News Ben Askren in critical condition

Any updates? It's been a week since the last reply on here. Hoping someone can give us good news on his condition.
Can't find anything, which is pretty sad, means he's probably not improving at all. This is crazy and fucked up.
 
On Tuesday, Askren's wife Amy posted to Facebook, saying that he is on the transplant list to try to find new lungs.

'As of late last night, Ben is officially on the transplant list,' Amy's update read. 'Please pray he can get stronger and stay stable without complications while he waits, and that they find an amazing match for him and he accepts it smoothly.'

Amy added, 'It's going to be a huge adjustment for Ben, but our family is so thankful that his other organs are ok and that there is a path forward.

'While he is having more periods of awareness, he's not able to look at his phone yet and respond to messages. I am hoping he can get there in the next week or two!'
 
that sounds really serious. infections are no joke.
a guy like askren potentially needing a lung transplant too is insane. he probably had strong lungs to start that off.


if thats staph related too thats crazy. i hope he makes a strong recovery. these sort of things are no joke. You can live your whole life making good choices, eating right, working out, building your immune system, practice perfect hygiene and bam shit like this can just hit you and leave you a shell of your self if you make it out.
 
I'm confused by the interchanging of "lung" and "lungs".

Hopefully he only needs one replaced and the other is healthy, I'm assuming that would improve the long term survivability a ton. If it's both that are affected that's sad to hear, prayers for sure.
 
I'm confused by the interchanging of "lung" and "lungs".

Hopefully he only needs one replaced and the other is healthy, I'm assuming that would improve the long term survivability a ton. If it's both that are affected that's sad to hear, prayers for sure.

His wife and others have specified he needs a double lung transplant is currently on the list.

I also read unverified information (on Reddit, from sources who have appeared to be informed) that his insurance has declined to cover it. Also stated they passed on a single lung that was available, hoping to get a healthier donor.
 
His wife and others have specified he needs a double lung transplant is currently on the list.

I also read unverified information (on Reddit, from sources who have appeared to be informed) that his insurance has declined to cover it. Also stated they passed on a single lung that was available, hoping to get a healthier donor.

This is interesting, if correct. I'm assuming they filed a claim and it was then denied; however, contrary to popular belief, insurance claims aren't generally denied for absolutely no reason at all. It's possible there was an exclusion to coverage that was triggered based on how he got sick?
 
His wife and others have specified he needs a double lung transplant is currently on the list.

I also read unverified information (on Reddit, from sources who have appeared to be informed) that his insurance has declined to cover it. Also stated they passed on a single lung that was available, hoping to get a healthier donor.
Ok thanks for clarifying. That's some really impressively bad air he was breathing to get this infection in both sides and sad to hear.
This is interesting, if correct. I'm assuming they filed a claim and it was then denied; however, contrary to popular belief, insurance claims aren't generally denied for absolutely no reason at all. It's possible there was an exclusion to coverage that was triggered based on how he got sick?
Yes, it could be that his training/coaching so much was seen as a high-risk behaviour? Also very sad to hear.
 
A guy like Askren needing a lung transplant is all kinds of fucked up
 
His wife and others have specified he needs a double lung transplant is currently on the list.

I also read unverified information (on Reddit, from sources who have appeared to be informed) that his insurance has declined to cover it. Also stated they passed on a single lung that was available, hoping to get a healthier donor.

Dana can get a lot of respect from a lot of people by paying for it.
 
This illness was a shock too many. Ben is a good guy and we hope for his recover. Don't take anything for granted.
 
10+ years expectancy after a lung transplant.

Ben won't live an old man
 
10+ years expectancy after a lung transplant.

Ben won't live an old man

The whole lung transplant thing is insane … this was a healthy man with elite cardiorespiratory fitness (lifelong pro athlete) who two weeks before falling ill was posting training photos, so clearly was well enough to be on the mats not on the couch … and a month later needs a massive medical intervention which at best will result in dramatically reduced life quality and life span.

I have reasonable medical understanding but I don’t get how staph would get in his lungs nor how it would progress so quickly, unless perhaps he had been battling some infections for a while and neglected them, or he got some kind of perfect storm like staph plus covid plus pneumonia?

Just scary and absolutely terrible. I hope his usual upbeat and “funky” attitude will somehow allow him to embrace the next phase of his life in as positive way as possible within the awful cards he has been dealt.
 
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