Full speed ahead for man with bone disease
Posted: Monday, December 15, 2008
HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) -- Scott Robinson never let the fact that his bones broke more easily than most get in the way of his dreams.
"I tried to never let it slow me down," he said. "I didn't let it affect me."
The 44-year-old was born with osteogenesis imperfecta. So far in his life, Robinson said, he has had about 28 broken bones.
It is a genetic disorder, characterized by bones that break easily, often from little or no apparent cause, according to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation Web site.
He said the disease was more problematic when he was a child, but he still has occasional bone breaks. "It gets less as you get older," he said. "It limits me on what I can do, obviously."
Robinson stands 4 feet 11 inches tall and can't lift heavy items.
While his short stature was the subject of occasional teasing, Robinson said he wasn't teased more than any other child. While in high school, he said he had friends in every clique and someone was usually around to watch out for him.
"I was very fortunate as a kid," he said. "I had a good time growing up here."
Despite the disorder, Robinson said, he participated in a variety of activities while growing up, including playing in a rock band and drag racing.
At the age of 14, Robinson started playing guitar for a rock music band in Hastings. He continued with the instrument through his graduation from Hastings High School in 1983. Robinson also got into drag racing after his father helped turn a 1971 Ford Mustang into a drag racing car.
"My dad got tired of me getting into trouble with it on the road," Robinson said with a chuckle.
When he was 22, Robinson moved to Lincoln with other band members to more aggressively pursue music, but two years later he decided he needed to settle down.
At age 24, Robinson left the band and moved to Denver to work in a neuroscience laboratory at the University of Colorado, handcrafting microsensors. He worked his way up in the laboratory until he nearly managed the entire lab, before it was moved to Kentucky.
Instead of moving to Kentucky, Robinson decided to come back to his hometown.
In 2000, Robinson returned to Hastings and went to Central Community College-Hastings, where he received a degree in computers and automation with a certificate in computer networking in December 2001.
Robinson's father died in 2003, leaving Robinson with a sewing and vacuum business and his parents' home. But instead of continuing his father's business, Robinson opened his own, Scott's Computer Electronics.
While the bulk of his business is desktop and laptop computer repair, Robinson also does business networking and offers general computer products for sale.
"I pretty much do a little bit of everything that has to do with computers," he said. "I always wanted to be somebody who repaired something. I enjoy troubleshooting and figuring out the problems."
Through a mutual friend, Robinson met his wife, Dawn, who stands 4 feet 6 inches. The two now have a 10-month-old son, David.
Their son was born without any abnormalities and will likely outgrow his parents by the time he is 8 or 9, Robinson said.
While 44 may be a bit late to start a family, Robinson said, it was the right time for him.
"I had to wait for the perfect woman."
"I tried to never let it slow me down," he said. "I didn't let it affect me."
The 44-year-old was born with osteogenesis imperfecta. So far in his life, Robinson said, he has had about 28 broken bones.
It is a genetic disorder, characterized by bones that break easily, often from little or no apparent cause, according to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation Web site.
He said the disease was more problematic when he was a child, but he still has occasional bone breaks. "It gets less as you get older," he said. "It limits me on what I can do, obviously."
Robinson stands 4 feet 11 inches tall and can't lift heavy items.
While his short stature was the subject of occasional teasing, Robinson said he wasn't teased more than any other child. While in high school, he said he had friends in every clique and someone was usually around to watch out for him.
"I was very fortunate as a kid," he said. "I had a good time growing up here."
Despite the disorder, Robinson said, he participated in a variety of activities while growing up, including playing in a rock band and drag racing.
At the age of 14, Robinson started playing guitar for a rock music band in Hastings. He continued with the instrument through his graduation from Hastings High School in 1983. Robinson also got into drag racing after his father helped turn a 1971 Ford Mustang into a drag racing car.
"My dad got tired of me getting into trouble with it on the road," Robinson said with a chuckle.
When he was 22, Robinson moved to Lincoln with other band members to more aggressively pursue music, but two years later he decided he needed to settle down.
At age 24, Robinson left the band and moved to Denver to work in a neuroscience laboratory at the University of Colorado, handcrafting microsensors. He worked his way up in the laboratory until he nearly managed the entire lab, before it was moved to Kentucky.
Instead of moving to Kentucky, Robinson decided to come back to his hometown.
In 2000, Robinson returned to Hastings and went to Central Community College-Hastings, where he received a degree in computers and automation with a certificate in computer networking in December 2001.
Robinson's father died in 2003, leaving Robinson with a sewing and vacuum business and his parents' home. But instead of continuing his father's business, Robinson opened his own, Scott's Computer Electronics.
While the bulk of his business is desktop and laptop computer repair, Robinson also does business networking and offers general computer products for sale.
"I pretty much do a little bit of everything that has to do with computers," he said. "I always wanted to be somebody who repaired something. I enjoy troubleshooting and figuring out the problems."
Through a mutual friend, Robinson met his wife, Dawn, who stands 4 feet 6 inches. The two now have a 10-month-old son, David.
Their son was born without any abnormalities and will likely outgrow his parents by the time he is 8 or 9, Robinson said.
While 44 may be a bit late to start a family, Robinson said, it was the right time for him.
"I had to wait for the perfect woman."
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