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30 March 2009
MICHAEL LAWS
LUCY'S DADDY
UPDATE ON LUCY - 3.00pm Monday 30 March 2009
Not good news. I'm afraid.
Lucy's neutrophils, white blood count, platelets - just about everything - keep dropping.
As a consequence, the Wanganui lead paediatrician made the decision this morning that Lucy should be transferrred immediately to Starship oncology in Auckland.
Only one problem: a large one. Starship oncology is full - no, it's beyond full. There are six cancer kiddies placed in general wards at Auckland and another six awaiting transfer.
The Starship specialists have made the call that placing her on a general ward at Starship would actually be worse than keeping her in Wanganui. The risk of infection and the lack of specialised nurses - who will have no history of Lucy's illness or treatment - being the principal reasons.
For some reason, being in isolation at Wellington oncology is not an option although I think that's also because of the lack of knowledge of Lucy and her treatment. The thinking seems to be: she should be at Starship oncology but, failing that, Wanganui is the only available option.
She now must have a CT scan today. The current thinking is a fungal boil somewhere in her ears, nose or throat and she now is about to have another line to put into her arm for the contrast iodine solution, in preparation for the CT scan.
There also seems some thought that Zoe and I be isolated from her completely for the next 24-48 hours (I've been attending but in a face mask) and the isolation protocols be more strictly observed.
Her room was not cleaned at all yesterday - and that caused a complaint by me. The problem is that despite their best efforts, provincial hospitals are not ideal places to treat child oncology sufferers, and have little reference. The specialists & nursing staff take their lead from Starship specialists - but that doesn't necessarily flow through to the cleaners.
And that's not their fault either. I think the head of the Auckland DHB had it right when he said that cleaning staff should be re-configured as frontline troops against infection and disease, paid more, and made to feel more of the clinical corp. I think that's right. The risk of infection in hospital is relatively high everywhere in NZ.
Anyway - that's where we are. Not as well off as yesterday and still trying to find out the cause of Lucy's malady.
Cheers
Michael." |
