Tim just went in for Surgery & A Few Lost Posts!!

I just got a call that Timmy just went into surgery!!  It will take anywhere from 3-6 hours. Vicki said he is having a better day then yesterday. See all your hard work praying is paying off great job everyone. 

Prayer request!!  That the surgery goes well actually great!!  That he keeps having good days and that they become even better days!! That he recovers soon and fast!!

I received a few posts last night and this morning, I  wanted to get them posted so I will attach them to this post!!  You all are awesome for giving him so much support!!  He may not be able to pick up this book when we are done with it!!

Update From Vicki

Well we are here at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda MD.  What a facility, it is very nice and the staff is even better.  We could not want for anything.  The Marine Corp is helping keep all of us very happy.  Tim is doing better, he still has a very long road ahead.  He is scheduled for surgery today to repair his jaw which has a few broken bone fragments they told us they will try to put it all back together and place a plate in to secure.  He also has some broken teeth they are not sure if they will fix the same time or at a later date.  This surgery should take about 3-6 hours it just depends.  The talk is they may do it later tonight or even in the morning they had to take another pt and his injuries are worse.  So we will just see what happens.  He has numerous lacerations as we said before, but he is here with us and safe and I am not going to let him out of my site for quite awhile.

 

Also, a update about the other men involved.  The other 3 were sent back to there units and doing great small injuries have not received to much info on any of them.  But the two men listed on Tim's blog and in the emails past, one was a medic and the other a driver on the way to get Tim and had a terrible accident, they flipped their vehicle.  So this is were Chief Bennett and Sgt Peters come in to this horrifying incident.

 

This is truly something I would never want for any parent.  I have been very strong just when I start to lose it Kate or Rick start so as a mother I suck it up and keep them on the positive side and hide the rest.  I don't know what I am going to do when they both leave.  Rick's mom said she would come and help me.  Being on the crutches are a little difficult but I doing great.  I have my son close by.

 

Thanks for all your prayers and also for adding comments on Tim's blog.  We have told him about it and he is looking forward to reading them.  If you have a problem posting there is a e-mail you can send to and Debbie will add it for you.

 

Again Thank you

 

A VERY PROUD MARINE MOM

 

They Have Landed and Kissed Him!!

The family is now with Tim.  They were able to talk with him a little and are able to visit him as often as they want, even sleep in his room.  Vicki said it was hard and not easy to see him he is in pretty bad shape but is going to make a full recovery.  He talks a little but because of the medication he goes in and out.  He has a lot of staples in several different places she said to many to count.  They are looking at being there for a few weeks to a couple of months that is just up in the air right now.  Some good news!!  He is now out of the ICU and is in his own room.  The hospital is absolutely awesome and vicki said he couldn't  be in better care.  The family is being taken care of very good which makes a bad situation a little better.  

On Sunday he will be having another surgery to wire shut his jaw ( I hope I am saying all of this right) But this should be his last surgery.  She will keep us posted specially after it is completed. 

 

So prayers for today!!!  That the surgery goes well!!  That he feels little pain!! For some of the swelling to go down.  That the family will finally be able to get a little sleep ( 10 hours in a week is just not enough).  Prayers that have been answered!!!  The lungs look really good, his heart is doing great!! His face is just as handsome as before the accident!!  ( You all know I love his smile) That he was moved out of intensive care and is now in his own room.  

So keep the prayers coming you all are making a huge difference. I have heard that a few people were having a hard time posting if you are having a problem please e-mail me the post and I will make sure it gets on there.  Zacktobe5@verizon.net

Vicki also wanted me to leave her e-mail address for everyone marinemamatoo@yahoo.com.  

Thanks again for the support

Debbie

Family Travel Update!!

The Waldron's and Kate are traveling to D.C I think it is.  I know they changed the Hospital that they were going to send him to because it specialized in his needs more.  They left this morning about 3:30 and had a layover in Chicago.  She didn't give me a time of arrival, but said she will call me to give me information to pass on to everyone!!

