Turning struggle into strength: Choosing resilience
At the darkest moment of his life, Roberto Robinson chose hope. Fighting for survival in the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CSICU) at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, he chose positivity, even as his condition worsened.
Robinson was hospitalized with pneumonia and quickly developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. His doctors placed him on a ventilator in a medically induced coma before transferring him to the CISCU at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for advanced medical treatment.
Amazing teamwork
“I was in the most critical condition of my life,“ Robinson says. “The expertise and dedication of the entire medical team truly saved my life. The staff supported me every step of the way and even embraced my sense of humor.“
While in the CSICU, a team of physicians including Dr. Christopher Barreiro, a cardiothoracic surgeon with Sentara Mid-Atlantic Cardiothoracic Surgeons and Dr. Rishik Vashisht, a critical care physician with Sentara Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Specialists assessed Robinson’s condition and determined that he needed more aggressive life support.
“Mr. Robinson emergently needed to be stabilized in the CSICU to save his life,“ explains Dr. Vashisht. He was connected to an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which pumped and oxygenated his blood outside the body, giving his lungs time to heal.“
As his condition deteriorated, Robinson’s physicians were concerned he would need a lung transplant to survive. His doctors reached out to lung transplant centers across the state to get him accepted on a transplant list. Thankfully Mr. Robinson was able to recover without the need for a transplant.
“Mr. Robinson faced a daunting recovery,“ Dr. Matthew Welles, a critical care physician with Sentara Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Specialists says. “Before he could be a candidate for a lung transplant, he needed to continue to recover and regain strength. The challenge was that he was dependent on multiple life support platforms. Rehabilitating him took an incredible effort from countless multidisciplinary team members.“
Turning struggle into strength
Despite the severity of his illness, Robinson made a conscious effort to focus on positivity. “My family, pastor and church members visited me often. Their love and support gave me the strength to keep fighting for my life,“ he says.
“I admired Mr. Robinson’s attitude and determination and told him; we would do everything possible to help him regain strength,“ Dr. Welles shares.
Trusting in your circle
Throughout his hospitalization, Robinson’s children were constantly by his side. His sons Jordyn and Roberto Jr. visited him in the hospital and often took time off work to sit with him, while his daughters Sade and Alexus checked on him every morning on the way to work and arranged phone calls so he could speak to his grandchildren Matteo and Jurnee.
“The love, care and constant presence of my children and grandchildren, along with visits from my pastor and ongoing care by the staff and doctors, reminded me I was not fighting alone. Knowing my family was by my side, praying, encouraging and believing in my recovery, gave me the hope I needed to keep going,“ Robinson recalls.
A retired police officer who served for 30 years, smiles and reflects, “My kids always said I have nine lives. I’ve been shot, hit by a car and even stabbed, yet somehow, I’ve always pulled through. I remember my son Jordyn told me this time is no different and that gave me the strength I needed to keep going.“
Sharing life lessons
When asked what advice Robinson would share with someone who may be dealing with an illness, he smiles:
- Lean on friends and family.
- Share your pain or fears.
- Trust your care team.
“There were moments when my outlook was so grim. I genuinely believed I would not walk out of the hospital,“ he says. “What helped me keep going was the incredible care and heroic team effort from the nurses, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physical and respiratory therapists, perfusionists, patient techs and the entire CSICU team, they were truly the greatest.“
Today, Robinson lives with gratitude. “I appreciate every breath I take,“ he says. “Life isn’t promised, so I try to make everyday count and leave a positive mark wherever I go.“