Pharmacy dean recovering from near fatal motorcyle accident
Collision with pickup truck left Rosenow fighting for his life
Shannon Logan
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: News
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October 28, 2006 was the first day of classes at Pacific's brand new School of Pharmacy. That busy afternoon, the dean Robert Rosenow, hurried off campus to attend a presentation for the next batch of student interviews. Just outside Hillsboro, he turned his motorcycle into an intersection and collided with the front bumper of a pick up truck that cut in front of him at the last second.
What followed was a nine month fight for his life and health. The accident left Rosenow with a crushed pelvis, two broken arms, brain hemorrhaging, a torn ACL, a tear in the lining of his heart, broken teeth and many other complications. Nine surgeries were performed, including open heart surgery and four emergency surgeries to stop an infection in his pelvis. Rosenow stayed three months in the hospital, one month in rehab hospital and is still in physical therapy two times a week.
"They just replaced my ACL," he said, gesturing at the black hospital issue cane he uses to get around the office. "Hopefully it's the last surgery. Hopefully."
During Rosenow's nine-month absence, Pacific brought in a surrogate dean from the University of Washington, who worked two times a week to keep the fledgling program afloat. Rosenow returned to the program on July 1, 2007 battling extreme fatigue, but excited to be back. "If it wasn't for the people we hired, they wouldn't have been able to pull through," Rosenow said.
When asked whether he will ride a motorcycle ever again, the avid bicyclist and motorcycle enthusiast said, "No. I've promised my wife never to ride a motorcycle again. I realize now that it's putting your life in the hands of too many people around you."
What followed was a nine month fight for his life and health. The accident left Rosenow with a crushed pelvis, two broken arms, brain hemorrhaging, a torn ACL, a tear in the lining of his heart, broken teeth and many other complications. Nine surgeries were performed, including open heart surgery and four emergency surgeries to stop an infection in his pelvis. Rosenow stayed three months in the hospital, one month in rehab hospital and is still in physical therapy two times a week.
"They just replaced my ACL," he said, gesturing at the black hospital issue cane he uses to get around the office. "Hopefully it's the last surgery. Hopefully."
During Rosenow's nine-month absence, Pacific brought in a surrogate dean from the University of Washington, who worked two times a week to keep the fledgling program afloat. Rosenow returned to the program on July 1, 2007 battling extreme fatigue, but excited to be back. "If it wasn't for the people we hired, they wouldn't have been able to pull through," Rosenow said.
When asked whether he will ride a motorcycle ever again, the avid bicyclist and motorcycle enthusiast said, "No. I've promised my wife never to ride a motorcycle again. I realize now that it's putting your life in the hands of too many people around you."
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