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."
___
Associated Press Writers Doug Simpson and Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans contributed to this report.
That Syrian story sounds quite interesting doesn't it?
You have private FReepmail.
Thanks for the link, Doug - that was an awesome commercial!
bttt because I can.
I am so out of the loop. Any update on how our boy is doing? Continued prayers for his full and complete recovery.
Any update on how our boy is doing? Continued prayers for his full and complete recovery.
No update. Come on, Cajun Mike, check in.
Semper Fi!
OK. Thanks for pinging Cajun Mike.
Mike any update on our boy?
I've checked online, current news is evading me well. I'll post if I find anything.
Special prayers today to St. Jude for this young Marine and his family. God bless them all.
I wish Cajun Mike would report in.
Hi Doug,
See #451.
Cajun Mike
Thanks. I wish it were a better report, Mike.
Saw his post #451. Praying all goes well. He's young, strong and has the stength and support of his loving family plus all their prayers and all of ours. I'm going to think positive and pray, pray, pray this young man will recover and live to a ripe old age so he can tell his children and grandchildren about his time in Iraq and his medical struggle as well. That way they can see what a strong man their daddy and grandpa was whe he was fighting for the Iraqi people and for his own life.
Mike, if you see this message today, please give me a call. This is Janet Harp, Loma Linda reporter for The Sun, I spoke with you a few weeks ago. I put a news brief in the paper today about donating, but I'd like to run a follow-up for tomorrow(Friday)...it's always nice to have a close friend or family member speaking on behalf of everyone.
Thanks,
Janet Harp
The Sun
(909)335-2540
Thanks so much for the update. I understand about your being busy and appreciate what you can do whatever and whenever it is.
Continued prayers for our boy and his family and friends and those who help in his care.
Keep us posted as you can and thanks for everything.
Hey Doug, is there anything you can do to help Janet Harp out here?
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