Here is a picture of Chris and Mel at the awards ceremony receiving the blueprints for the new home.
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.
Here is a picture of Chris and Mel at the awards ceremony receiving the blueprints for the new home.
That's just wonderful, Susan! Thanks for sharing the great photo. Semper Fi, Chris.
Ping.
Ping
PIC Here
We are all praying for your health and healing. We are grateful to you!!
Please know how proud of you we all are.
God Bless you, Chris!!!
Jackv
God bless you, Chris. Prayers for you and your family.
geez, that's great news -
happy house warming!
Prayers for you both, Chris and Melany. Thank you so much for your service to our country.
May God continue to surround you in His providential care, and bless you with many healthy, happy years together in which to serve Him.
God bless.
WooHoo! That is fantastic news. Thanks for the ping.
Thank you Marine. We support our troops and the war they are fighting.
Chris,
God Bless you and your family.
Thank You for your service to our country. You are a true Hero and Patriot!
Hope you live a wonderful life!
BTTT
Oh my -- that's AWESOME!!
Bump and ping -- I am somewhat hindered by a slow connection today. Thanks for the pings!!
Thank you for sharing this good news!
It's wonderful to hear that Chris is doing better, and that Chris & Mel will have a wonderful new home!
Prayers for Chris LeBleu's full recovery.
I've been wondering how everything has turned out, and now I know. This is such an unbelievable thing that took hold of your son, but he is a testament to God's mercy and his love. Praying together is what our Lord calls us to do. I hope that Chris and Mel will forever share their triumphant story with others!
Do the physicians know for certain what triggered this to begin with?
Much love and success from our Marine family to yours :)
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