Justin's battle with Lemierre's Syndrome: January 2009

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

What's new with us

I am starting to gather infectious disease Dr's addresses. I found a website that lists them out by state. My plan is to send each one of them our brochure and something else to remember us by. It could be a coffee mug or some other item with our logo on it. This will take some time as there are many all across the US. If this disease has effected your family and you would like to make sure your Dr is on this list or you know of a Dr that you think could help in some way please send me their information and I will make sure they are added.
Sunflwz2@yahoo.com
Don't forget we have Long Sleeve T Shirts available. If you do not want to use pay pal to pay for them that is fine just email me and I will give you the address to send the check to.

Thank you!
Tammy

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Hidden Valley event!

The event held for us by Hidden Valley this past Sat was amazing! So many people came out and supported us!
We gave out lots of brochures and taught so many people about this disease! Thank you to Hidden Valley, S.O.K.A, Monster, US Cellular, Fox Creek Outfitters, Jennifer with her awesome scarves, All of my family!!!, Z107.7, 1057 the Point, Y98 for the interview!! Everyone that was involved THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! Amity you are amazing and I love you!
This is really a HUGE help for us! Our first major thing we are going to do as a non profit is send out literature and something catchy to all of these infectious disease Dr's. They are the ones that need to learn about this disease! And because of this fundraiser we are going to be able to do just that!!! I will keep everyone updated on what we are going to send them.
We now have a brochure that answers the different common questions that we have been asked about Lemierre's. If you are interested in receiving some brochures from us, so you can pass around to your Dr or family please email me.
Sunflwz2@yahoo.com
Many families have emailed me telling me they are spreading the word in their area and was curious on how they can help us in this fight.
This is one way that doesn't cost a penny. Email me and I can send you some brochures to pass out to at least 3 Dr's If every one did this it would surely help our fight! Talking about this disease and making our Dr's learn more about it is they way to win!!
Thank you all VERY much and check back soon!
I have added the T shirts to our paypal check out!! When you get your shirt take it and hold it up in the light! You'll get a surprise! Make sure to have a tissue nearby!!
Love,
TAMMY

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Z107.7 & 105.7 The Point

Our event is on both of their websites!!

http://www.z1077.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=120074&article=4805317

http://www.1057thepoint.com/Point-Event-Calendar/Details.aspx?ID=107120

This is going to be a great time! Come hang out and help support a good cause. Even if you do not Ski or Snowboard. It is free to come in and hang out!!! Ski and snowboard pass amounts can be found @ www.hiddenvalleyski.com
Thank you!
Tammy

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Sat Jan 10th J-Rod Jam @ Hidden Valley

I hope everyone in the St. Louis area has made plans to come out and see us at Hidden Valley this coming Sat!
I have hung flyers @ the Eureka & Fenton St. Louis Bread Co, Solid Rock Cafe in downtown Eureka, at National City Bank at the entrance to Augustine Heights, Fox Creek Outfitters and Schnucks in Eureka too. Please stop by and get one or email me and I can send you one. Pass this flyer around to everyone you know! This is a great thing Hidden Valley and all the other sponsors are doing for us! They include S.O.K.A, Fox Creek Outfitters, Monster, The Point, Z1077, US Cellular, and many more!! There will be a contest "Jib for Justin" @ 2pm and a raffle. We will have T Shirts available there as well as bracelets, decals, ribbons, scarves all sorts of stuff to help us spread awareness of this disease! If you don't Ski or Snowboard that's OK! We will be hanging out in the Lounge as well! And to do that is free!!!!! ORRRR now is the time to learn! They have lesson available!
We will have donation canisters set up and Snowflakes you can purchase and write your name on or a little note to Justin and it will be hung up in the Lodge all year long!
Amity and the staff at Hidden Valley have been absolutely amazing during this tough time so lets thank them and get as many people as possible up to Hidden Valley Sat Jan 10th from 9 am - ???? until we decide to leave! ;0)
Justin will be there in spirit so please bring us your stories if you knew him personally we love to hear them!!
Thank you!
LOVE,
Tammy