Debbie

Lets Make HIm Laugh

Ok I know we have all had a trying week, as to be expected.  But it is time to make the Waldrons Laugh!!  Timmy this is for you!!  What is your funnest memory of Timmy!!  Think about it, it has to be good!! Come back to the post tomarrow if you have too!!!  He should have landed in the States about 8 minutes ago!!  He is back home in the USA with all of us!! The family will be joining him soon (not sure yet exactly when)  So lets give Vicki, Rick, RJ, and Kate something to read to him!! Whats your funny story??

Vicki's Letter

Thank you for all your prayers they have helped.  Tim has been flown to Bethesda MD National Naval Medical Center where he will recieve the rest of his care and treatment.  We are all being taken very good care by the USMC all travel arrangements have been taken care of and the FRO has taken care of the flight for Kate(Tims girlfriend) we wil be met by 2 Marines at the airport and they will become or best friends. Housing has been taken care of and all our food. We are so excited to see him for the first time.  I will let you all know more as soon as we find out how he is doing.  So many things have been going on the last two days sorry for not keeping up.  The phone the emails has just been so much to deal with.  God bless to all

Have you all seen Tims blog,  timwaldron.blogspot.com

Thank again

 

One Proud Marine Mom

Letters and Comments

We have posted a couple of letters that were sent to Tim's family on how he is doing and the others involved in this accident, from the Marines.  I also wanted to encourage all of you to please leave your feeling and thoughts through any post comments.  I think Tim will appreciate reading these while he is getting better, I am also working on making him a book ( which will be completed after he recovers) It will include all the comments, memories, and posts on the blog.  So please feel free to post your thoughts whether they are funny, meaningful, memorable, about old times, new times, or anything that comes to mind!!  I know he will appreciate reading them in his recovery. 

Letter From the Marines

 

Okay first of all, this is the info I just got passed on:
Chief Bennett, LCpl Waldron, and Sgt Peters were all MEDEVACed from Djibouti to Landstuhl Germany on 26 May. They took the eight hour flight well, riding in style in the Air Force's fabulous specially equipped MEDEVAC aircraft with intensive care capability aboard. As per 13th MEU policy, they were escorted by an able-bodied fellow 13th MEU Marine (Cpl Beliveau from CLB-13) and arrived safely in Germany late Tuesday night.

Landstuhl is the standard stop for all casualties coming out of the Middle East and Africa. It is a full-service U.S. military hospital, with every kind of specialist necessary to treat our injured servicemen. Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan know that if they are injured but make it to Landstuhl, they have a 99% or better chance of survival.

Chief Bennett is checked in as a "regular" patient at Landstuhl and doing fine. He will soon be moved on back to San Diego to complete his recovery. He is fully alert and in contact with his command and his loved ones.

LCpl Waldron is in the Intensive Care Unit at Landstuhl and doing well. He will most likely be sent on to the United States within the next few days where he will get the additional reconstructive surgery and other treatment he needs. The medical team will work with his family to determine whether his follow-on work will be done at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda Maryland or out at the Naval Hospital in San Diego. Having had similar jaw reconstruction surgery at BOTH places, I can tell you he will get excellent care from the oral surgeons, but will NOT enjoy eating through a straw! Coordination is ongoing to get LCpl Waldron's family to him, most likely back in the United States.

Sgt Peters condition remains very serious. The good news is his CAT scan remained the same over the course of the first 24 hours and his safe movement to Landstuhl. He also continues to show movement in his limbs when he is periodically resuscitated from the induced coma. But he still has blood into his brain which does not bode well for long-term success. He is under constant watch with the finest of neurosurgeons and other specialists tending him and working through this difficult injury. He will most likely be moved on to the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda Maryland within the next few days and be joined there by his wife (who is a Marine Lieutenant) and other family members.


LtCol Tye R. Wallace

Another update Letter:

Families and Friends,

Another update from the MEU Commander on our injured Marines. Our prayers and wishes for a quick recovery are with them.





