What????? No way!

Pullmanary embolism (sp) was the initial word. NOT combat death. Watching Today Show for ore info.

Here is the link...

http://www.msnbc.com/news/896267.asp?0cv=CB21&cp1=1

Yeah, I just got that from TV, too.

What a tragedy. He was very young.

It's an all too common condition, often undiagnosed, that affects many age groups. It was undoubtedly aggravated by stress and environmental conditions. Very unfortunate; I always liked him on Saturday Today and thought his reporting during the war was exemplary.

If the reports are true this is a blood clot that forms in the legs and breaks loose, gets pumped through the heart and then clogs blood flow to lungs. Question is was the clot from hours of cramped positioning without moving his legs? This is the fear of cramped airplane symptom.

Gulf War had the Scud Stud and David Bloom was by far the Desert Darling of Iraqi Freedom. I will miss him. My prayers to his family.

I'm so bummed out. As "shallow" as it might sound to some, this has brought the war home to me in a very real way, whether or not it was a combat related death. He was a fantastic journalist and did a wonderful job on the bloom-mobile. R.I.P.

Pulmonary embolism is usually the result of a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) forming in the pelvis or the legs. Portions of the DVT break off and embolize to the lungs, where they lodge in the blood vessels of the lung preventing the oxygenation of the blood.

However, there is ALWAYS something that causes the blood to clot in the first place. Blood doesn't just clot spontaneously as it is flowing in your veins. So that is the real question, why did he form the DVT?

Typical conditions that can lead to formation of a DVT are pregnancy, trauma, infection, venous statis (for instance when you sit for a long time on a plane) or genetic conditions that predispose to hypercoagulation of the blood.

I wonder what precipitated the DVT?

Dammit. I loved his work. Loved it.

That man rode hard the last couple of weeks. Another grieving family.

Just when I thought I have been totaly desensitized by the 24 hour a day coverage, this hit me very hard.
I was not previously familiar with Bloom's work, but after channel surfing on day 1 and seeing an early report, I found myself every day waiting for his reports.
He had an uncany ability to address the questions that I would have asked.
His reporting style made me feel that I was there with him.In a very short time he made me feel he was a friend. I will miss him.

Sad....very, very sad.

RIP

I am shocked. Bloom's reports were amazing. What of his wife? G-d bless them in this time of sorrow and grief.

RIP David Bloom

I posted this on my blog on 4/2:

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Well, I've gotta give it to MSNBC. They just had a tank driver near David Bloom's vehicle find out his wife had given birth, and MSNBC set up a satphone connection for him to talk to his wife, live. They eventually even cut away from the live shot so that he could have a private conversation with her, out of courtesy. Kudos to MSNBC and David Bloom.

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I remember being so amazed that Bloom had set that up for the man. And then for him to be felled by an embolism, amidst the bullets and bombs. I weep.

R I P David Bloom. You were a point of light in journalism. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.

Damn. Damn. Damn. This is terrible news.

What else can I say that hasn't already been said here? My heart goes out to his family.

I too am very saddened to hear of David Bloom's loss. He was my favorite embed in Iraq. He brought everything to life with his candidness and great reporting. I was always fixed to the TV when he was reporting. I feel as if I developed a personal relationship with him. I'm going to need a few days to digest his loss. This is a hard one. SO young, full of life and three little daughters. I can't believe this was his time. I mourn for his family.

It is very sad, and about the only consolation is that it could have happened anywhere, any time. DVT is caused often by sitting for long periods in cramped conditions, obviously a hazard for the embeds who are often jammmed up in armoured vehicles. It is called "economy class syndrome" because it has been clearly linked to such conditions in airline seats. The only way to avoid it or minimise the risk is to get up and stretch your legs at regular intervals. Difficult when you are charging around under fire or crossing hostile terrain.

ironically, Walter Rodgers of CNN, who must be pushing 60 at least, has been through some hairy times with the 7th Cav and seems to be thriving on it.

I've heard this is very common among warbloggers spending hours seated motionless at their computers.

So very, very sad. What a waste of a young, talented life. I have enjoyed David Bloom on the week-end Today show for ages and every day throughout his embed in Iraq. He always felt like a younger brother in whom you placed all your trust and affection. My prays and heartfelt expression of sorrow to his wife, his girls, and his colleagues.

I started the days reports on the war by watching David Bloom's report and ended the day the same way. He made the war so much more personel and vivid. It is still hard to believe that he is not going to come on the screen to anchor the weekend Today show or with updates on the war. He came across as genuine and caring and of course professional. My thoughts and prayers to his wife and daughters and his NBC family.

He is missed.

Pat Sullivan
Columbia, Md.