Key points from today’s guests:

Thomas Hoskins, senior football player, Blue Valley High School

• The past September, Thomas was injured on the football field and had to come out of the game.
• He felt a different kind of pain and the team’s athletic trainer, Caitlin Truhe, immediately recognized that it might be an unusual and dangerous internal injury.
• He was taken to the locker room before being transported to the hospital via EMS with a torn spleen.
• He was able to be treated for the injury without surgery and returned to football after six weeks.

Telisa Hoskins, Thomas’ mom

• Telisa had five children go through high school sports, so she was familiar with Caitlin and her abilities.
• She felt like Thomas was in good hands with Caitlin and the athletic training staff, even though the injury required a trip to the hospital.
• She said they were really pleased with the awesome care Thomas received.
• Telisa knows a lot of schools don't have the resources that they do with trainers, but it would be nice if they all did because it is a really good peace of mind knowing you've got somebody there that knows what they're doing to care of the student athletes.

Caitlin Truhe, certified athletic trainer, The University of Kansas Health System

• Thomas showed the cardinal signs for a spleen injury and then we activated our emergency action plan and the administrative staff, the coaches, everyone played the role that they were supposed to and get EMS to him.
• It is a privilege to work with these kids. It’s tough to not see them able to play, but it is gratifying to see them recover and get back to the sport.
• Building a relationship with the athlete and the parents is important because it can help with diagnosing injuries.
• She has also recommended a program that helps with mental health situations for athletes, providing a plan to provide the right resources for athletes who need help.

Doug Wiesner, director, Youth Sports Medicine Program, The University of Kansas Health System

• Our program is in our 12th year and it contracts with local schools to put athletic trainers embedded on site at the schools.
• There are a plethora of physicians that handle coverage at our high school Friday night football games.
• Emergency medicine now is coming to our sidelines to provide extra protection for these athletes.
• We do emergency action plan training three times a year. We also get into exertional heat illness and cold water immersion and those type of things.
• Caitlin was instrumental in putting together a mental health action plan so if somebody has a mental health crisis, we have a plan.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection & prevention control, The University of Kansas Health System

• The COVID inpatient count is at 19, ranging in ages from seven weeks old to 86 years old.
• An uptick globally of pneumonia cases is being monitored, but it appears this is being caused by a bacteria.
• The good news is that we have several types of effective antibiotics that can treat this.
• It is important if you or your child or loved one continues to have ongoing fever and cough, go get evaluated by a physician.

Tuesday, December 5 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. A man collapsed on a cross country flight and needed a blot clot removed from his brain quickly. Find out more about the quick action that saved his life.

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