Chief Bennett still at Landstuhl (LRMC). Had surgical repair of his
fracture today. In contact with his wife and other family and friends.
Expect to medevac to Bethesda NNMC afternoon of 29 May.
        LCpl Waldron still doing very well at Landstuhl. Some additional
shrapnel found and removed in surgery today. Extubated (out of induced coma
and breathing on own). Was able to talk to his mom today by phone-important
milestone! Expect to medevac to Bethesda NNMC afternoon of 29 May for
further treatment. His family will join him at Bethesda.
        Sgt Peters condition remains very serious. Still in ICU at
Landstuhl. Tentative to medevac to Bethesda NNMC afternoon of 29 May. Family
in contact with care team at Landstuhl and will join him on arrival at
Bethesda.
        I don't remember ANYTHING of my own Landstuhl experience from summer
2004, but I am very familiar with our procedures at Bethesda, and I can tell
you that the welcome and care and treatment that these injured warriors and
their families will receive from the staff there and especially from our
Marine Liaison office will make them proud to be Americans. The families
will travel on military funded orders and will be met and cared for by our
team and prepared for the difficult step of seeing their injured loved ones
for the first time. The injured will be met by Marines who will NEVER leave
them their entire time at Bethesda, but remain available 24/7 to support the
Marine and his family. The family and community networks of 13th MEU, BLT
1/1, and CLB-13 will add their own support.  This difficult period working
through treatment at Bethesda is a great time to send your support to our
critically injured Marines and their families. Our FROs will provide the
info on how you can help.

D. W. Coffman

My Brave Marine

Well here we are sitting here just thanking GOD that he answered our prayers.  We were noified this morning that Tim is in Germany and doing well.  Still in ICU in critical condition. The second surgery went well and they were able to remove all the shapnell to his body.  His bile has been fixed and they have a tube inserted for drainage.  The jaw will not be operated on until he gets back to the states due to the extensive swelling in his neck and throat.  The muscle surrounding his heart was bruised but the Doctor said it looks good.  He is still on a ventilater and will be until they send him home.  And we are hoping that will be Friday or Saturday somewhere stateside.  The Doctor also stated the recovery time will be somewhere around 2 months.  Thank you all for your thought and prayers they were very much needed and appreciated and will not go unforgotten.

 

Thank you all again.

 

From ONE VERY PROUD MARINE MOM

Vicki

Marines Hurt In Action

For all of you who have children you know the worst news is being told something is wrong.  The phone call came in about 3:30 on Monday afternoon, and since then my life has been turned upside down.    Tim was injured in a live round exercise in Africa,  him and three others.  They loaded the mortar and it did not fire, instead it blew up on them.  Tim took shapnell to the throat, chest and the stomach.  The one in the stomach tore the bile and we think it has been repaired.  The one to the throat missed the artery and we were told for that we are very lucky.  The one in the chest they said tore the Pectoral Muscle and went into the tissue.  The in pact was so strong the it also fractured his jaw.  They are going to have to wire it shut for 4 to 6 weeks. We only know that one of the other boys injured was sent back to his unit with mild wounds. We were told Tim received the worst of the blast.    They medivaced him out of the site to an African Hospital and did the first surgery.  When he was taken off the critical list and stable they prepared him for the flight to Germany.  He is now listed in serious condition.  They sent with him a Doctor, nurse, and resp therapist. and a sgt from his unit.  He is on his way Lungstuhl Regional Medical Center, where they will perform another surgery.  Tim has a breathing tube and chest tube and I am sure in my heart those are just for the comfort and stability of flight.    The worst part of all of this is this is all we KNOW.  Nothing new and I am very frustrated, tired, confused.    Please pray for Tim, this is a parents worst nightmare and I say parents because Rick is having such a hard time.  GOD Bless to all who read this and keep him in your prayers.  He is such a strong young man but he is still my little boy.   Thank you Vicki Waldron PROUD MOM OF A UNITED STATES MARINE