Sinbad is on the road to recovery after suffering a stroke two years ago, but still has a long way to go.
via People:
The 66-year-old comedian’s family shared a photo of him re-learning to walk in physical therapy, two years after he suffered an ischemic stroke, sharing an update on his recovery and a donation page for supporters who want to help contribute to his medical expenses.
In a statement shared alongside the photo on Monday, the family explained Sinbad’s medical journey up until now, after a blood clot traveling from his heart to his brain triggered the stroke in Oct. 2020.
Sinbad (born David Adkins) then underwent a thrombectomy to remove the clot, after which he was mobile and talking with some weakness, but the “prognosis was very promising.”
Another blood clot formed the next day, and although it was half the original size, he had to undergo another thrombectomy, which was successful but “took a little more from him than the first surgery.”
The Jingle All the Way actor’s brain then started to swell, forcing doctors to perform a craniotomy to relieve the pressure, during which they discovered a bleed. He was then transported to the ICU, where doctors put him in a medically-induced coma and placed him on a ventilator.
“Our hearts were devastated,” the family’s statement on the site reads. “The road to recovery became unclear and extremely difficult for the family to navigate.
“It would be weeks before he would open his eyes, speak or show signs of basic mobility. It wasn’t long before we realized he couldn’t move his left side or simply hold his head up. The more time passed, the more the family learned how much had been lost,” they continue.
After he was weaned off the ventilator over the next few months, Sinbad started intensive physical, occupational and speech therapy in May 2021.
“It was there Sinbad started to make considerable progress toward recovery,” they wrote, noting that he “finally came home” last July, nearly nine months after his stroke.
“He continues to receive therapy, fighting for every inch. His progress is nothing short of remarkable,” the family shares. “Limbs that were said to be ‘dead’ are coming alive, and he’s taking the steps necessary to learn to walk again. In his own words, ‘I am not done. I will not stop fighting until I can walk across the stage again.’ And neither will we.”
They add: “Survival odds from this type of event are approximately 30 percent. Sinbad has already beaten the odds and has made significant progress beyond what anyone expected, but there are still miles to go.”
With insurance not covering the full costs of his therapy, the family set up a donation page for his medical expenses, with all proceeds going to the Adkins Trust, “to help provide for Sinbad’s care and help him continue to fight this battle.”
“The family believes, without exception, Sinbad is here because of the multitude of prayers from all who know and love him. We are eternally grateful. Every outpouring of love and the memories of how he has touched all of you have not gone unheard, unseen or unfelt. Thank you. You have lifted his spirits along the way and inspired the entire family,” they conclude.
The website also shares Sinbad’s own words: “Thank God for everything He’s given you, even if it’s not everything you asked for. Thank God for family and hug the ones you love while you’re still with them. We need each other to get through this journey. I can’t wait to see you all again soon. As always, stay funky, stay prayed up.”
Prayers up for Sinbad.
