Josh’s Story: Recovering Quickly to See Birth of Son

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When Kayla Anguiano’s husband was loaded onto CareFlight after a vehicle accident, she didn’t know what to expect. Earlier that day while driving his half-ton pickup truck, he had been struck by a three-and-a-half ton pickup truck pulling a horse trailer. She didn’t initially think the situation was serious, but when she arrived at Miami Valley Hospital, her husband of only a few months was already in surgery. 

In the emergency room, Josh’s blood pressure continued to drop rapidly despite a huge transfusion, and an ultrasound showed fluid on his abdomen, prompting an immediate transfer to the operating room. Once Josh was in surgery, trauma surgeon John Bini, Lt. Col., USAF, MD, FACS, discovered that his liver had received a severe blow which had nearly destroyed the right lobe. “[It] looked like it had exploded,” he said. 

Combat Level Injuries

During Dr. Bini’s tenure with the Air Force, he was deployed in combat situations where he had to operate on soldiers with severe injuries that most civilian trauma surgeons never see. He credits his ability to stabilize Josh and repair his liver to that experience.

“Although we all have the same training and education for the most part, again, a lot of being able to do some of these things depends on having done them. I honestly think that my experience in the deployed setting was almost entirely responsible for the fact that Josh is here today,” he said.

Josh also suffered a torn diaphragm and 19 broken ribs. After his initial surgery, which Kayla said took more than five hours, the nurse told her he was doing well. A few hours later, Josh started bleeding again. One of his broken ribs had punctured his right lung. Kayla returned to the hospital, and Dr. Bini took her husband back to surgery.

“He lost 24 pints of blood,” Dr. Bini said. “That’s a lot.”

As severe as Josh’s injuries were, the trauma team at Miami valley Hospital was able to stabilize him, putting him on a path to recovery.

“Being a strong young guy, he actually recovered very quickly -- surprisingly quickly -- for the magnitude of his injuries,” Dr. Bini said, attributing part of the reason Josh recovered so rapidly to his loving family, faith and positive attitude.

Throughout Josh’s entire experience at Miami Valley Hospital, Kayla had one major concern – she wanted and needed Josh to be there for the birth of their first child.

Eight months pregnant when Josh’s accident happened, Kayla made her wishes clear to Dr. Bini.

“All she was really concerned about was whether or not he was going to be there for their baby. And I said, ‘My goal is to have him there when your baby’s born.’”

On May 9, Josh went for his final check-up with Dr. Bini. He was doing well, but now Kayla would need the hospital. She went into labor that evening.

“So I was back in the hospital with my wife,” Josh said. “Yeah, again, but it was her turn. I was there to support her, to be there for her. I was there for the whole birth of my son.”

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