Quite Disturbed .....and its not on or about dialysis

[Lillupie]

hello,
 warning, 
 Well ok, I have a fiance by the name of Thom. THom is in the US Army, and has spent a year over in Afghainstan. He has been based in Germany for a total of two years. He came back to his base from the war in mid-end of May of this year.
 There are so many soldiers on his base in his company, that Thom has a large room, big enough for a roommate, and this room is normally for NCO (non-commissioned officers, like a Sargent). Anyways, he was one of the few people who actually had a roommate that he had to share a room with.
 So his roommate, Shumaker, was on leave from June 1-27th. Thom and I got to Germany on the 17th. I was there until July 1st.
 THom's roommate was going to go to his next duty station in New York on Augest 15th. Well I guess when he got off the plane in New York was when he got all these symptoms. On this past Monday, Thom calls me and tells me that his roommate is in a medical induced coma with Rabis! Apparently according to Thom, his roommate got Rabis from a dogbite in Afghainstain. and a medic in the Army told him that his roommate was not going to make it. And so few cases of people survive Rabis.
 So I have been thinking about this all week, when this morning I read on facebook that his roommate died. So let me tell you about his roommate, his roommate, Shumaker was only 25, younger then me and THom, very big arms from lifting weights, and was very goodlooking.
 I had  no idea that he was going to die from Rabis! I mean I just never hear of someone dying of Rabis, especially someone soo young and healthy. I mean I can almost see hearing about a rabis death from a person in their 90s, or even a 3 year old child, but a 25 year old??! I mean my fiance and this guy hung out and smoked cigars together, built a computer together. And now he is dead! If Thom knew this guy before and said he got killed in the war, that would not be so bad, i mean it would be, but its not like it unexpected. But he went to war, came back in one peace, went to California for his leave, came back to Germany healthy, and I even met him. Then in a coma, and now dead!
 I mean can you imagine someone you know spends a year in a war, flies home for leave, is with you for 3 weeks and goes back and dies from something that happened in the war. THis guy wasnt just something I heard about in the news or in passing. He actually hung out and shared a room with my fiance, and I MET HIM!! and now he is dead. From a dog bit, not a gun shot or being bombed. A dog bit at 25! Not just that he was younger then me, but he died of something that i just dont hear of. Wow.
 What do youguys think?

Lisa

[jbeany]

 

I think that life is incredibly strange.

[okarol]

It was late 1960's. My friend's brother was 18 years old when he was shipped off to VietNam - was in really high risk situations - but finally finished his duty and came home to New York - his family was overjoyed as they worried every minute he was gone! Two months later he was in an auto accident in Central Park, and died. I don't know why these things happen. It's incredibly sad.

[Jean]

That is terribly sad. Unfortunately, and not to lessen it, that happens to a lot of people, that survive incredible things that could have or should have killed them and then they die, from something rare, or in this case, stupid. No explanation for it, it just happens.

[RichardMEL]

Life is not fair. This is something WE know more than most.

It does seem insane - you survive a warzone for a year to die from something as inoccious(sp?) as a dog bite. I would have thought the Army would have given the appropriate shots as standard when going to a 3rd world country like that, but that's a whole other issue.

Really though, what *I* was thinking about when reading your story, and forgive me to not seem sensitive to your bf's roomie's plight, but *I* was thinking of our Karen547 and how, barely a year after her wonderful gift, too passed away. She was what, 26? very similar.

How mamy times have we read about someone here, or someone in a unit, that just had an unexpected stroke or heart attack or some other fatal thing happen during dialysis - without warning.. just something you can't do anything about. Senseless and unfair.

I tale from all this the constant reminder that LIFE IS TOO SHORT. You never know what is next. I may never make it to the plane next week for whatever reason. You have to do the best you can and make the most of what you've got.

I don't mean at all that I sit here worrying about potentially losing my transplant, or worse... i accept that whatever life has in store for me will happen - me worrying about it will only up my BP and depress me when I have no idea what will or won't happen. So, I want to focus on what's important in life. What *I* want to do, and finding quality where I can, because there are no guarantees.

I am sorry for how you must be feeling with having that very real and personal "brush with death" - hang in there.

[Poppylicious]

I would have thought the Army would have given the appropriate shots as standard when going to a 3rd world country like that, but that's a whole other issue.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I was reading.

Lisa, I'm sorry for your loss.  It's mad how unfair life can be sometimes.  Having worked in schools I've known of students who have died in accidents and it can be soul-destroying when you try to fathom out the reasons behind why it was their time to go at such a young age, and trying to get your head round the fact that the last time you saw them they were fine and dandy.  How is your boyfriend?  It must be a real blow to him. 

[billybags]

That is so very sad. Are you saying he got bitten in Germany?  Is rabies a big problem there?  It just does not make sense. Why don't they inoculate, or why didn't he say he had been bitten. it is awful.

[Lindia]

As far as I know,  only one person has ever survived Rabies.  I also don't think there is a widely available vaccine for rabies.   My husband, was a dog catcher during college and was given an "experimental" anti-rabies vaccination.  They stopped giving those in the late 70's, due to all kinds of odd side effects.  He developed auto-immune thyroid problems -  I would be very afraid of a rabies vacciination as a preventive.

I'm sure rabies is a problem in Afganistan, as dogs are used mostly for working purposes, and are forbidden as pets by the strict Muslim sects.   It is SO sad that he wasn't given the shots you can take, AFTER you are bitten, as he would have been fine. Maybe he didn't tell his commanding officers or medic type people about the bite.    So sorry Lillupe -  this must be hard on your finance, and I'm so sorry for his family.

[Willis]

Maybe he didn't tell his commanding officers or medic type people about the bite.

Having been in the Army, that would be my guess. He probably didn't even think about rabies. He got bit and "Oww" but then the moved on with his mission. He probably had worse things happen during his tour. The possibility of rabies likely never crossed his mind until it was too late.

I mourn with you at the loss of another brave veteran.

 

[Lillupie]

That is so very sad. Are you saying he got bitten in Germany? 

No, in the war in Afghainstain.

As far as I know,  only one person has ever survived Rabies. 
 Yeah I looked it up myself and she was the only one to survive it
 Maybe he didn't tell his commanding officers or medic type people about the bite.    So sorry Lillupe -  this must be hard on your finance, and I'm so sorry for his family.

Yeah its crazy. And to think I met the guy!

[lmunchkin]

So sorry about this young man, Lisa!  It goes to show, you never know when your time is up. So sad!!!!

lmunch

P.S.  How are things going at home, Lisa?  Are they improving or just same o same o?

[Lillupie]

So sorry about this young man, Lisa!  It goes to show, you never know when your time is up. So sad!!!!

lmunch

P.S.  How are things going at home, Lisa?  Are they improving or just same o same o?

Aw that is so sweet of you to ask and remember how I was doing. Things are ok, and a little bit better. I wrote my mom and not very nice e-mail and pretty much it comes down to if i cant take her shopping when she wants to then I cant ever go out and have a social life. because if i can drive to places I want to go to then I can drive her places. Oh well. Once Im married that wont be a problem. lol