hand signals. He can see us now, and knows what color clothes we are wearing. We ask and he raises his hands. He really tried to get out the bed today but he knows he can’t. They are suppose to take the tubes out today but they are going to wait. They have taken him off all sedation meds and allowing him to wake up.
OMG… it is 2-21 and Robert is up. He is off all sedation and they have taken the tubes out. He started off whispering and now he is talking. He has been talking since he woke up. He knows what year it is, he knows everyone’s name. He doesn’t want to open his eyes because it is too light in his room. He was laughing, crying and joking and yelling. Saying it is too hot, he is hungry and he is sleepy. He has asked questions and answered a lot of questions. God is good. All prayers that are going up are sending several blessings down to my brother. Praise God…
2-22-09 and Robert looks much better. He is quiet and calm today. He is tired and keeps telling everyone that he is tired. So we let him rest today. He was singing and joking and flashing everybody but he is doing much better. Fighting to live, just like his tattoo on his right wrist says. Robert is progressing well and may be moved to a room tonight or tomorrow.
The doctors are being optimistic about his wonderful recovery, so are the family and all his friends. Since birth Robert has amazed everyone, quickly gaining weight and growing. Now, Robert is making amazing progress. He is no longer sedated but talking and joking. Next week he will be doing something else more amazing. My brother the fighter, the survivor.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Bond of Siblings
We have been close since he was born. We were born 1 year, 9 months and 16 days apart from each other. We were like Frick and frack… Often times you could find us dressed alike or telling someone we were twins… our made up term, Tropolopical twins (born 1 year, 9 months and 16 days apart), we were very creative…
We would spend our Saturday mornings playing made up games. One in particular was shipwreck… LMBO, I am cracking up recalling this memory. We shared a room and we had bunk beds. You know the bunk beds with the full size bed at the bottom and the twin at the top. We would drape several blankets over the top bunk and pretend we were stranded on an island. We set our room up like a deserted island, using colored grass from our Easter baskets and placing my many stuffed animals around the room… We were pirates. We played for hours until we switched to playing school (which was the living room) or played camping (back in our room again) by draping sheets over the bed and putting a fan in the opening of the bed to blow the sheets up to look like a tent. We would eat marshmallows and tell stories inside the tent. Shaunta, our little cousin would play this with us too. This is how close we were, close enough to not care what others thought of our lame, made up games. We had fun with each other all the time.
We got a kick out of sitting around messing with Lonnie (Cousin) and Donna (sister). They would make us compete against each other in everything. Donna was Rob’s coach and Lonnie was mine… Of course I would always win. Who can remember this part in a song the fastest, or who can get a KO first. Till this day I still remember, “It’s the capital S oh yes I’m fresh N double O P D-O double G Y D-O Double G you See” and can say it flawlessly. For those of you who don’t know that reference it is from Dr. Dre’s song featuring Snoop Dog “Aint Nuthin but a G Thang”.
When we weren’t joking around with Lonnie and Donna, we would sit and jone on each other or pair up and tell Donna she was adopted. Hahahahaha… She is the oldest and would believe us!!!
Too many memories to capture in words, but I can say this… It’s a little clicheish (sp) but, we fit together like gloves. You can’t wear one without the other. We hated being separated and tried to avoid it at all costs. But we grew up and needed our own space. When my sister went to college and I got my own room, still sticking to traditions we would yell down the hall at night to have our nightly conversations before bed. We would still sit in the bathroom and talk to one another when we had to “do the #2”LOL… We were connected so bad that when I went away to school I had to call home when I had to “do the #2” or I couldn’t do it. If I couldn’t talk to Rob, I had to talk to someone.
Our bond was too strong, still too strong to break. When he recovers, we can continue to make our bond stronger. We can continue to have those moments of playing shipwreck, or camping or school. We can have those moments where I wanted him to be smarter than me and would teach him what I learned in school before he even started school. We can have those moments where we would fight and try our hardest not to talk to each other and twenty minutes later we were talking again. When he recovers, we can sit, stand, walk and talk about our many memories as children and then we can make more.
We would spend our Saturday mornings playing made up games. One in particular was shipwreck… LMBO, I am cracking up recalling this memory. We shared a room and we had bunk beds. You know the bunk beds with the full size bed at the bottom and the twin at the top. We would drape several blankets over the top bunk and pretend we were stranded on an island. We set our room up like a deserted island, using colored grass from our Easter baskets and placing my many stuffed animals around the room… We were pirates. We played for hours until we switched to playing school (which was the living room) or played camping (back in our room again) by draping sheets over the bed and putting a fan in the opening of the bed to blow the sheets up to look like a tent. We would eat marshmallows and tell stories inside the tent. Shaunta, our little cousin would play this with us too. This is how close we were, close enough to not care what others thought of our lame, made up games. We had fun with each other all the time.
