I just got off the phone from talking to Jean, Maddy's friend
from Canada, and Sasha, Maddy's friend who is an oncologist.
Maddy has been moved from her former room to another that is
halfway between the care she was receiving and an ICU. The ratio
of nurses to patients is higher than where she was.
Maddy is septic; she has two different bacterial infections in
her system. Her temperature is around 101 F, and she is
unresponsive enough to be considered unconscious. She may or
may not be moved to the ICU.
In addition to the anti-bacterials she was on, they are now
giving her two new anti-bacterials and a new anti-fungal med.
Sasha reports that this septic condition is frequent in
leukemia patients because their white cells are so few and
for that reason and others, their immune systems are so
compromised. She has one more chemo dose, and then this round
is finished. Left to itself, a body will start to produce
its own healthy white cells a week after chemo ends, but in
Maddy's case they can and will give her growth factor to
hasten the process.
The hope is all the anti-bacterials and anti-fungal meds
will combat the infections for her, and then her own defenses
will start to come into play and finish destroying the
bacteria and fungus.
Sasha also says her blood pressure and heart rate are
well-controlled, and even with the pneumonia, she is not
as "air-hungry" today as she has been.
Jean will be in Philadelphia until Tuesday. We are going
to talk again later today (tentatively around 5 PM,
Eastern time), and I will post an update then.
Elizabeth