Haines Borough Mayor Stephanie Scott was medevaced to Juneau’s Bartlett Hospital Thursday night after contracting pneumonia.
In an interview Monday, Scott said doctors have discovered other problems, including fluid in her abdomen. “I had pneumonia, but there is more going on than that.”
A week-long, “roaring” headache was another mystery symptom of a malady doctors have been unable to diagnose.
A barrage of tests, including an MRI and CT scan, are yielding few clues. “They thought it was the gallbladder, but apparently the gallbladder is looking okay, so that leaves them with many mysteries,” Scott said.
Scott said she feels “terrible” and “can’t even imagine wrapping two thoughts together,” although she said she had been trying to mentally piece together a speech she was scheduled to deliver at the Sept. 11 First Responders dinner at the American Legion.
Scott said doctors are waiting on test results and still attempting to reach a diagnosis, so she can’t predict when she will return to Haines. “If they can’t figure this out, they might send me to Seattle,” she said.
When asked where people can send get well cards, Scott said that kind of outpouring is unnecessary. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’m coming back. I’m not dead yet.”
Assembly member Jerry Lapp is acting Mayor in Scott’s absence.