We got a kick out of sitting around messing with Lonnie (Cousin) and Donna (sister). They would make us compete against each other in everything. Donna was Rob’s coach and Lonnie was mine… Of course I would always win. Who can remember this part in a song the fastest, or who can get a KO first. Till this day I still remember, “It’s the capital S oh yes I’m fresh N double O P D-O double G Y D-O Double G you See” and can say it flawlessly. For those of you who don’t know that reference it is from Dr. Dre’s song featuring Snoop Dog “Aint Nuthin but a G Thang”.
When we weren’t joking around with Lonnie and Donna, we would sit and jone on each other or pair up and tell Donna she was adopted. Hahahahaha… She is the oldest and would believe us!!!
Too many memories to capture in words, but I can say this… It’s a little clicheish (sp) but, we fit together like gloves. You can’t wear one without the other. We hated being separated and tried to avoid it at all costs. But we grew up and needed our own space. When my sister went to college and I got my own room, still sticking to traditions we would yell down the hall at night to have our nightly conversations before bed. We would still sit in the bathroom and talk to one another when we had to “do the #2”LOL… We were connected so bad that when I went away to school I had to call home when I had to “do the #2” or I couldn’t do it. If I couldn’t talk to Rob, I had to talk to someone.
Our bond was too strong, still too strong to break. When he recovers, we can continue to make our bond stronger. We can continue to have those moments of playing shipwreck, or camping or school. We can have those moments where I wanted him to be smarter than me and would teach him what I learned in school before he even started school. We can have those moments where we would fight and try our hardest not to talk to each other and twenty minutes later we were talking again. When he recovers, we can sit, stand, walk and talk about our many memories as children and then we can make more.
My Brother is My Valentine
On December 11, 2008 our house caught on fire and we were displaced. My mother finally had all her kids back home and then we were forced to separate… Separation is something that we don’t like. We love being around each other and get on each others nerves when we are together for too long… I know its funny right?
Anyway, my mom, Donna, Monte’ and I are always use to Robert coming and going in the house. That chime on the alarm is always ringing, “Front Door Open” as he enters or exits. But now, I don’t see that chime as annoying but more so comforting knowing that he would be coming home. Being displaced caused us to stay in different locations. My brother stays with a friend while the rest of us stay with my auntie. We went from seeing Robert everyday to once or twice a week. Not one week has passed that we haven’t seen him. He would come over to Auntie’s house, take his shower, listen to Donna and I fuss at him, joke with him and catch up, play around with his nephew, shoot the breeze with his auntie and wait to suck up to his mom. Before he left he would kiss and hug us and tell us that he loved us. Every time he left he did that.
On February 13, 2009 Robert came to Aunties house, showered, got fussed at by his sisters, sucked up to his mom, told everybody he loved them and will see us in the morning. He was off to the club. He was suppose to pick up his mom the next morning, take her to the hairdresser, watch his nephew and chill with Des babe for V-day. He went to the club, got into a scuffle and hopped in the car with his friends to go home. While stopped at a stop light, a car pulled up to the passenger side, windows rolled down and proceeded to let off six shots into the side of the car. The first bullet shattered the front passenger window entering my brother’s head on the right and exiting on the left. He collapsed onto his friend’s lap and they rushed him to the hospital.
After being stabilized he was flown to another hospital that could handle his injuries better. After arriving at that hospital, he was prepped for surgery. The neurosurgeons spent two hours repairing and closing the damaged area. Forty minutes later we were able to see him.
During those two hours and forty minutes, prayer circles were formed and panic, heart ache, guilt, anger, hurt filled the hearts and minds of his loved ones. Emotions clouded the OR waiting room, everyone on edge waiting to hear the update on Rob’s condition. You may have heard laughter that masked the fear that dwelled within the pits of our stomachs. You may have seen smiles that hid tears. And you may have actually seen the tears that covered the strength that each person possessed to get through this.
The surgeon walked in and my heart dropped. His face was stoic, no indicator shown in his features that would have given me an inkling of a sign of his news. He said the surgery was complete and Rob was stable. He spoke so fast and I couldn’t grasp everything he said. All I knew was my brother was alive. He may not be the same as before but we will never know. He is alive… and that is all that matters.
The surgeon said it’s a possibility that he could be paralyzed; he can get pneumonia and a number of other things. But Robert is alive. He will make a full recovery. My father spoke this world into existence and because he has the power of the tongue I know I inherited it and I will speak my brother’s recovery into existence. I will speak that he will recover 100 %. I will speak that Robert will pick his mom up and take her to the hairdresser, he will watch his nephew, he will take Des Babe on her V-day date, he will fuss, joke and chill with his sisters, and he will shoot the breeze with his auntie.
