You are a real hero. Get well soon!
Let's Roll!
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GOD BLESS
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Posted on 01/30/2005 7:09:13 PM PST by doug from upland
FREEPERS -- the story of a young Marine is below. Loma Linda is a half hour away from me. Leave messages on this thread, I'll print it, and I'll deliver it to his wife at the hospital.
Marine, Iraq Veteran, Receives New Liver
Yahoo News ^ | 1/30/05 | BEN FOX, AP
Posted on 01/30/2005 6:35:36 PM PST by kattracks
LOMA LINDA, Calif. - With little time left before his organs would likely fail, a U.S. Marine received a new liver Sunday for a mysterious ailment doctors said would kill him if he didn't get a transplant. Doctors operated on Lance Cpl. Chris LeBleu, who had been in a coma and on life support, for nearly 12 hours Sunday after an unidentified donor from New Mexico was found late Saturday night.Doctors said the procedure went well, said Sgt. Jennie Haskamp, spokeswoman at Twentynine Palms, where LeBleu was stationed. He was in critical condition late Sunday.
In the hospital lobby, his 21-year-old wife, Melany, found comfort in photos of her wedding last fall, shortly after LeBleu returned from Iraq (news - web sites). Despite her fears, she has remained optimistic since her husband's illness was discovered earlier this month.
Several of LeBleu's commanding officers, fellow Marines and other family members huddled with his wife Sunday as they awaited the outcome of the operation.
Burt Parham, who is related to LeBleu by marriage, said he expected bad news when he got the call that a liver had been found.
"It was kind of a worried ring, but we were glad of the news," said Parham, who lives in the family's hometown of Lake Charles, La. "It's a shame somebody has to die. But I mean, it's God's will, I guess. We sure have been praying for Chris."
The cause of the infection is unknown. Dr. Donald Hillebrand, a liver specialist, said LeBleu most likely caught a virus or was exposed to a toxin or chemical in Iraq or after his return.
LeBleu, 22, was a rifleman in Iraq for seven months as part of a 2,200-man task force that lost 21 people and had nearly 200 wounded in action. His battalion commander, Lt. Col. Matt Lopez, said he wasn't aware of any other members of the unit with similar ailments to LeBleu.
Fellow Marines call him "Blue," and say the Marine kept a cool head as his 160-man company guarded a base near the Syrian border.
"He's a real resilient guy, the most relaxed, confident person you'll ever meet," said Lance Cpl. Rob Whittenberg, 23, of Spring Branch, Texas.
The infection developed gradually.
In mid-December, just months after he returned from Iraq, LeBleu told his new wife he felt tired, a little under the weather.
Still, he was strong enough to drive them home to Louisiana for the holidays from his Marine Base in Southern California, going for 36 hours straight. On Jan. 2, he found the strength to go wild boar hunting with relatives.
"We kept telling him to go to a doctor, but he said it was just a sinus infection," Melany LeBleu said. "Of course, we didn't think it was anything major."
Days later, he felt much worse during the drive back to the Marine base at Twentynine Palms. In Texas, LeBleu felt so nauseous he had to pull over. They made it back to their home on the base, but he didn't get better.
On Jan. 10, she took him to a base emergency room, which sent him to Loma Linda University Medical Center, about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
"He couldn't keep anything down, not even water," she said.
As recently as Thursday, he was jaundiced and swelling but could still answer questions, Hillebrand said.
Within 24 hours, however, he was no longer coherent and had to be put on life support.
Without a new liver, his other organs would have started to fail, his doctor said.
About 17,500 people are waiting for liver transplants in the United States, Hillebrand said. LeBleu's family and friends had sought a liver from someone with O-positive blood as a directed donation, outside the usual waiting process.
"It's hard to see your husband in that situation," Melany LeBleu said. "You can't even describe the feeling."
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Associated Press Writers Doug Simpson and Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans contributed to this report.
We are truly honored and grateful by the sacrifices of you and your family. You have provided the gift of freedom to my family and all other American families. Get well soon, Devil Dog, and know that we proudly display a yellow ribbon for you and your colleagues. God bless, and Semper Fi!
Eric Cooper, Springfield VA (USMC '84-'93)
Thank you, Lance Cpl.LeBleu, for your service to our country. May you have a full and speedy recovery. God Bless you and your family.
