Justin's battle with Lemierre's Syndrome: 2011

Monday, November 7, 2011

Lemierre's was on HOUSE!!!!

I can not believe I missed it. Now that I have 4 VERY active kids I never get to sit and watch TV. I learned from Stephanie Dean that Lemierre's was shown on House tonight!!! I am super excited but super bummed that I missed it.
You can watch episodes that are 8 days old on their website so it looks like next Tues I will be watching House on my computer!! I remember when we emailed them asking to add Lemierre's to their story line because it is such a strange unknown about disease!
I believe it is the episode called "Confessions" I do not think he ends up having Lemierre's but atleast it is mentioned!

xoxoxox
Tammy

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Happy 21st Birthday!

Happy 21st birthday little brother!
I hope you celebrated big in Heaven today! Kristiana was blowing you kisses while we were at your grave site. Cruz said he remembers wrestling with you and I told him so do I. Except I remember getting mad at you for getting the boys all hyped up. Kristiana yells at me "MOM do not get mad at my Uncle Justin! He loves you and you should love him too an be happy, not mad at him!" ha-ahaha-aha
I told her I do love you, I love you and miss you very much, but I did get so frustrated with you when you made Allen and Cruz all hyper. ;0)
They love you and miss you as much as I do. They say they talk to you and they hope you hear them.
Antonio is my mini Justin. I hope he doesn't give me as much trouble as you did mom and dad. ;0)
Justin the Bee we love you and miss you.
I'm sure your embarrassed hearing that nick name.
Love your oldest sister,
Tammy

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Snow Camp infant lives with rare disease | snow, camp, disease - Burlington Times News

Snow Camp infant lives with rare disease snow, camp, disease - Burlington Times News

4 month old baby with Lemierre's

I received this article today via email! Crazy!!! Poor little guy! Makes me a little sad that his Dr. told his mom and dad not to look the disease up online because it would scare them. I'm so glad he is doing better. Sounds like he has a ways to go before he is 100% fully recovered. He defiantly has my prayers! Love, Tammy

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Libraries

I just created a letter to mail out to all Hospital Libraries in the US. I found a website this afternoon with every address for Hospital Libraries all over the US. I will start printing the letters and get it out to them asap. Letters that go to these Hospitals my not get into the hands of Doctors but it will help teach the Public more about this disease and it will help family and friends of those that have already been diagnosed with it and teach them what lies ahead and that there is hope.
I hope all is well with everyone! Thank you for your continued support.

Love,
Tammy

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Mystery Diagnosis Reminder

Tomorrow is the day!!! I can't wait to see Michael and his family on TV!

I am so happy they chose them to do the show about. Michael has been through so much! He is such a strong young man and I hope one day I get the opportunity to meet him and his wonderful family!

Lemierre's will be featured on Mystery Diagnosis Wed. evening 8/7c. I hope everyone gets a chance to watch!!! If not you can always visit their site

www.health.discovery.com/tv/mistery-diagnosis/

We will be having our watching party here at our house. As Justin's niece Kristiana says, "Mommy, you got my popcorns?" ;0)

I have had so many families reach out to us and tell us their story and how grateful they are to our site and all we do. THANK YOU!!! I love hearing that we are making a difference! I have started researching CME departments. They will be my next contact. From what I know they are the ones that hold educational classes and lectures and keep the Dr's up to date on all information!

So you better believe they need a letter form us!

love to all,

Tammy

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Lemierre's on Mystery Diagnosis

I just received word from Sherrill (Michael's mom)~
The taping they did on Michael and his long battle with Lemierre's will air on Mystery Diagnosis on Wed. Jan. 26th! This will be their 4th episode of the new year! Their show will be aired on "OWN" Oprah's new network!
TO see what channel it is in your area or on your TV go to www.oprah.com/own/channel_finder.html

Mystery Diagnosis
Wed 8/7c

This is very exciting! I hope everyone gets to watch it!
Love to all
Tammy Valencia

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!