Exceeding Expectations

First and foremost, we want to once again send a most heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who has shown so much enduring support and concern. We know that as time passes it is easy to forget or move on and our community hasn’t done that one bit. Robbie continues to be the most popular patient in the hospital and he loves each and every visit, email, text and call.

In the past four weeks of physical therapy, Robbie has exceeded the doctors’ expectations time and time again. Just this past Friday, Robbie walked 150 feet with only the assistance of a cane. By Saturday, he pushed himself to walk 800 feet. He’s successfully climbed and descended a flight of stairs with only a handrail. And just Monday morning, Robbie moved his left arm for the first time. We are so excited by his progress. Some days are more eventful than others, but the courage and effort he puts forth each day have resulted in a very successful recovery so far. Because Robbie is responding so well to treatment, he will be staying longer as an inpatient to push him even further.

In addition to the physical recovery successes, Robbie is also making the most of his time. This past weekend, he had an outing to Haight Street with two physical therapists with a goal of self-sufficiency. Using a wheelchair to get to a café two blocks away, he transferred to walking with a cane to enter, approach the counter to order his food and enjoy his meal at a table. He then walked the two blocks back to the hospital.

One of Robbie’s personal goals is to once again be able to moonwalk. Last week, while practicing, he was joined by the head physician of Neurology and eight nurses all learning how to moonwalk. It’s no surprise to us that Robbie is well loved by all the hospital staff and inciting jokes and opportunities for fun at every turn. Robbie now has grand plans for a flash mob.

If you would like to visit, please feel free to email Robbie at [email protected]. He’ll be able to tell you if it is indeed a good day. Please note that due to his rigorous treatment, weekday visits are best between 5-7pm. Since his schedule varies on the weekend, verifying time via email will be best. Finally, he has been moved back to his favorite room with a view, room 227 (2^nd floor North Tower and the CPMC Davies Campus, corner of Castro and Duboce Streets, San Francisco).

Once again, thank you to our vast and loving network of friends and family. Your countless messages of love, thoughtful emails, artwork, cards, and visits with hearty laughter are much of what has kept us all going and Robbie in good spirits.