My brother was my valentine this year. I spent my Valentines Day holding back tears, kissing my brothers arm and holding his hand, his right hand, as he squeezed it acknowledging my presence. I had no problem spending that time with him. He knew I had no plans and he gave me something to do. Always looking out for me…
Anyway, my mom, Donna, Monte’ and I are always use to Robert coming and going in the house. That chime on the alarm is always ringing, “Front Door Open” as he enters or exits. But now, I don’t see that chime as annoying but more so comforting knowing that he would be coming home. Being displaced caused us to stay in different locations. My brother stays with a friend while the rest of us stay with my auntie. We went from seeing Robert everyday to once or twice a week. Not one week has passed that we haven’t seen him. He would come over to Auntie’s house, take his shower, listen to Donna and I fuss at him, joke with him and catch up, play around with his nephew, shoot the breeze with his auntie and wait to suck up to his mom. Before he left he would kiss and hug us and tell us that he loved us. Every time he left he did that.
On February 13, 2009 Robert came to Aunties house, showered, got fussed at by his sisters, sucked up to his mom, told everybody he loved them and will see us in the morning. He was off to the club. He was suppose to pick up his mom the next morning, take her to the hairdresser, watch his nephew and chill with Des babe for V-day. He went to the club, got into a scuffle and hopped in the car with his friends to go home. While stopped at a stop light, a car pulled up to the passenger side, windows rolled down and proceeded to let off six shots into the side of the car. The first bullet shattered the front passenger window entering my brother’s head on the right and exiting on the left. He collapsed onto his friend’s lap and they rushed him to the hospital.
After being stabilized he was flown to another hospital that could handle his injuries better. After arriving at that hospital, he was prepped for surgery. The neurosurgeons spent two hours repairing and closing the damaged area. Forty minutes later we were able to see him.
During those two hours and forty minutes, prayer circles were formed and panic, heart ache, guilt, anger, hurt filled the hearts and minds of his loved ones. Emotions clouded the OR waiting room, everyone on edge waiting to hear the update on Rob’s condition. You may have heard laughter that masked the fear that dwelled within the pits of our stomachs. You may have seen smiles that hid tears. And you may have actually seen the tears that covered the strength that each person possessed to get through this.
The surgeon walked in and my heart dropped. His face was stoic, no indicator shown in his features that would have given me an inkling of a sign of his news. He said the surgery was complete and Rob was stable. He spoke so fast and I couldn’t grasp everything he said. All I knew was my brother was alive. He may not be the same as before but we will never know. He is alive… and that is all that matters.
The surgeon said it’s a possibility that he could be paralyzed; he can get pneumonia and a number of other things. But Robert is alive. He will make a full recovery. My father spoke this world into existence and because he has the power of the tongue I know I inherited it and I will speak my brother’s recovery into existence. I will speak that he will recover 100 %. I will speak that Robert will pick his mom up and take her to the hairdresser, he will watch his nephew, he will take Des Babe on her V-day date, he will fuss, joke and chill with his sisters, and he will shoot the breeze with his auntie.
My brother was my valentine this year. I spent my Valentines Day holding back tears, kissing my brothers arm and holding his hand, his right hand, as he squeezed it acknowledging my presence. I had no problem spending that time with him. He knew I had no plans and he gave me something to do. Always looking out for me…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Hope for Robert...
Where to start... There are so many things to write, to say, to tell and there isn't a starting point... I have never written a blog, let alone started one so this is all new to me. This chapter in my life is new to me but this blog is surely not about me.
This blog is to serve the purpose of updating my friends and family on the status and condition of one soldier, one fighter, one individual who is unconditionally loved by so many people. That person is my brother, Robert P. Robinson, Jr.
On Valentines day, my brother was a victim of a drive by shooting which left him with a gun shot wound to the head. The bullet entered on the right side of his head and exited on the left. He was rushed to the hospital where he was immediately treated.
My brother is continuing to fight everyday. Everyday he does something different showing us, his humongous support system, that he is going to pull through and make a full recovery.
I am committed to posting daily updates on his recovery. By tomorrow, readers will be able to see postings that will begin from the night before the shooting up until his progress today.
I ask all readers to continue to keep my brother in your prayers because without GOD... I don't even want to imagine what life or lack there of would be.
Thanks in advance for your prayers and your support. My family loves you and Robert is gracious for you being behind him 100%.
~Evelyn~
"Lil Big Sister"
-Robert's nickname-
This blog is to serve the purpose of updating my friends and family on the status and condition of one soldier, one fighter, one individual who is unconditionally loved by so many people. That person is my brother, Robert P. Robinson, Jr. On Valentines day, my brother was a victim of a drive by shooting which left him with a gun shot wound to the head. The bullet entered on the right side of his head and exited on the left. He was rushed to the hospital where he was immediately treated.
My brother is continuing to fight everyday. Everyday he does something different showing us, his humongous support system, that he is going to pull through and make a full recovery.
I am committed to posting daily updates on his recovery. By tomorrow, readers will be able to see postings that will begin from the night before the shooting up until his progress today.
I ask all readers to continue to keep my brother in your prayers because without GOD... I don't even want to imagine what life or lack there of would be.
Thanks in advance for your prayers and your support. My family loves you and Robert is gracious for you being behind him 100%.
~Evelyn~
"Lil Big Sister"
-Robert's nickname-
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