Test time again

Mary will be getting 3 tests today, an EEG to learn more about the seizures that have been causing her so much problem lately, an EMG which checks the brain for damage in the area of muscle control, and a cognitive test by the speech pathologist. Tomorrow Mary will receive her 6th lumbar puncture which they hope will present new information helping to understand the cause or the source of the seizures. Sue has asked that the brain biopsy that has been proposed be postponed until the results of these aforementioned tests are in and have been analyzed and the family can meet with the doctors to discuss further speculation and / or treatment.

Today Mary sat on the edge of her bed with the the help of the physical therapists. Progress. She seems to be able to attend and stay awake for longer periods of time than before. Progress. Mary had a great time listening to an audio book, "Marley and Me" (She's going to the dogs). Progress.

Keep the support coming.

Jack & Sue

Ketchup time

Lots of action around here lately and so now I will try to catch up for the last three days lay off. Last Wednesday the doctors were still mystified as to what was causing Mary's fevers & seizures so they announced a multitude of tests including cat scans, x-rays, and anything that could be of benefit in the search for the cause of these problems. Thursday a cat scan of the lungs showed up several small blood clots at the bottom of her lungs and so they prescribed a blood thinner designed to break up these clots. By Friday afternoon Mary was sitting up in bed capable of supporting and controlling her head and shoulders. She was also showing more ability to speak but it was difficult to understand her and the effort took a toll on her energy so she was constantly dozing off. Sue when to the hospital around 6:30 to see her and was greeted by a herd of nurses racing to Mary's room where she was in the middle of a heavy seizure. The pharmacist was with the nurses and quickly got the seizure under control with the drug Adovan. Here our story takes a new turn. Mild mannered Susan turned into "little mom" the terror of the 4th floor. She was especially upset because she had been telling the doctors that she had noticed that Mary had been staring blankly for a few seconds at various times which might be associated with very small seizures. She had asked that the doctors test for more seizures but they said that they did not think that Mary was having any more seizures and and that she had enough medication to control them. After the doctors decided that Sue, with her Masters Degree in Common Sense, M A of C S. might just be right.

Low and behold on Saturday Mary's temperatures are normal and she was able to take the temperature under her tongue. She was sitting up in bed carrying on long conversations, moving her legs and feet and pleading with the nurses for food. She was finally allowed her first real food in 6 weeks, a half cup of applesauce. However, they are still holding back on the water.

I had a chance to talk with Mary on the phone yesterday and that was a whole new event, something that has been impossible for the past 6 weeks.

After Cheri, Dana, and Sue left the hospital Saturday night the nurses told us that Mary watched a Jim Carey movie. You know that when Mary watches a Jim Carey movie she is a lot sicker than we thought.

We're anxious to see if the improvement holds and if she is finally on the upward mobility road.

Everyone who has responded with cards, prayers, thoughts, and any other kind of encouragement has certainly contributed to her long and tedious recovery. Keep up the good work.

Jack & Sue

Mary is officially out of NICU and back in the first room of the Froedtert experience, 4 NT room 7. Now that's an accomplishment. The next step is getting lots of physical therapy and gaining lots of strength and regaining her speech and movement. It's been a long road and it promises to be even longer. The doctors have told Mary that her liver biopsy showed that it was completely free of leukemia cells. Keep positive prayers and thoughts coming.

Thanks,

Jack & Sue

Someone pulled Mary Scovell’s ventilator tube and low and behold she’s breathing on her own. Her report on the liver biopsy is in...... guess what, it’s negative!!! ......... And now the journey toward the defeat of leukemia and the restoration of good health returns with a level playing field. Mary will most likely be in the neurological ICU for a few more days so that they can be absolutely assured that she will be able to hold up her end of the bargain by breathing on her own and will continue to get stronger after a month flat on her back. At the appropriate time she will be transferred to the Rehabilitation Therapy floor to learn all the neglected skills such as walking and talking. Now’s the time to provide all the prayers and good thoughts backing in your power to help get her get back on her feet.

Lots of kudos to a wonderful medical staff.

Jack & Sue

DOCTORS AT FROEDTERT HOSPITAL ARE ECSTATIC OVER MARY SCOVELL’S IMPROVEMENT AS SHE COMES OUT OF SEDATION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A WEEK.

