The Words Are Coming Back
Progress isn’t always in a straight line, some gains take time to stick.
If you’re just learning what happened, over the Fourth of July weekend, Eugene suffered a stroke that initially left him unable to speak, read, and write normally.
To get caught up to speed on the entire story you can check out the following posts:
Initial announcement “Eugene Stroke Update: He’s Not Tapping Out”
Followed by “Rock and Roll! – A New Eugene Update”
Then we had, “Fighting For His Voice.”
And finally last week’s, “Honey I’m Home! The Next Fight Begins”.
Together, those posts reconstruct the events leading to his hospitalization and follow his early recovery through Sunday, August 2.
We now have more recovery progress to share…
Eugene Is Reading!
Last week, we shared the enormous news that Eugene was home from the hospital and had begun the next stage of his recovery.
At that point, nearly everything was work.
Speaking was work.
Walking was work.
Tracing and then writing his own name was work.
Even following the thread of a sentence could be work.
This week, Kasia sent me a photograph of Eugene sitting on the couch at home with The Washington Post open on his tablet (see above).
He was reading.
Actually reading.
For Eugene, reading is not simply another exercise on a rehabilitation checklist. He is an author, journalist, critic and lifelong devourer of words. Reading is where much of his work begins. It is how he follows the world, argues with it and eventually tells the rest of us what he thinks is wrong with it.
About a month ago, a stroke took away his ability to read, write and speak normally. It’s called aphasia. And it is insidious and debilitating.
But he didn’t tap out. He started to fight. Now he is sitting on his own couch reading The Washington Post and giving us the finger.
One hand holding the tablet.
One hand delivering a message that requires no speech therapy and no translation.
Kasia has officially promoted it from the “finger of the day” to the “finger of the week.”
More Words
Reading is the major breakthrough of this week, but it is not the only one.
Eugene is saying more words. He is practicing the names of his daughters, his wife - Kasia and other members of the family. The short videos Kasia sent this week show him concentrating intensely as he works through those names, repeating them and reaching for the sounds he knows belong there.
Writing remains much more difficult. Sometimes he can do it. Sometimes he cannot.
That unevenness is still part of the process. Recovery does not move in a straight line, and a breakthrough in the morning does not guarantee the same ability will be available later that day. But even when the progress is inconsistent, it continues to be progress.
Melodic Intonation Therapy is also continuing to help. Kasia says Eugene sings often, and melody sometimes gives him access to words that ordinary speech will not yet surrender.
That seems especially fitting for a man who has spent so much of his life turning language into music and music into something much louder.
The Rest of the Work
On Thursday, July 30, Eugene underwent cognitive and speech assessments. Kasia expects to receive the results this Monday. Those results should give them a clearer understanding of where his recovery stands and help guide the next stage of treatment.
His body is still working too.
His physical therapist continues helping him rebuild endurance and balance and has even incorporated some jiu-jitsu fundamentals into their sessions.
Next week, Eugene is expected to begin Pilates with an instructor who specializes in working with people recovering from strokes.
He remains in good spirits. He sings. He works incredibly hard. He rests as much as he can.
And apparently the Mediterranean diet has enough flexibility in it for the occasional doughnut.
Still Eugene
The photograph of Eugene reading moved me more than I expected it to.
Maybe because the tablet looks so natural in his hand.
Maybe because reading is such an intimate part of who he is.
Maybe because the finger is there too.
The image does not pretend everything is fixed. It does not tell us how much language he will recover, how long that recovery will take or when he will be able to return to the work and audiences waiting for him.
It simply shows us where he is now.
Home.
Reading.
Working.
Fighting the good fight.
Still Eugene.
We should know more after Monday’s assessment results. I will share another update when Kasia and I have something meaningful and accurate to report.
Until then, thank you for continuing to support Eugene and his family, for sharing the fundraiser and for sending the messages Kasia can read or play for him.
The words are coming back.
And some messages never left.
You Are Helping Make This Possible
Kasia wants to thank everyone who has donated to or shared the official GoFundMe she set up.
In approximately its first week, the campaign raised about one-third of its initial goal.
That support is helping pay for Eugene’s speech therapy, neurorehabilitation and the practical assistance he will need while he remains unable to return to his regular work.
The generosity matters financially.
It has also mattered emotionally.
Seeing how many people care about Eugene, how many lives he has touched and how quickly people have come together for him has reminded the family that they are not doing this alone.
We still do not know how long his recovery will take or what additional care will become necessary along the way. The GoFundMe remains the best and most direct way to help Kasia meet the family’s current recovery expenses.
If you cannot donate, sharing the fundraiser is also a meaningful way to help.
Eugene’s work has reached people through music, books, journalism, podcasts, martial arts and several decades of stories, arguments, jokes and creative troublemaking. We need help reaching those communities now.
Other Ways to Support Eugene
If GoFundMe is not your preferred option, Eugene’s existing direct Show Stomper support accounts remain active:
💰 PayPal: pinko95014@yahoo.com
💰 Cash App: eugene-robinson-28
💰 Venmo: PlanetOxbow
💰 Zelle: OX_bow@hotmail.com
Please understand that these are Eugene’s established Show Stomper support accounts, not Kasia’s fundraiser. Funds sent through them may not be immediately available to Kasia for current recovery expenses, but Eugene should eventually be able to access them again.
Send Eugene a Message
If you would rather not leave a public comment, you can send Eugene a private written message - or, even better, a short video or audio recording at:
Those messages will remain available for Eugene and Kasia to read or play as his energy and recovery allow. Please do not expect a personal reply right now.
A personal note from June, the Stomper Producer:
For those who know me through The Show Stomper, Bad Boss Brief, my time at VOX, Bloody Elbow, Cageside Seats, or through my freelance business, Orijunel Designs — I’ve been dealing with my own ongoing chronic health and financial challenges behind the scenes while continuing to help keep things running here for Eugene and Kasia.
Kasia was gracious enough to allow me to share a link here to my own personal GoFundMe, which I recently created to help with my own chronic medical testing and treatment, mobility and accessibility needs, and the financial strain caused by my declining health and recent reduced ability to work.
This is entirely separate from Eugene’s fundraiser and is simply my own personal request for help.
If you’d like to read more, donate, or simply share it, I’d be incredibly grateful.
We have to get together and send Eugene a box of Debbie Pecan Spinswheels to aid his recovery.
June, Im compiling some podcasts that Eugene did 20 + years ago for KMBT. If you guys would like them, please let me know. Do with them as you wish, I thought they might be helpful. Eugene has my contact info.