Chapter 3 of the Good the Bad and the Ugly

The Good:

White Count: 5.7
HGB: 12.3
Platelets:32

ANC: 3477

We will probably get to go home today and she is feeling very well.

The BAD and the UGLY:

They have figured out why Eden's little private infection is not getting better. Based on the cultures they did of the open sore on Thursday she has something called VRE (VANCOMYCIN RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCUS) Vancomycin is a very powerful antibiotic in our arsenal when Eden gets infections and her body is now basically rejecting it. VRE is also highly contagious to anyone who touches it and it can live on surfaces for up to 30 minutes. Most healthy people will only carry this and never know they have it. It becomes a problem with someone who has immune issues and it seems its a big problem with the elderly. So while Eden is in the hospital she is in isolation to protect the other children and the nurses must gear up before coming into the room and when she goes to clinic she will have to go directly to an isolation room. Here is the deal: Eden has this infection in her body and the drug of choice to rid her of it would be Vancomycin but because that wont help her now they must start looking for another drug to help with the Infection as well as the VRE. She was started on Zyvox last night and will continue on it every 12 hours for the next 2 weeks. At which time if the infection is gone she will be re-tested for VRE and if it is clear she will be tested again for it 3 weeks later. If it is still clear then she no longer has it but every time she gets an infection they must test her for it again before starting her on antibiotics. I am sorry to say that I don't know what it means if the infection doesn't clear up or if her tests continue to come back that she still has VRE. I am sure I will have a chance to speak with Dr. Yeager today and get all the details. I also don't know how this will effect the treatment options we have been talking about or if it will.

I will update with more information when I have it.

Thanks for checking.

Lisa