pseudo code
#!/usr/local/bin/perl

@args = ("ssh", "unaccesible_client", "&"); #bring process in background as we want to continue...

#do some stuff
$time=start_time();
#after some time get status
while ($time > 1000us) {
  $status=get_status();
  if ($status!=running) {
    $time=1000;
  }
}
...
...