11/17/2008

OAPA Advocate Trimbath Critically Injured - Update

Update as of 11/17/08 from Amie Rinaldi.

I've been waiting for a good time to update everyone on John's condition hoping to have some encouraging words to pass on, but right now, his condition is still quite difficult and fragile, to say the least. He is certainly frustrated, as is his family, with the complications he has developed, one after another, since his accident. John is still in the Neuro ICU at MetroHealth Med Center in Cleveland, but his family has been hoping to be able to transfer him to the rehab unit there as soon as possible. Unfortunately, certain conditions must be met before he can transfer to the other floor.

One of those is that he must be able to sustain appropriate sats on 40% O2. He has done that a couple of times, and even had one day a couple weeks ago that he was able come off the vent and do 6 hours of blow-by O2, but since then, he's not been able to do that again. Right now he is on 50%. He also had a bronch that resulted in a collapsed lung, therefore, a chest tube was placed, and due to his continued pneumonia, he's had difficulty getting that out. He had a Greenfield filter placed for blood clots, and he has had to receive more blood.

John still only has movement of his left biceps, but continues to have sensation everywhere else. He has had some physical therapy, but with his infections and complications, the therapy has been limited.

Right now, his wife Diane and the doctors are limiting visitors to give John a chance to rest while he does his best to fight these infections. Diane and children Ryan and Erin are taking your cards and letters to him and reading them to him to keep his spirits up. Please keep them coming so that they know John is still in your thoughts and prayers.

Cards can be sent to:

John Trimbath, PA-C, MPAS
MetroHealth Medical Center
5C Neurosurgical ICU
2500 MetroHealth Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44109

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October 29, 2008

As many of you may have already heard, John Trimbath, OAPA Vice President, AAPA Secretary, and forever advocate of everything PA, had a very serious accident on October 16.

He attended a PA dinner that evening in Cleveland, then went to another place where he fell from a ride on a mechanical bull. As a result, his spinal cord was injured at C4-5. He was intubated upon arrival at the hospital, was placed in traction, and had surgery two days after the accident to place a "cage" around the fractured vertebrae.

Since then, John's status has stabilized, but he still only has definitive movement of the left biceps muscle. He has sensation in all extremities, but has no other movement, except as of just moments ago (10/29), I received notification that he may have moved the index finger of his right hand!

John had a trach placed on Friday of last week, so he is better able to communicate now. He is overbreathing the vent periodically, so the vent settings continue to be weaned down. Therapy has also begun for movement of the extremities.

At this time, John's status is improving, but his prognosis is not able to be determined. He had developed pneumonia along with neurological ARDS, but both of those have improved significantly. John has always been strong - physically, spiritually, and mentally - and he continues to show those qualities as he recouperates by giving input to his caregivers.

We would continue to encourage everyone to keep John and his family in their thoughts and prayers. The OAPA supports John during his recouperation and rehabilitation, and will do all we can to continue to involve him as much as he is willing and able with the activities of OAPA. We will update the website with information as it becomes available.

Cards can be sent to:

John Trimbath, PA-C, MPAS
MetroHealth Medical Center
5C Neurosurgical ICU
2500 MetroHealth Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44109

Sincerely,
Amie D. Rinaldi, PA-C
OAPA GARC Chair