Friday, January 27, 2017

Friday's Update

Abby is still at Children's.  Her fever is hovering around 100 and getting as high as 102.  It has been hovering at 100 but going as high as 104 so that's some improvement.  They took out her IV since she doesn't need any more fluids right now and her IV arm was starting to puff up.  They did an ultrasound of that arm/shoulder last night to see what was going on and we find out about that today when the doctors round.  They are thinking most of this is either an unidentifiable virus or something called serum syndrome.  Serum syndrome, as I understood their explanation, is something people can get in response to certain medications. It is like an allergic/autoimmune response.  So the high fevers are her body trying to mount a defense against what it perceives as a threat, the painful lymph nodes are the body trying to fight an infection (real or not) and the sore joints and muscles are an inflammatory response like when you sprain your ankle and your body swells that area to protect and heal.  She has been puffing up like a balloon and having a lot of trouble moving.  So, either diagnosis means waiting it out.  If it's the serum syndrome, they can do a short coarse of steroids to help with the inflammation.  Steroids lower your immunity, however, so if it's an aggressive virus then it would have a chance to thrive a bit more.  Today when the doctors round we should know more.  We should have a visit from the rheumatoid doctor to further explore the serum syndrome possibility.  Abby's starting to perk up a bit.  She got to pull her IV out, very satisfying!  We heard two owls calling to each other in our backyard last night so Mark recorded them and sent them to her.  My mom is here and down there with her now.  She sat up in her chair last night a bit which we will try to do more now so her lungs get some exercise (that is why they think we had that ICU scare Tuesday night-just her lower lungs starting to shut down a bit from all the body stress but mostly just lying in bed for so long).  I think that is the basics.  Thanks for all the prayers and support.  Abby may be able to come home by the end of the weekend.

2 comments:

Mark Schreiber said...

They are going to do a bunch of scans on her: Sinus CT, Gut contrast scans, an EKG, and look at her eyes too. Basically they are trying to rule out any bacterial infection for now. Serum sickness is still a possibility but further down the list still.

Still could be just a nasty virus too. We'll just keep checking off the things that she doesn't have and that will help them with a diagnosis too. Praying that they get more answers than questions.

M

Unknown said...

When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
Psalm 94:18-19

Praying for Abby's healing and the peace and rest that only God can give.

Debi