Leave message for ill Marine -- I'll deliver thread to Loma Linda University Hospital (Update #553)

Doug from Upland ^ | 1-30-05 | dfu

[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.

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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.

[crz]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[trussell]

Prayer ping.

Please post your replies to flyer; Cajun Mike

OK Freepers, It's time for y'all to work your magic again!

Cajun Mike here, and I was asked by Chris' family today to post this update. Chris has what the doctors are calling aplastic anemia, and is definitely in need of a bone marrow transplant. Care is needed to guard against infection among other things since Chris' blood counts (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets) are low. His spirits are good (he's laughing and joking), but is constantly fatigued as a result of the anemia.

Chris has blood type O positive, and the family is making a request to the general public for consideration of someone with this blood type becoming a transplant donor. From my understanding, a blood sample is all that is required to determine whether someone is a candidate to be a donor. My wife is going to be one of the (hopefully) many volunteers willing to be typed for a possible match. I believe that there will soon be a local (southern California) press release also making this same request for possible donors.

Chris and Melany have come too far to give up hope now. Please do all that you can to get the word out for this very important request.

Sincere thanks,

Cajun Mike
 

457 posted on 02/23/2005 8:23:19 PM MST by Cajun Mike (through Him, all things are possible...)

[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 456 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

Cajun Mike, Please know that I am praying for you!

Cindy, Thank you for the ping.

Blessings,
trussell

If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.

OK Freepers, It's time for y'all to work your magic again!

Cajun Mike here, and I was asked by Chris' family today to post this update. Chris has what the doctors are calling aplastic anemia, and is definitely in need of a bone marrow transplant. Care is needed to guard against infection among other things since Chris' blood counts (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets) are low. His spirits are good (he's laughing and joking), but is constantly fatigued as a result of the anemia.

Chris has blood type O positive, and the family is making a request to the general public for consideration of someone with this blood type becoming a transplant donor. From my understanding, a blood sample is all that is required to determine whether someone is a candidate to be a donor. My wife is going to be one of the (hopefully) many volunteers willing to be typed for a possible match. I believe that there will soon be a local (southern California) press release also making this same request for possible donors.

Chris and Melany have come too far to give up hope now. Please do all that you can to get the word out for this very important request.

Sincere thanks,

Cajun Mike
 

[WV Mountain Mama]

Prayers for a match.

[mad_as_he$$]

Hi:

Could you please put in your story the particulars of how someone could be tested for being a donor?

Thank you for the coverage!

Mad

[Bahbah]

Prayers to our Father in Heaven that this brave Marine and his equally brave wife, Melany, will win this fight. God bless you both. So many are pulling for you.

[investigateworld]

Prayers up.

[StarCMC]

Anyone who can, please, please, please go to a Bone Marrow Drive and get registered on the donor list. It is SO easy to do. And you may have the opportunity to save someone's life. Don't put it off!!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Hows does someone find out if they are a match?

[Sea2ShiningSea]

Prayers for a speedy recovery.

[GoldwaterChick]

Update on Loma Linda marine

[international american]

Praying for a complete recovery for you, Chris.

[isaiah55version11_0]

God bless you and the great service you have done for our nation. I pray for a strong recovery for you, and continued strength in faith for your family.

Ephesians 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.

(CCEL > Bibles and Commentaries)

[Texas Deb]

Prayers going up for this young Marine and his family.

[Ros42]

Oh how I wish I had type O positive blood...I'd be there in a heartbeat! My prayers continue for Chris and his family. God Bless them.

[Ros42]

ping...Do you have this blood type?

[Miss Behave]

Thank you Cajun Mike, for the update on Blue. I continue to pray for this great man and his loving wife. We is really being taken through the ringer. He will pull through this. I will pray as hard as I possibly can. Loving God have mercy on Blue.

[Miss Behave]

Bumping for all FReeper prayers possible.

[Miss Behave]

Bumping again. Prayers needed, fellow FReepers.

[Miss Behave]

Mike's update at post #451.

Prayers needed for Blue.

Bump.

[KiloLima]

It's silly that I don't know offhand, but I believe I do. Will find out.