After battling COVID-19 for 160 days, woman leaves Duke Hospital

Robin Keene was admitted to Duke Hospital in October. A mother of three children, Robin knew about the dangers of COVID-19. One of her daughters was hospitalized with the virus.

Robin was a psychiatric RN at Butner Hospital and had planned to return to work before falling ill. While in the hospital, Robin was intubated. She was on dialysis when her kidneys started to fail and suffered a mini stroke.

In November, Robin showed so little brain activity that her family thought she wasn't going to make it. Family told WRAL they recalled having “hard conversations about what we were going to do.” One morning, Robin opened her eyes.

She's slowly improved since then, but has been advised that it could take another year or more before she recovers fully. Robin recently left the hospital amid cheers and fanfare from friends. She was in a wheelchair, but appeared in good spirits and glad to be out.

She was in the hospital for 160 days.

Video of her leaving the hospital shows family celebrating her as she exited. "You're free!" someone yelled. Robin held a sign that read "We are so eggs-citied you are coming home!"