Mary Scovell

This morning, Monday 27 October, Mary experienced seizures. Because of the seizures the doctors moved her back to the ICU where she can be monitored 24 hours a day. There is a nurse always assigned to watch Mary on a video screen. She has been treated with ativan and cappra. The seizures have now stopped and Mary is sleeping very comfortably and in no apparent pain. She breathes very easily and is receives a very low amount of Oxygen to aid her breathing. Mary is being cared for by a very large and concerned number of doctors, nurses, and other staff. The neurologists will make a plan for this week and they are talking about another MRI & Cat scan to help them come up with a diagnosis in what has become a very unusual case. They are hoping for a prognosis by the end of the week. Meanwhile your help and concern for Mary is helping us get through these very trying times.

Thanks to all of you for all your thoughtfulness.

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

Tah Dah, Tah Dah, GREAT NEWS!

The results of Mary's Lumbar puncture have returned and there are no Leukemia cells in her brain!! The staff is beginning to work more along the lines of rehabilitation rather than spending all their time battling the Leukemia. She has a neurology team, a palliative team, a physical therapy team as well as the normal staff working on her behalf. She is still running a slight fever but her doctors consider it beneficial in killing any slight infections or other problems so they are not trying the control the fever at this point. There are other tests that are being planned just to stay on top of all possibilities.

Keep up with all the beautiful cards, thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement. You're a great audience.

Jack & Sue Watson

Many thanks to Stephanie (Haase) Kuenzli's beautiful voice for "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Many a New Day". What a way to spruce up the ICU ward in a hospital. In response Mary opened her eyes, smiled, and raised her arm with a "thumbs up". Progress is our most important product.

Tomorrow Mary leaves the Intensive Care Unit for her own room on the 4th floor of the North Tower.

Hip, hip.........

Better days are coming.

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

Mary has been more alert today. All her vital signs are good. She has been placed on blood pressure medication which is usual for her but this has been the first time the doctors have felt the need to help her lower her blood pressure. The only other medication today was calcium. Mary's heart rate is down, her fever is normal, and she is more communicative although she is still too weak to talk or to move on her own. Things are better than the past week but there is still a long way to go. She needs all the help she can get. We are confident that Mary will get out of the ICU soon and start the long road back to good health. Keep up the good work with the cards, letters, prayers, and positive thoughts.

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

Mary was sleeping when we visited today and we couldn’t wake her but Sue read her the latest cards that had arrived. There were 11 cards over the past two days and we cannot thank you enough for all the encouragement that this has brought to us and will soon bring to Mary. Sue is making a scrapbook with all the cards that have been sent to Mary. It is a joy producer.

Mary’s alertness comes and goes and the doctors have been trying to find the causes. Her temperature is 99 but had been 102 before a dose of tylenol. They have performed many tests that have come back negative. This morning they performed a lumbar puncture which will be analyzed at various labs over the next few days. This period of time is a wait and see time which is difficult for Mary and difficult for family and friends. She is getting lots of valuable attention and is never away from watchful eyes of staff and doctors.

Thanks to everyone,

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

Mary has had a few rough days and is still in the ICU. The entire staff of several different kinds of doctors are baffled and have been running various new tests. The reports from tests yesterday are: MRI, MRA, and an EEG are all negative. The doctors are going to run a few more blood tests and another lumbar puncture to see if there are any other infections or if the cancer has spread to the brain. Her sodium count has come down a bit and they thought that that may be the cause of her lethargy. The neurologist used the term, multifactorial, meaning that the lethargy must be coming from many different sources. Mary's right eye was in a fixed position yesterday but is responding to light today and is no longer fixed. The doctors decided that some medicine that they were using got into the eye by mistake because of the breathing mask that Mary was wearing. She is no longer using the mask. Diarrhea has lessened and fevers are low without using any medication for the fever. Keep the good thoughts and prayers coming.

I have had a few people who told me they were having trouble leaving comments on the blog. If that is the case try this:

Instead of commenting right away, you sign up for a user name and password at the bottom. Then, once that goes through, you are sent back to the comment form. Then, you type your message, enter your user name and password, and voila!

If it doesn't work we will simply go back to the drawing board. If the drawing board doesn't work we will hand deliver any verbal, card, letter, or email message you would like to send. Thank you for all your concern and effort.

Jack & Susan

Mary Scovell

The biopsy planned for today was cancelled! The doctors seem to think that the problem with Mary's lungs has diminished. Mary's vital signs seem to be coming under control. The persistent pest of a temperature is generally below 100 and has not been medicated in any way since 6:00 AM. There was some concern regarding her kidneys and so steps were taken to keep the kidneys from having to work as hard as they have been. Mary spent most of the day today sleeping and most of the time it appeared to be a very deep sleep complete with snores attributed to a much more relaxed and easier breathing. All these signs point hopefully toward a complete recovery. Fr. Jim from St. Joe's came to see Mary today and Sue made the rounds of the hospital seeking out all the Chaplains assigned to Froedtert Hospital encouraging them to stop in and in turn encourage Mary. She is still in the ICU and is still very seriously ill. She cannot speak and is extremely weak. She still needs your concern, support, prayers, thoughts, and communications. She loves hearing from you even if sometimes it has to come through Sue. We're hoping that the few good signs are a signal of better things to come.

Thanks for everything,

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

As of today, Monday, Mary is still in the ICU and the nurse said that she was stable. Her breathing seems to be a little better, her blood pressure normal, but the fevers persist. Her temperature ranges from about 99.8 to 102. They are trying to control it with natural means such as cooling packs rather than drugs. In the interests of finding out what causes the fever the doctors are planning to biopsy her lungs tomorrow. They will be checking for everything that they can possibly think of. As soon as the results are in I will post it on this blog. I would expect that results would not be available until Wednesday or Thursday. Mary did spend the afternoon yesterday watching football. With a loss by Chicago and a win by the Packers stress relief will probably improve her condition by 30 t 40 %. Keep in mind that the very best therapy are your well wishes, cards, prayers, and thoughts. We thank everyone for all that you have done thus far. Hopefully communication will be better soon.

