Posted on 01/29/2005 9:36:43 AM PST by MarineBrat
MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2005) -- A Marine veteran recently returned in September from a successful combat tour in Iraq only to begin a battle for his own life in the United States.
Lance Cpl. Christopher R. LeBleu, a native of Lake Charles, La., is currently in very critical condition in Loma Linda University Hospital, Calif., for an unexplained complete liver failure.
The Marine came back Sept. 9, 2004, from Iraq where he conducted support and stabilization operations as a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. The month after his return to the United States, he married his hometown sweetheart, Melany. The 22-year-old is not expected to last past than the next 48 hours. He may recover if a complete, not partial, liver donor is found. A complete liver donation has to come from a deceased donor.
A liver donor is desperately needed to save LeBleu. Julie Smith, LLUH public affairs, said that the donor must have a matching blood type. LeBleu is O –positive. If you believe you know of someone who could be a donor, we urge you to contact the transplant donor network immediately at 1-800-338-6112 or via the Web site http://www.llu.edu/llumc.
Semper Fidelis!
Prayers for this Marine!
BUMP!
Prayers for this young hero and his new bride.
Prayers for this marine.
Ladies, this is the second time this morning that one of our military needs FR prayers quickly. Would you ping your prayer lists for Lance Cpl LeBleu? I already asked for your help on the thread for Cpt. Daniel Gage.
Thanks, ladies, and I trust we're all still praying all the time for the present and future safety of our military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Prayer Ping List.
Please post your prayers to MarineBrat;
May the Lord's hand hold this Marine in his suffering and waiting. Amen.
I pray a donor is out there for him.
Prayers sent!
Many, many prayers.
That's interesting, I didn't know there was such a thing as a partial liver donation, BUT, the article states:
"He may recover if a complete, not partial, liver donor is found. A complete liver donation has to come from a deceased donor."
Marines are all close to my heart. Many prayers up!
My prayers are with this brave man, his wife, and all those who are praying for his recovery.
According to the articles on google, a complete liver is not needed AND a partial liver transplant from a LIVE donor has a higher success rate. I'm no doctor, but this info contradicts what was stated. I do so hope that his doctors are conversant w/ALL the info and procedures that enable him to survive.
Prayers on the way that he be healed quickly and completely!
Prolonged fatigue can lead to it.
The "cure" is to not move the patient, but let him move as he feels, in bed.
They should probably limit whatever their treatment is, to simple IV, and he should be given only water with peppermint stick set in it.
The liver, if it is to survive at that state, needs sugar and fluid.
I can just picture the doctors doing what doctors do in California, which is to over-kill the patient with modern medicine pills ad infinitum.
When your liver needs rest, rest it, give it a break.
The liver can heal from the smallest portion of wherever it is still kicking.
Medications are hard on the liver because the liver, trying to heal itself, is over-burdened with trying to metabolize the medications.
In his state, give him none.
He needs sleep and sugar water.
He'll probably go down to around 139 pounds, frame weight and be there for a month.
After the first 10 days, give him 1/4 of a baked potatoe, plain, and see how he reacts.
Let him nibble, when he feels like it, on potatoes --- of course, it is starch.
Give the liver what it needs. I wish the young man the best of care, and God Bless.
Prayers for this marine and his family.
One hopes the situation is not as serious as presented. 22 is frighteningly young for acute liver failure but I suppose hepatitis or excess drinking could do it.</p>
I'm not sure the point of looking for a donor if a partial is not sufficient since you have to be dead to donate a whole liver.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.