MH teen in medically-induced coma

A quiet, likable and athletic young Morgan Hill teen is in a coma suffering from a mysterious illness characterized by a low white blood cell count, while his family and friends eagerly await his return to health.
Tola Mov, 18, of Morgan Hill, a 2015 Ann Sobrato High School graduate who was working at the local YMCA and planning to start classes at Gavilan College this fall, remains in the intensive care unit at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto.
“His condition, it’s still really critical,” Tola’s older brother Sokthea Mov said. “His body is constantly seizing. The doctors had to give him a high dose of medication to keep him under control.”
According to Sokthea Mov, doctors are still trying to find out what exactly is wrong with the “very quiet and friendly” teenager, who was in good health until feeling ill following a bike ride back on Aug. 2.
“He had a high fever (after his bike ride), but we thought he just had a regular fever and just take medicine and rest and he’d get better,” Sokthea Mov explained. “I talked to him (at home) and he said he had a temperature, was really hot and wanted to rest.”
But after two days with no signs of feeling better, the usually active Tola Mov was taken to Saint Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy by his mother. Blood tests revealed no infection or virus, but showed a low white blood cell count prompting doctors to keep him overnight.
“(The doctor) said he had to stay in the hospital and the next day he should be fine,” Sokthea Mov shared. “But the next day (Aug. 5), the doctor said he’s still not doing OK, he had to stay and was getting an IV to bring up his white blood cell count.”
Two days later with no change in his condition nor any discovery from doctors as to his illness, Tola was transferred to Santa Clara Valley Hospital, where he had his first seizure. Two more days, Tola was again transferred this time to Stanford, where he remains in the ICU.
“Right now, we are really worried. We don’t know what’s going on,” said Sokthea Mov, sharing that his brother’s heart and organ system have nearly failed him and he is being given anti-seizure medication.
A “Tola Mov Fund” has been set up on the crowd-funding site, gofundme.com, raising $3,140 as of Sept. 21 to help with his rising medical costs as doctors continue to run tests. To make a donation, go to gofundme.com/tolamovfund.
“They did a lot of tests,” Sokthea Mov said. “They tested for any infections or any viruses that they have medication to treat, but they all came out negative. They also tested him for diseases that they don’t have treatment for but they were still negative.”
Tola Mov, who graduated with Sobrato’s Class of 2015, played varsity basketball for the Bulldogs in his junior and part of his senior year. He remained involved in basketball after high school while working for the YMCA at the Centennial Recreation Center.