Justin's news article in the West Magazine

This was taken from http://www.westnewsmagazine.com/news02.html

Rockwood student dies rapidly from little-known disease
By Diane Plattner

In April, Eureka High School student Justin Rodgers began to complain of a severe sore throat and was dead approximately one month later from an unfamiliar disease. Now, his mother hopes to spread awareness about the deadly disease.
Justin died in the early morning hours of May 12, the day after Mother’s Day, after losing a battle with Lemierre’s Syndrome, a serious bacteria that is not well-known and even doctors are prone to misdiagnose the disease. Unfortunately, Rodgers’ doctor was among that group after initially diagnosing him with strep throat on April 11, said Sheryl Rodgers, Justin’s mother.
“Justin had said, ‘Mom, this is the worst sore throat I’ve ever had in my life,’” Rodgers said.
She said that Justin’s doctor took no throat culture and gave her son medicine for strep throat. She said her son’s condition worsened over the next few days during which he had increased high fever, chest pain and a lump in his neck. On April 14, Rodgers took her son to St. Anthony’s Hospital, which transported him overnight to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital where he underwent extensive testing, including X-rays and blood work, Rodgers said.
Rodgers said that hospital officials diagnosed him with Lemierre’s Syndrome, a bacteria that can surface after mouth trauma. Last July, Justin was in a car accident that resulted in mouth injuries that required him to get major dental work, including a recent new tooth. In addition, Justin had suffered a broken nose just before the onset of his sore throat, his mother said.
“I wonder if all this woke up the bacteria, which was already living in the body,” Rodgers said.
The last time Rodgers saw him fully awake was a few days later, when hospital officials decided to place her son on a respirator and sedate him with drugs.
“He was out of it but still with us then,” Rodgers said. “He would frown when the doctors worked on him. So he had some responses.”
However, Justin’s lungs kept collapsing, prompting hospital doctors by April 25 to place him on an ECMO machine to help rest his lungs and heart. Doctors at that point also put him into an induced coma, Rodgers said.
“At that point there was no response from Justin,” Rodgers said. “Still, I talked to him and rubbed his sore spots to let him know we were there.”
By Mother’s Day, Justin was leaking too much blood, prompting doctors to decide to remove him from the ECMO, a move they said was risky if his lungs were not healed enough.
“Once they took him off the ECMO, Justin’s face was getting gray,” Rodgers said. “He was holding his own for a few hours, but then he starting going downhill.”
Justin died early the next morning following Mother’s Day with his immediate family, including three older siblings, by his side, Rodgers said.
“He was our baby,” Rodgers said. “I think the hospital tried to keep him going so he did not die on Mother’s Day.”
The tragedy is not the first for the Rodgers family. They also lost a 4-year-old child in a horseback riding accident and had a stillborn child many years ago, Rodgers said.
“I thought God could not possibly do this to us again,” Rodgers said. “I asked why again, why us. But there is no answer. Here we are walking on egg shells again.”
Rodgers said she was at least thankful that Justin’s funeral was so big that people were standing outside, a huge tribute to his life. She also hopes to honor his life with a campaign to help spread awareness about Lemierre’s Syndrome, which she said often hits people between the ages of 14 and 25. It is not spread by kissing but instead lives in the body, she said. Her goal is to make people, including doctors, more aware of its symptoms so they are not mistaken for strep throat.
“I do not want Justin to have died in vain,” Rodgers said. “This is one bad bacteria. It is very serious. People should not treat it lightly.”
To learn more about Lemierre’s Syndrome, visit the Rodgers’ family Web site at lemierresyndromejrodgers.blogspot.com.

The meaning behind the Camouflage

We thought that the camouflage colors would fit in perfectly with helping us describe Lemierre's Syndrome. This disease hides in other illnesses and is very hard to diagnose. That is why some lose their battle b/c it just simply takes to long for Dr's or other medical personnel to diagnose patients. In Justin's case it took almost over 2 weeks from the first day he was ill to diagnose him with Lemierre's Syndrome. This illness hides in your body and disguises itself as other illnesses sometimes mono, strep throat or just your average viral infection.

Justin's Bio ~ from Tammy

Where do I start! This is Tammy Justin's oldest sister, I was 11 when Justin was born. I was so excited; any little girl that age wants to have a baby in the house to love on. & that is exactly what I did. When he was old enough to talk he called me mommy! Any time my mom would punish him he would say "I'm gonna tell my Tammy!" There was one song that my mom, my friend Sarah & I would sing to him to calm him down. Justin the Bee!Justin was always happy & always got what he wanted "because he is the baby" my mom would say. LOL As I moved out and started my own family Justin & I started growing apart. What 19 year old wants her 8 year old brother hanging around? ;0) I will never forget when I told him I was pregnant with Allen (my oldest). He looked at me & said "YES, I'm gonna be a dad!" We immediately set him straight! "No, you’re going to be an uncle." But he was more then an uncle to my little one, he was like a big brother. He loved teaching Allen new things & they use to aggravate the living daylights out of each other! I use to get so frustrated w/ Justin. "LEAVE HIM ALONE" I use to say. He would get Allen all hyped up.Justin's hobbies are wake boarding, snow boarding, hanging out with his friends & family, listening to music & anything else a normal 17 year old LOVES to do. He was always happy & out going unless my mom or dad wouldn't give him what he wanted!! ;0) He was amazing on the water w/ that wake board & watching him on that tube was so funny! He was honestly your typical teenage boy that loved to get in trouble & have FUN!