GREENVILLE, Texas — A North Texas grandfather was fighting COVID-19 in the hospital for 216 days. He is finally out, but he has still got a lot of recovering to do. He is learning how to walk and breathe on his own again.
Tammy Tanner met her husband, Bobby Tanner, a long time ago.
“I was in 7th grade, and he was in 9th,” she said.
Bobby was her first date when he asked her to the school dance.
“He took me. Brought me a beautiful hand corsage…,” Tammy recalled.
She looks back on their dating history fondly.
“His dad would sit in the front seat with Bobby, because he just had a learner’s permit. And I would sit in the back. They would come to my house and pick me up, and we would go cruising around. Because that’s what you did in a small town,” she said.
They were both born and raised in Greenville, Texas, northwest of DFW, and still live in the area. Bobby and Tammy have three daughters and nine grandkids.
This year, Tammy has had to take care of the house, land, chores, bills and everything on her own. She is used to being the one getting spoiled, because Bobby usually takes care of everything.
“Anybody that knows us knows that’s the truth. But now… roles are reversed,” Tammy explained. “Now he’s spoiled. And I will keep spoiling him too. Because I’m just glad he’s here. So we’ll just spoil him up. Anything he wants.”
She is grateful to be waiting on him, because he almost died four times in the last year. Bobby Tanner spent 216 days in the hospital with COVID. Google shows that is the longest hospital stay with COVID in the country.
“You know, it just seems like it’s going to go on forever. But you’ve gotta stay positive and know that someday you’ll escape the hospital,” Bobby said.
He was hospitalized from October to June with ventilators, tracheotomy, continuous dialysis and comas. He lost 40 pounds, and is still on oxygen, medication, breathing treatments and more. It takes him a lot of effort just to get up for a snack.
“I’m going to rehab, trying to get muscle mass back and learning how to walk again,” Bobby said.
He goes to rehab every weekday at Baylor Scott and White Rehabilitation Institute in Dallas.
While it has been tough for Bobby, he believes his wife had it worse. She really had to step up and make some tough, devastating, life-or-death decisions by herself that impacted her whole family. Bobby admits, his wife has been burdened by his sickness. Everything is on her shoulders now.
“I know God must have a plan to save me,” Bobby said.
He believes that Tammy is part of God’s plan. For several months, she could not see him because of COVID restrictions. Still Bobby, his family and his doctors believe his wife saved his life. Doctors were debating whether to take him off of life support, because he was unresponsive. That is when they FaceTimed Tammy.
“And so they called and they said, ‘We can’t get him to respond. Would you please ask him to squeeze our hand?’ And I would say, ‘Bobby, squeeze that nurse’s hand.’ And he would squeeze their hand. And I would say, ‘move your feet.’ And he would move his feet. But when they would tell him, he would not,” she explained.
She jokes that it might be an automatic response.
“He’s used to me bossing him around,” she said.
She said she is more than willing to take care of Bobby and take over all of his duties.
“It is also a miracle of God. I think he blessed our marriage, and he knows we love each other. And he let me keep him,” Tammy said.
Doctors said Bobby will be in recovery for at least another year before he is back to normal. Bobby said he has got a more positive outlook on life. He said he cherishes every moment now. He wants people with families battling COVID to know that positivity will take you a long way.