Jaivon Scott

What a whirlwind the past few days have been for Jaivon and his family! On Thursday, December 13, 2018, Jaivon was diagnosed with leukemia. His diagnosis story is quite surprising. He had generally been doing very well, going to school, and functioning well, despite just being very congested. His infection traveled to his eye with swelling, itching and some discharge, which prompted an urgent care visit. The urgent care doctor prescribed amoxicillin to treat what was thought to be a typical sinus infection that had caused blockage and drainage in his eye. However, his eye infection worsened, prompting an ER evaluation, which led to blood work, with results that SHOCKED the doctors, his family, and Jaivon! His white blood cell count (infection fighting cells), was insanely high--so high, they didn't believe it at first and had it repeated. Unfortunately the repeat result was the same--his white blood cell count was 750,000!?!(Typically this should be ~5,000-10,000) His hemoglobin was very low as well, 5, instead of the ~12 that it typically should be for a boy his age. These are dangerous levels and he was immediately admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) at Children's Hospital Minneapolis, where he would continue to perplex his doctors and family with how well he was doing.  The doctors quickly started him on an exchange blood transfusion to help reduce his super high white blood cell level. As of Friday's report, his counts had gone from 750,000 down to 250,000--still high, but much better. Jaivon already is working hard trying to get better--taking walks around the station, and wanting to eat as soon as they would let him!  


Friday finished with a few more procedures--a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture--to help with the definitive diagnosis of what type of leukemia this is, which will then help define his treatment plan. 



This brave, amazing young man, and his sweet, supportive close-knit family will need our thoughts, prayers, support, and encouragement in this unexpected next chapter in their lives!  Please let them know how you are thinking of them during this shocking and scary time.  


(See also the GoFundMe account linked into the "Ways to Help" section of this CaringBridge site.)