Scott Larson

After the events in the last week, we have decided to set up a CaringBridge site to update everyone about Scott's health. We have received countless texts, call and messages and it's been hard to keep up with keeping everyone informed!! So many people know and love Scott and we are grateful for everyone's love and prayers. 
On Tues., Feb. 5, Scott started to feel sick - like he was coming down with a cold. He was home with fevers and chills on Wed., Feb. 6 and Thurs., Feb. 7 (a storm day - clinic was closed). He went to the clinic in Mayville on Friday morning and was diagnosed with Influenza A. It was too late to get him Tamiflu. On Saturday morning I took him to the ER in Mayville because he had a high fever, extreme weakness and cough. He was then diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to the hospital there. His white blood cell count was also very low and they were concerned about that. So he received IV antibiotics there Saturday and Sunday. The WBC count dropped lower Sunday, and lower again Monday. He has had high fevers off and on during all this time, too. They did a CT scan on his chest on Monday morning revealing double pneumonia. The decision was made to send him to Fargo and he was transported there by ambulance early Monday afternoon (Feb. 11). 
Blood work done at 3:30 Monday revealed a slight increase in the WBC count. He was started on an aggressive antibiotic treatment and felt better that evening. He continued to have fevers later Monday night and again Tuesday morning. Blood work done Tuesday morning showed another increase in his WBC and platelets, likely due to getting great antibiotics. He had a bone marrow biopsy Tuesday morning to determine the cause of his WBC count being so low. 
Preliminary results from the bone marrow test came back on Wed., Feb. 13 and revealed that he has hairy cell leukemia. This form of leukemia is extremely treatable with a great prognosis. There is no rush to start treatment which will be one week of outpatient chemotherapy. We are extremely relieved that he has this form of leukemia and are positive about everything going forward.
We told Maysa and Jayd the news on Wednesday, and they are waiting for their dad to get home again! He is being treated now to clear up the pneumonia and influenza, get off of oxygen and get his white blood cell count up again. He is in Sanford on Broadway in Fargo. Room #761.