Car crash victim thanks caregivers, returns to triathlons

A Folsom man whose life took a horrific turn when he was involved in a head-on car crash is getting a second chance at life, thanks to unwavering dedication from his medical team and his determination to overcome adversity. Now, that man is not just surviving but back to competing in triathlons. Bob Gitsham recently paid a visit to his team of caregivers at Kaiser Permanente Roseville to thank them for "putting him back together again" and helping him to not just survive but return to his passion of competing in Ironman triathlons, a feat that didn't seem possible after he sustained such devastating injuries. The accident happened in 2019, and due to extensive injuries and complications, Gitsham was in a medically induced coma for five days. He also endured multiple surgeries and months of grueling physical therapy. Treating Gitsham was a major team effort involving doctors, nurses and physical therapists; but after a lot of hard work and treatments, Gitsham was cleared to return to Ironman and other competitions. "There is no way I would be here without my care team," said Gitsham. "It was so great to see people who took care of me. Without them, I don't think I would be standing here." For the doctors, nurses and physical therapists who dedicated hours, weeks and months to helping Gitsham in his recovery, seeing how well he's doing is fulfilling. Mamatha Gupta, MD, internal medicine physician at Kaiser, was Gitsham's primary care doctor and said their main job was to help guide Gitsham through this difficult journey. "We stayed connected through office visits, secure messages and telephone visits, making sure every symptom was addressed quickly and every referral was made promptly," said Gupta. "It was truly a team effort across multiple specialties, and I am deeply grateful for every physician, nurse and therapist who contributed to Bob's recovery." Greg Stewart was Gitsham's physical therapist at Kaiser Permanente Roseville; he said helping their patient not just recover but thrive was truly a team effort. "His accomplishments, along with the consistent determination, resilience and drive Bob has demonstrated, are truly inspirational and remarkable," said Stewart. Since his car accident, Gitsham has been able to take part in marathons and triathlons and recently competed in an athletic event called "Challenge Roth" in Germany. Up next is a big triathlon in Cozumel in November. While having the ability to return to the sports he loves was obviously important to Gitsham, he said his successful recovery story is about so much more than that. "It wasn't just about getting back to the competitions. It was important to me just to get my body back into physical shape so that I can go out and do one of those physical events," explained Gitsham. "The only thing you can control is your attitude, so my attitude was always positive, it was not being afraid to put the hard work in, to get myself back to health. Mindset is everything. "