Lance Cpl. Chris LeBleu and Melany:
I belong to an internet forum whose participants are very supportive of the members of the military. When I first heard of your illness, Chris, I was very saddened. Now, hearing that you have received a new liver, I am hopeful for a quick and complete recovery.
Please realize that thousands of people on this forum have read about you and have expressed concern for you. Each of us cares about you and Melany.
Melany, you take care of Chris. We have nothing but the highest hopes for the both of you.
Ron Doughty
DoughtyOne
D1
Free Republic
God bless him .
You are a real hero. Get well soon!
Let's Roll!
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GOD BLESS
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God bless you and your brave family hang in there!
Wow. Your words were very eloquent, kind and much appreciated. We love hearing first-hand updates, because, well it's hard to rely on the media for the most part, but anyway...
Please, give Melany and Chris our love and support. FReepers are wonderful, patriotic and very supportive of our armed forces. In fact, you will find many vets here, as well as current active duty and reserve members and their dependents.
Back in 95-96, dh and I spent a year in 29 Palms. We loved everything about MCAGCC, except for the swamp coolers. I can still smell those pigeons when I close my eyes. But regarding medical everything and anything, if the Naval Hospital there couldn't take care of you, some of the best specialists and facilities are right there at Loma Linda or down the hill in Palm Desert/Palm Springs as I'm sure Melany has been experiencing. I gave birth to my firstborn at the Naval Hospital at 29. (sniffle-sniffle) Nearly 9 years later, I am still impressed with how we were treated and cared for.
God bless you and Melany, Chris and their families. Chris *will* pull through this, and in no time will scare the heck out of his wife and mother by saying he's ready to get back out in the arena with his friends. He's a Marine and they love him so!
Keep us posted, and we hope you will stick around FR when your time allows.
Lance Cpl. Chris LeBleu & Melany: God bless and keep you both and give you healing and a speedy recovery - and then a long and happy life together! Thank you both for your sacrifices for our country. I am a grateful American.
What a beautiful letter! But it started getting blurry shortly into it, and it kept getting blurrier. I tried wiping my monitor with a tissue, but it did no good. Finally I used the tissue on my eyes, and that helped some.
Get well Marine.
Live life to it's fullest, for we have Heaven's Scenes and streets to guard in the here after!
God Bless and my prayers.
Semper Fidelis
Mike
OMG!!! This is my first post!! I've been lurking for MONTHS!!!!!!!!!! and had to sign up just to add my 2cents worth for you!!!
Chris!!! Thank you. Very little else that I can say. I'm a 44 year old father of 2. My dad went through WWII and now you've gone through Iraq. Maybe the right name for it is WW4 (Cold War was three!!)
My family just went to sleep. My 16 year old daughter will have her FIRST date this coming Friday. I am confident that a bunch of Iraqis went to sleep safely just like my wife and kids just did. Thanks!!
Tell your folks that I'm gratefull that they raised such a wonderful son!!
Chuck Jackson
Waco, TX
Hi Chris. I'm praying that you will know God's comfort, peace and rapid healing. A couple favorite passages are below. Godspeed, Soldier!
Chuck, that is a great first post.
My family's hearts and prayers are with you daily and then some. I know our news media paints a picture of American's feelings towards our heroes and the heroes they are married to that is very different from what is the truth. I hope you know that too. Our love and respect for you people knows know bound.
Not a day goes by where I don't teach my children what sacrifices our service people make for this country and how deserving you all are of our respect.
Melany, I've spent enough time on bases to understand that military wives sacrifices and strength are a big part of the backbone of this great country. We ask much more from you women than we do any other group of ladies in America. You are part of our unsung heroes, quietly and nobly continuing to contribute to uphold our freedoms.
May God bless you and yours.
God bless you Chris, and your wife Melany. May his healing hand speed your recovery. Thank you for your service to your country. Thank you too Melany.
Thank you so much for the update, and glad all is going well.
My son will be returning to 29 Palms in March, Lord willing.
Chris and Melany,
Thank you so much for your sacrifice for our country. God bless each one of you!
Dennis
My 2 boy's are to young to understand what you and many other brave men and women are doing to protect them. But I pray with them for great Americans like you and your family and it makes them and I feal a little bit of connection to you. God Bless you and your family. I am praying.
Brian Ben and Zack.
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