Rupe's Road to Recovery

Right now, in a Neurological Critical Care room there is a man that we all know and adore, fighting to get his life back. This man, Paul Kenneth Petkac is a father, son, friend, brother, and first-time grandfather. What started out as a much-anticipated vacation to Colorado with our family, ended in a way no one could have predicted.

 

Before we bring you up to speed on the events that have taken place, we would liketo provide some insight into what makes this man so special to his children and everyone else that has ever had the pleasure of meeting him. Paul or “Rupe” as referred to by many of his friends and family, is best known for his many years of coaching his boys’ basketball teams and daughters’ volleyball team. The kids he coached all grew to love and respect this man, who was always there for them when they needed him.

Rupe has always had a knack for brightening any room he walks into. He is an entertainer at heart, he enjoys playing the drums and loves bringing people together to form lasting and loving memories. He is the type of guy you can call on in an emergency and know he will unequivocally have your back and support you through your toughest times. He is in the rare position of needing our help now, as he faces life changes in the future.

Through the first two days of vacation (June 7th – 8th), Rupe and the rest of the group enjoyed activities such as hiking and fishing with no obvious cause for concern. After returning from Breckenridge, the group immediately noticed that something was wrong with Rupe. We had a brief discussion and determined that Rupe needed to go to the hospital for further evaluation. While waiting in the emergency room, he started experiencing aggressive seizures.

For the next 8 days, Rupe and three of his children and their spouses would spend tireless nights and days in the hospital scared and concerned as nurses and doctors were unable to find the cause of the seizures. The same morning Rupe was being admitted to the hospital, his youngest daughter delivered his first grandchild, a little boy. As the days went by and the questions remained unanswered, his family collectively agreed that the best thing for Rupe was to get him home as safely and quickly as possible to continue his treatment. The family decided to charter a private medical plane to transport him home to Ohio.

On June 18th, Rupe and one of his sons flew back to Cleveland, where he could get the support of his family and dearest friends.

 

Over the past couple of weeks, a variety of tests have been administered with little clarity as to the cause of these episodes. However, the doctors now believe it may be caused by Autoimmune Encephalitis, and he is now going through a five-day treatment called Plasmapheresis.

Rupe continues to fight while his family and friends continue their daily vigil, watching

over him and praying for a full recovery. Once released, he will need in-home care and therapy. Even if Rupe can someday return to work, he will still be burdened with considerable medical and home care debt.

We have started this go fund me page in hopes of defraying some of the worry and stress he will have due to the expenses related to his care. Any donation would be GREATLY appreciated along with continued prayers for his complete recovery.

 

Thank you for all your love and support ❤️

 

Sincerely,

 

His Adoring Family