10/29 9 am
Not much change from yesterday around this time. Mollie's fever was up and down again all night last night, and hit 40.1 C at 6:45 this morning. I wish there was better news on that front.
Her counts are continuing slowly to rebound. WBC is 0.8 today, HgB is 9.7 and platelets are 76. The neupogen and RBC transfusion yesterday obviously helped.
No news on the ANC yet. Mollie has been doing really well with her spirometer. This instrument helps make sure she is inflating her lungs well. It's kind of like a big straw that you inhale through and she was very scared of it at first. She just had a chest X-ray and there is a "fluffy" area in her lower left lung, so they are also going to start CPT and some albuterol breathing treatments to help clear that area. She's going to hate it.
Ms. Pam came in and did some school work with her, then we played a goofy game of I Spy that got her laughing (and coughing- helping to clear those lungs), and now she's watching a movie. She just got her neupogen shot- boy did that piss her off. The way she was yelling you would never know she was sick.
At this point, we are still just treating the symptoms, trying to prevent a secondary infection, and hoping the flu will quickly run its course. It is frustrating and concerning. I wish there were signs of definite improvement.
7:45 PM We had a consult with Dr. Murray from Infectious Diseases today. He ordered a CT and nasal swab for Mollie. We don't have the results yet and probably won't until tomorrow. He also wanted to change one of Mollie's antibiotics (to minimize resistance) and start her on an antifungal. He agrees that this doesn't look like a fungal co-infection, so this is empiric treatment. Mollie endured a bunch more tests and treatments today: Chest X-ray, Chest CT, 2 (soon to be 3) breathing treatments, 2 nasal swabs, and a neupogen shot. Not to mention all the antibiotics and being on an IV continuously. Despite that, she is in good spirits right now- singing songs and drawing pictures.
Michelle- yes! she can have candy. They are doing "reverse" trick-or-treating tomorrow- all the staff will come by Mollie's room and bring the candy to her! I hope she's in the mood for it.
Give her some hugs from all of the class. We are writing her notes today. I hope they bring a smile to her face when she gets them.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Swenson
Hello Sweet Mollie,
ReplyDeleteYou are such a brave little girl!
I check your "All About Mollie" site daily to see how you are doing.I pray you contiue to improve and will be back to Stevens Creek Elementary soon.
Sending you HUGS,
"Nurse Coley"
hey there,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the continued updates. We're praying and cheering for Mollie to kick that flu asap. Justin and I watched the It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown two nights ago. We're laughing about it. Has Mollie seen it?
According to UPS, my care package arrived at your house. You'll have to tell me how the cookie card game is. It looked fun.
love,
L
Dear Mollie,
ReplyDeleteKeep inhaling that spirometer like it was the very last drop of the best strawberry milkshake you ever had!! Or think of it as getting ready to blow out a hundred candles on a birthday cake. You are so courageous, and I know you can do it--and soon you'll be able to go home with your Mom and Dad and little Lucy. I've got a package that I'm sending with some things I think you'll like (and a couple of things for Lucy, too!)
We are praying for your continued improvement.
Love,
Cousin Theresa (your Dad's second cousin) and Roy
healthy hugs mollie. you are being a trooper. scream as much as you like. in fact, make sure it is loud enough that lala can hear it from our house.
ReplyDeletehugs.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThanks for so much for the updates. Are you OK with Mollie getting Halloween candy?
Michelle
OK, great. Thanks for letting me know. I would like to stop by for a visit tomorrow. I will call first to find out if it is OK.
ReplyDeleteMichelle
10/30 8:15am
ReplyDeleteMollie did not have what I would call a restful night, but I think it was a productive one. She is getting aerosol respiratory therapy every 4 hours so was up at midnight, 4am and 8am breathing through the device (which we call the Peace Pipe, you get the idea). She is asleep now, and Dr V pointed out how deeply she is breathing, not like the short labored breathing yesterday. So this therapy, along with all the medication, seems to be helping.
As of 15 minutes ago, she did not have a fever (37.0 C = normal!), and Dr V mentioned that her ANC is around 900. Both are good news. Mollie did spike a fever around 4am of 39.2, but her temp has gone down since then.
She should have a fun day today - I just saw all of the Child Life people in costume getting ready for their various Halloween events today around the hospital. Mollie has a bat outfit that she is very excited to wear.
Love that on day 10 of being away from her home and sister and being poked and all that other un-fun stuff for a 5-year old, she's still excited to be dressing up for Halloween and has things she's happy about. Great work!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHope to see photos of Mollie in costume!
ReplyDeleteThe respiratory therapy sounds exhausting, but promising.
Praying Mollie kicks the bug and gets sprung soon!