Nurses are in tears and giving big hugs to Sue (Jack is left out in the cold) as Mary gets stronger and is able to lift her head, arms, and legs, and is giving a few smiles.

In an exclusive interview Dr. Cornell says that it may be realistic to take her off the ventilator tomorrow if Mary can maintain her own breathing.

Fevers and seizures are gone. The bone marrow biopsy shows no sign of leukemia. In her latest spinal tap there were some unexplained cellular blasts that have to be watched. Mary is still very weak but as soon as she gains enough strength the doctors plan to move her into rehab so that she can eventually become well and strong enough to continue treatments to completely rid herself of leukemia forever. (Don’t forget, it’s a 3 year process)

Tonight’s music in Mary’s room was provided by one of Katy Pfaffl’s CDs.

Everybody just keep pushing for complete recovery.

Jack & Sue

Tuesday 4 Nov Mary had an MRI on her brain yesterday and the results were that no changes were perceived and so the general report is inconclusive. A bone marrow biopsy was given today at 9:30. This is to test for any signs of the return of leukemia cells. The final results for this will not be know for a couple of days. Because of progress with the seizures the heavy sedation is being ended. It will take 2-3 days for Mary’s body to rid itself of the sedation medication. Thank you Sadie for coming to visit and making a “Mary CD” with all the songs that you had worked on together, and getting Mary to open one eye.......progress. The neurologist met with Sue today and said that the seizures had been absent for 2 days.......progress. Now that the seizures are under control we hope to be off to bigger and better things.

Nine AM Wednesday 5 November. MARY’S AWAKE AND RESPONSIVE!!!...... progress.

Everyone at the hospital is amazed and ecstatic. The family is amazed and ecstatic and thankful. ......... progress.

The doctors have ordered a liver biopsy to further study the liver enzymes. It is currently being done. Results should be available soon.

Thanks for all your prayers, good thoughts, cards, and acts of kindness as well as those things that passed by me when I zoned out!

Jack & Sue

Mary Scovell

For the past week I have not written anything in Mary’s blog because she has spent the entire week sedated and has only been awake for brief moments on occasional days. So now I will attempt to catch everyone up with the news. Mary was back on the oncology floor of Froedtert Hospital when she began to experience seizures resulting in her return to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). They later moved her to the Neurological Intensive Care Unit (NICU). (This is beginning to sound like a television show as in NCIS, SVU, CSI, etc.) The seizures finally stopped yesterday and her fever is down around 99 degrees. Today, Monday, we had a family meeting with six of the doctors and some other staff that have been working with Mary covering most of her treatment areas. The meeting started with the doctors explaining what had been done up to this point. Her chemotherapy was interrupted after the 12th day because of fevers caused by at least two infections. Doctors are concerned because Mary hasn’t been able to come out fully of sedation at this point. She had to be assisted in her breathing, fed intravenously, turned in bed, in short everything had to be done for her. She had antibiotics, antivirus, antifungals, lasixs to reduce the edema problems, and blood transfusions. There isn’t enough blog room on the internet to contain a complete report. Today as we were in the meeting Mary had another MRI of her brain to try to answer some new questions that are as yet unexplained. She has had 5 lumbar punctures and to this point no leukemia cells are showing up. Tomorrow there will be a second bone marrow test intended to identify any trace of leukemia. Her seizure medication has been stopped, and they’re beginning to take her off the antibiotics. They are going to start waking her tomorrow and seeing if her body can begin to take over healing itself while they search for other possible problems that they can treat. Today’s meeting lasted two hours and we asked many questions including, “is it possible for someone who has had treatments this difficult to make a full recovery?”. The unanimous answer was “yes”, they had had many patients who made full recovery and all of Mary’s vital signs are in very good shape. Other possible investigations might be, a liver biopsy, or a possible brain biopsy. The doctors agree that none of them have seen a case like this before. They are baffled by the mysterious symptoms and reactions. The doctors would like Mary to come out of all her sedations fully, talking and being able to communicate before continuing Leukemia treatments.

Her family is “hanging in” and very appreciative of all your interest. Thank you for everything.

Jack & Sue