Love For Ashley

Ashley came down with the Swine Flu or so they say. On Monday last week, Ashley comes home from school with a 99.8 temperature; I am thinking Strep throat. On Tuesday, morning she wakes up with a temp of 101; I am still thinking Strep throat. After a quick trip to the pediatrician, Ashley was swabbed and tested positive for the Swine flu and a left ear infection. By Tuesday evening her temp reached 103.7. Tamiflu was prescribed as well as an antibiotic for the ear should it get worse. Wednesday morning her temperature was down to 100.7 but she was full of energy and was dancing in the family room. By lunchtime on Wednesday she was fever free without any medical intervention. Knowing what we know about the Swine flu, we knew that the fever could come back the next day so she continued to stay home from school. However, her temperature remained normal on Thursday as well as Friday but her ear pain was worse so off to the pharmacy to fill the prescription for the antibiotic. She ...

This week we took Ashley to the pediatrician because she has a distended abdomen, complained of belly pain and was very pale. However, despite all of that she wanted to dance so she went to dance class on Monday night. Then Tuesday afternoon we were at the pediatrician. After an examination, a decision was made to have Ashley go in for blood work and an ultrasound. The thought was that her belly was distended due to ascites. Ascites is fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity and is very common in patients with liver disease. Plus Ashley gained 3 pounds in less than a month with no growth in height. But before the ultrasound Ashley had labs. Her blood work came back and although her liver function appears to be normal, her CBC's are out of whack. Her platelet count is the lowest it has ever been, 80 thousand (normal is 150K to 450K). A low platelet count means she is at risk for spontaneous bleeds . Her white blood cell count is also low (at risk for infections), as is her lymp...