A Minnesota health care advocacy advocate says her patient was “dangerous” to herself and others after being hospitalized for a week for complications of chemotherapy.
Maddie Epps told News 24 on Tuesday that her patient, whose name was not released, was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma in February and was transferred to the University of Minnesota Health System in Minneapolis.
Epps said she and her patient were treated at the University Health Center in St. Paul, and her doctor prescribed a blood transfusion for her and her mother to save her life.
They spent about two weeks at the hospital, and she received a diagnosis of lymphoblastic leukemia.
Epps said the leukemia was diagnosed after a scan showed it was abnormal, but the cancer had been going on for several years.
Epps said her patient has undergone treatment for lymphoma multiple times in the past, but she said her doctor did not tell her to have a blood test to find out if the cancer was in remission.
Eppo, who has a full-time job at the local Planned Parenthood, said her family was in the process of moving out of their home in Stearns County, Minnesota, when she and the patient’s father were diagnosed with the cancer.
Ekson said the patient was told she would not receive chemotherapy until the lymphoma was cured.
Efforts to reach the patient were unsuccessful Tuesday, but Epps added that the patient has been told to expect her chemotherapy treatment to take at least two weeks, as well as to stay at home.
Ettps said her daughter was diagnosed on Feb. 28 with the rare form, which is called an extracellular leukemias (ELK).
ELK is a type of leukemia that does not grow in the bone marrow, but rather in lymph nodes that can be found on the surface of the bone, such as in the scalp.
Ettps says her daughter’s lymph nodes had been removed earlier this year.
Ersks condition has been diagnosed as rare, and Epps says she has asked her daughter to be sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for treatment.
Epps says her son is expected to be in remission after his treatment, and he is not expected to need chemotherapy.
Ersks son, who is still at home recovering from the surgery, is expected back in Minnesota within a week.
Eesks mother told News24 that her daughter told her her son has been on chemotherapy for the past three months and was in good spirits.
Egsons son is recovering from his surgery.
