Retired UFC veteran Ben Askren stays hospitalized with extreme pneumonia and now he’s awaiting a lung transplant as his subsequent course of therapy.
The most recent replace comes from Askren’s spouse Amy, who revealed that he’s on the transplant record awaiting a doable donor. She added that Askren has been awake at instances, and he has tried to speak whereas he continues to obtain assist along with his respiratory.
“As of late final night time, Ben is formally on the transplant record,” Amy Askren wrote on Fb. “Please pray he can get stronger and keep secure with out problems whereas he waits, and that they discover an incredible match for him and he accepts it easily. Additionally please pray for whoever that donor could also be, and his household. It’s going to be an enormous adjustment for Ben, however our household is so grateful that his different organs are okay and that there’s a path ahead.
“Whereas he’s having extra intervals of consciousness, he’s not ready to take a look at his telephone but and reply to messages. I hope he can get there within the subsequent week or two! Additionally hoping we are going to get to a spot quickly the place he can discuss whereas on a trach. Yesterday he saved mouthing one thing for some time and we lastly found out he was saying espresso! (He can’t have it but lol) What an enormous aid to see him asking for one thing so regular. I’m so grateful his thoughts is wholesome and I can’t wait to have him again. We’re additionally so grateful for the superb group we have-from shut buddies, buddies we haven’t talked to in 20 plus years, to strangers who’ve reached out to share their comparable tales or pray. Thanks.”
Askren was hospitalized several weeks ago after he was recognized with a extreme case of pneumonia that required him to be positioned on a ventilator in addition to an ECMO machine — Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation — which is a life assist device utilized by medical doctors when a affected person’s coronary heart or lungs is unable to function adequately.
Askren’s spouse has continued to offer updates whereas he stays hospitalized and unable to talk. She previously revealed that it was possible he could need a lung transplant for his greatest probability at restoration.
The 40-year-old veteran has obtained an outpouring of assist from the MMA and wrestling group after he was a stalwart in each sports activities for a few years. He retired from the UFC in 2019 and finally returned for a boxing match towards Jake Paul.
Currently, Askren’s fundamental occupation has been teaching wrestling at his academies in Wisconsin after he represented the USA within the 2008 Olympics after he was a two-time nationwide champion for the College of Missouri.