Update. Olivia’s doing ok. They did admit her to inpatient last night. Her ANC on Monday was 160, this morning it is 40. Normal ANC is 1500 so she is what’s called neutropenic. She does not have a fever this morning. That’s one of the frustrations with cancer and fevers. Fevers go away as fast as they come on; but we have to err on the side of caution. The last thing we want is a bacterial or viral infection.
In case you don’t know…
ANC is a blood test that is done to show the number of neutrophils in a cubic millimeter of a person’s blood. In the body, white blood cells are used to fight foreign substances or infections. If the concentrations of neutrophils are lower, it may impact on the body’s immune system. If they are high, it can indicate something about your health.
Neutropenia is an abnormally low concentration of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood. Neutrophils make up the majority of circulating white blood cells and serve as the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteria, bacterial fragments and immunoglobulin-bound viruses in the blood. People with neutropenia are more susceptible to bacterial infections and, without prompt medical attention, the condition may become life-threatening
Thanks for the continued prayers for sweet Olivia!
First posted on the OliviaStrong Facebook page.