TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) The owner of one of the most popular Central Texas farms to visit during the holidays has been hospitalized with a rare disorder.
Brian Robinson, co-owner of The Robinson Family Farm, is in the intensive care unit at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple.
"You hear those stories, and you never know," said Helen Robinson, Brian's wife. "In the blink of an eye, everything can change."
The father of five has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.
His wife says he started seeing symptoms Thursday but didn't think much of it.
"He woke up with some numbness and tingling in his fingertips and toes, a little joint pain--but it was colder that day--he thinks he's getting older at 41," she said.
After being sent home from the hospital once, Helen says by Friday night he could barely walk and after going to a second ER, was re-admitted for a third time.
"The scariest part was the first two days when we were in the ER and didn't know what was going on because MRIs, labs...everything was coming back normal," said Helen. "He felt that any minute was going to be his last, which is scary for me because it's scary for him."
Most of his body was paralyzed and he had to be intubated.
"He's definitely not where he wants to be," said Helen. "Brian is a very proud, strong, independent man and the fact that he has to rely on other people, other mechanisms, that's very hard for him to accept."
By Saturday doctors had determined Robinson had GBS and immediately began a specialized treatment.
"The medicine he's received once a day for five days apparently costs approximately $40,000 per bottle," she said.
More frustrating than the expense--as of Wednesday, Robinson's condition hasn't improved.
However, Helen is staying positive.
"At least being treated for this diagnosis, we know that most people do recover from it," she said. " It's not an easy recovery, it's not a fast recovery."
According to the Mayo Clinic, there's fewer than 20,000 cases of GBS in the U.S. a year.
Most people suffering from the auto-immune disorder recover, like Dallas Cowboys player Travis Frederick who missed the entire 2018 season because of his GBS diagnosis.
There are many triggers including acute bacterial or viral infections, eating raw meat and getting the flu and/or the flu vaccine.
Helen says her husband didn't get the flu shot but had been fighting a head cold.
"That is a common factor, some sort of respiratory virus, but it's the same virus he could have had 50 times before this time, this is just the one that didn't set well with his body," she said.
Wanting to put farm visitor's minds at ease, Helen says tests for contagious illnesses came back negative.
"There's no need for anybody to be concerned, 'oh my gosh, I was out at the farm and I saw Mr. Brian,'...everybody is okay," she said.
Robinson's diagnosis couldn't come at a worse time--it's the busiest time of year at the Temple farm where thousands come to pick pumpkins and play games each Fall--the patriarch's pride and joy.
"When you put your blood, sweat and tears into something and then you get to see the enjoyment that people get from that, you can't let it go, even to the point to where he's like 'Helen, I need to be cremated, and spread me out in the pumpkin patch,'" said Helen. "This is his baby."
The pumpkin patch will remain open for its final two weekends through Nov. 3, then they'll move on to Christmas tree sales "no matter what" Helen says, because that's what her husband wants--and she believes--what he needs to pull through.
"This is what he lives and breathes for and, realistically, this is what he's fighting to get back to," said Helen. "So it's still got to be there when he's ready to come back."
If and when Robinson does come back he has a long road of rehab and therapy ahead of him.
However, since he's self-employed, he doesn't have health insurance, so the road will not only be long, but tricky.
"It was best for Brian and I not to have health insurance, financially," said Helen. "At this point no one's going to cover him on insurance anyway."
A fundraiser has been set up in Brian's honor to help the family with expenses.
"I can only imagine what the plasma part, the next step, costs," said Helen.
Since the initial treatment didn't result in improvement, Robinson, who is conscious but heavily sedated, will now undergo plasma treatments similar to dialysis.
"Baylor Scott & White has been great in reassuring that he's going to continue to receive the best care," said Helen. "They've taken care of Brian and done the best they can and I continue to have my faith in them."
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October 24, 2019 at 10:26AM
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Owner of popular Central Texas farm fighting rare disorder - KWTX
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