CONTENT OF THOM'S  FINAL DEATH CERTIFICATE

 

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Cert Item #  Meaning of Item #                                                                              information contained

 

107A     IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF DEATH                                  SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH

                                                                                              DURING EXERCISE

 

107AT   APPROX. INTERVAL BETWEEN ONSET AND DEATH   MINS

 

107B     DUE TO OR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF                        CHRONIC ISCHEMIC HEART                                                                                 

                                                                                               DISEASE

 

107BT    APPROX. INTERVAL BETWEEN ONSET AND DEATH  WEEKS

 

107C     DUE TO OR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF                         ATHEROSCLEROTIC CORONARY                                                                        

                                                                                                ARTERY DISEASE

                                                                                                

107CT   APPROX. INTERVAL BETWEEN ONSET AND DEATH   UNK

 

112      OTHER SIGNIFICANT CONDITIONS                                HYPERTENSIVE

                                                                                               CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

 

119      MANNER OF DEATH                                                     NATURAL

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Comments by G.D. Trimble (father):

 From our discussions with Thom concerning his health and checkups we received no information that "high blood pressure" was present as noted above.  Whether or not the coroner found this in the records of the doctor we do not know.  John M had reported to us the medications Thom was taking and there was none for high blood pressure.  We are familiar with such medications as Jackie, my wife, has high blood pressure and puts considerable effort into knowing the medications for such.

 

On the other hand I had 7 blocked arteries with 3 pronounced 100% blocked as the cardiologist told to my wife.  While I had the same heart disease as reported above, my blood pressure was always normal.

 

The only distress Thom reported was indications of "acid reflux".  There were no comments about angina, which I had from the age of early 50's till I got a quad bypass surgery when I was 76.  I only experienced it early in the morning during warmup for tennis matches and it disappeared once the match started.  I figured it was simply cold air in the lungs until it finally became more pronounced and extended one morning during a match.  I knew what it was.

 

The fact is that I had plenty of warning, from the angina and knowing my mother, six of her siblings and her father died of similar heart problems. Mother had plenty of angina as did I.  Thom appeared to not have angina.  Angina occurs with exercise, while his "acid reflux" was not during exercise.