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

Dear Friends & Family,

Doctors have discovered that Mary has developed pulmonary edema which is an abnormal amount of fluid in the lungs and body. As a result she is having difficulty breathing. They put her back in the ICU to keep a closer eye on her. They are giving her diuretics to treat the condition and rid her body of the excess fluids. Mary's a tough lady and thanks to the love, prayers, and good thoughts that all of you have sent her way, she feels well armed for this bit of a set back. So keep 'em coming!

Nurses say that she needs all the rest she can get so we are asking you to hold your visits and calls to Froedtert until she's feeling better. Besides if you call the number that I gave you yesterday you'll probably have to introduce yourself to whoever is now occupying yesterday's room and explain that you are not trying to sell something or run for office.

We'll keep you posted on this blog or please call us at 262-781-2075 if you need to.

Jack & Sue Watson

A quick update for Mary Scovell. Mary's white blood cell count has now reached the normal range which is great news. There are recurring fevers that are bothersome but the doctors are working very hard to determine exactly why this is happening but overall she seems to be getting better daily. However, she is still very weak physically but her spirit and good humor is working very well. She can raise her arms and give a thumbs up sign. Talking is still very difficult and tires her. So we are asking that for a few more days that you not make phone calls or visits. We would appreciate it because talking really depletes all her energy that she needs for healing. She is absolutely overwhelmed by the affection, love, prayers, thoughts, and cards etc. that have been sent her way. One of her favorite words lately is "wonderful" even though it's a three syllable word and sometimes difficult to get out. But with so much practice it's not only coming out but it is achieving good phrasing and articulation. Those years as a voice teacher are paying off.

You have truly touched all our hearts but most of all Mary Scovell's heart.

Thank you,

Jack & Sue Watson

Mary Scovell

Today was the day. Sue and I went to Froedtert Hospital and checked in at the desk to see if we could get into the ICU to see Mary or if there were restrictions because of tests etc. HOWEVER, we were told that we could not see at present because she was being moved and is returning to a new room in the Leukemia ward. We went up to the 4th floor lounge and waited a few minutes and low and behold the parade came down the hall as they rolled Mary into her new home away from home.

She is very weak, often too weak to raise her arms. She has a good grip and can move her feet a little. While in ICU she was set up with an assortment of tubes to supply food and oxygen etc. and she could not drink water for the fear of choking. Because of all this she is dehydrated, can barely talk, slurs her words and cannot pronounce consonents very well but her condition is vastly improved over 3 days ago. Mary is no longer Neutrapenic. Her white blood count is 4.5. She's well on her way. In spite of her difficulty speaking she is full of piss and vinegar and is in good spirits and she works hard to develop jokes. As soon as she has some more recovery time I'm sure she will be wanting to receive guests and phone calls. Right now it would be too difficult for her so keep checking the blog or calling Sue & I at 262-781-2075 and we will let you know as soon as she feels comfortable enough to have visitors or phone calls.
Her new address is:
Mary Scovell
Froedert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
NT4 room 12
9200 West Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53226-3596

Phone 414-805-7282

Please keep prayers, thoughts, and cards coming she is making good progress now and we're pulling for no set backs.

Thanks to everyone,

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

Mary is better today and her white blood cell count is the same, 3.8. Temperature is 100.8 and her blood pressure is normal. Her heart rate is being controlled by medication. She is more alert. We have requested that classical music be piped into her room. Hold your calls and visits for a few more days. We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. You're concern is evidence of great character. Thanks, Jack & Sue.

Mary Scovell

It's Sunday morning. Rip Van Mary is awake! About 9:30 this morning "wife Sue" called "ICU nurse Sue" for an update on sister Mary. The news is good! "ICU Sue" said that Mary's white blood count is up to 1800. She is awake, responsive, and asking for something to drink etc. "Wife Sue said "Yea!" ICU Sue said that wife Sue could come up today for a short visit. Wife Sue said "Yea!". Good news from Froedtert.

Jack & Sue

MARY SCOVELL

Mary went into the hospital Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital 9200 West Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53226-3596
on Thursday 11 September and began treatment on Friday 12 September for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. Mary is Neutrapenic which means that her white cell count is very low and her immune system is compromised. As a result of the low immune system Mary was in the midst of a staggering routine of chemotherapy when she developed an infection and a reoccuring fevers. On Monday 29 September the doctors placed her in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in order to allow close observation day and night. Her white blood count at this was 100 (the norm is 10,000). Mary's white blood count has now moved up to 600. She was heavily sedated and first she was fed intraveniously and for the last couple of days she has graduated to a feeding tube. She has also been taken off her respirator. The chemo treatments have been completed and it seems that the infection is on the way out. She is at last beginning to be responsive to the nurses. Because of the heavy sedation and the fear of infection we have been unable to visit her. Since going to the ICU the phone number that many of you were given is no longer available to her and her condition is such that she will unable to take phones calls until further notice. Sue has been checking in with the nurses at least 3 times a day for updates on Mary's condition. We will try to update this blog regularly. For further updates please feel free to email, blog, or call us at 262-781-2075.

The staff at Froedtert is great! We have been pleased with their care, concern and expertise. Although this is not a good time to visit Mary it remains a great time for thoughts, prayers, and cards. In the Leukemia wing there are lots of rules that one must follow such as fresh flowers and live plants are not allowed.