Posted on June 26, 2018

Robert chooses Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation after spinal cord injury

Robert Hoag was talking with his son during a barbecue when he accidentally fell off the deck of his Crystal, Michigan home. He initially was diagnosed with a torn meniscus, but Robert later began to lose feeling from his waist down. He returned to the doctor and an MRI revealed a spinal cord injury.

After surgery to repair it, Robert came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation. He spent three weeks in the Spinal Cord Injury Program and has continued therapy as an outpatient.

In this video, Robert and his wife, Rita, share his story of healing.

During Robert’s inpatient stay, he also worked with the hospital’s respiratory therapy team.

Shortly before his accident, Robert was diagnosed with sleep apnea. He worked with respiratory therapists to get a CPAP breathing machine. Since then, his restless nights have become, well, restful.

“I’m a completely new person,” he said.

Watch this video to learn more: