Dr. Carolyn Male - hospitalized 5/30/13

**Mischka** · June 4, 2013

It is with a heavy heart that I make this post. Carolyn fell very ill Thursday evening and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She was placed in Intensive Care, suffering from a dangerously high white blood cell count, combined with very low blood pressure.

Her brother contacted me to let me know of her condition and asked that I not make this public, until she herself wished me to do so.

She was moved to a room from the ICU this morning. Her white cell count is still very high; 30k. She has a kidney stone lodged inside her that has caused a severe infection and septic shock to her body. The doctors have determined that she's too weak to be operated on in her current condition, so they're hoping she can overcome the infection with the medications she'll be receiving this week.

I spoke with her briefly on the phone earlier this afternoon. Her voice was very faint and weak, with her words coming slowly. She was in a lot of pain and it took all I had not to choke up while we were talking. I'm so used to her pithy sense of humor and raucous laughter whenever we talk on the phone, both of which were conspicuously absent during the conversation.

She did ask me who was winning the finals for the French Open and the scores, so I looked them up and told her. She said she wasn't able to grab her bag with her address book/phone #'s when the EMTs took her from her home, which frustrated her because she has no way of getting in touch with anyone. I asked her when she wanted me to let you all know of her condition. After a big sigh, she told me to go ahead and do so because she doesn't think she'll be going home anytime soon. I told her it wouldn't be too long before our members noticed she had stopped posting and started becoming concerned.

The nurses were bringing in her dinner, so I told her I'd let her eat in peace. She said she hadn't eaten much in the last four days because the pain makes her nauseated, but that she would try to eat something. The hospital won't allow her to make phone calls directly, so she asked if I would call her tomorrow, around noon. So I will.

I have the address of the hospital but am not going to post it publicly, out of respect for her privacy. For those of you that would like to send her a get-well card, please PM me and I'll be more than happy to give it to you.

I'll use this thread to post further updates. Please keep Carolyn in your prayers. I'm also going to read her the posts in this thread, as another way of getting your messages to her. I know she'll like that.

June 4, 2013	#1
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	Dr. Carolyn Male - hospitalized 5/30/13 It is with a heavy heart that I make this post. Carolyn fell very ill Thursday evening and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She was placed in Intensive Care, suffering from a dangerously high white blood cell count, combined with very low blood pressure. Her brother contacted me to let me know of her condition and asked that I not make this public, until she herself wished me to do so. She was moved to a room from the ICU this morning. Her white cell count is still very high; 30k. She has a kidney stone lodged inside her that has caused a severe infection and septic shock to her body. The doctors have determined that she's too weak to be operated on in her current condition, so they're hoping she can overcome the infection with the medications she'll be receiving this week. I spoke with her briefly on the phone earlier this afternoon. Her voice was very faint and weak, with her words coming slowly. She was in a lot of pain and it took all I had not to choke up while we were talking. I'm so used to her pithy sense of humor and raucous laughter whenever we talk on the phone, both of which were conspicuously absent during the conversation. She did ask me who was winning the finals for the French Open and the scores, so I looked them up and told her. She said she wasn't able to grab her bag with her address book/phone #'s when the EMTs took her from her home, which frustrated her because she has no way of getting in touch with anyone. I asked her when she wanted me to let you all know of her condition. After a big sigh, she told me to go ahead and do so because she doesn't think she'll be going home anytime soon. I told her it wouldn't be too long before our members noticed she had stopped posting and started becoming concerned. The nurses were bringing in her dinner, so I told her I'd let her eat in peace. She said she hadn't eaten much in the last four days because the pain makes her nauseated, but that she would try to eat something. The hospital won't allow her to make phone calls directly, so she asked if I would call her tomorrow, around noon. So I will. I have the address of the hospital but am not going to post it publicly, out of respect for her privacy. For those of you that would like to send her a get-well card, please PM me and I'll be more than happy to give it to you. I'll use this thread to post further updates. Please keep Carolyn in your prayers. I'm also going to read her the posts in this thread, as another way of getting your messages to her. I know she'll like that. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.