Colleges

Mallory Code's health, family in limbo

By SCOTT PURKS
Published March 4, 2005

TAMPA - The good news is that Mallory Code isn't any worse. She isn't, however, a lot better.

The tough thing for her parents - as the 20-year-old lies in a Denver hospital with a feeding tube and respirator while holding off adult respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia and blood clots - is that this could go for three weeks or three months.

"The doctors said they have no way of knowing more," said Mallory's father, Brian Code. "Last week we thought we'd know in seven days whether she would come out of this or not. We're in a holding pattern, but at the same time it's an emotional roller coaster."

Thursday there was a bit of good news in that her pneumonia had lessened a bit.

The main concern, however, is the ARDS, which typically takes weeks to overcome and can, if not closely monitored, lead to breakdowns in other organs or bodily functions.

"The doctors keep telling us she's a fighter and she's fighting hard," Brian Code said. "I believe in her. I believe she's going to fight her way out of this. Because she's always been an above-average kid, we're thinking three weeks instead of three months."

Code, a national junior golfing star from Carrollwood who is on a golf scholarship as a sophomore at Florida, has defied incredible odds throughout her life.

Born with cystic fibrosis, she has, among other trials, taken 40 pills a day to replace enzymes, worn a mechanical vest to beat her back and sides to loosen mucus, made countless runs to the hospital with lung infections and other related maladies, endured more than 10 sinus surgeries to relieve headaches, and worn an insulin pump, on and off the golf course.

Sister Whitney and brother Jordan joined joined their father and mother, Karen, this week in Denver.Mallory has been unable to speak or move her limbs as lines and tubes run from her body.

Mallory's health began declining in September when she contracted pneumonia. From December through January she spent much of her time in the hospital, Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville. On Feb. 7 she was flown to Denver by air ambulance.

USF LOSES TOP PLAYER: Forward Rodrigo Hidalgo, South Florida's leading scorer last season as a freshman, is transferring to Boston College, coach George Kiefer said.

"This wasn't a huge surprise, but I didn't want to see him go," Kiefer said. "He's a very good player and we'll miss him."

Hidalgo and teammate Simon Schoendorf shared Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors last season. Hidalgo led the Bulls with 18 points, scoring six goals and six assists. He heads to a Boston College program that made the third round of last year's NCAA Tournament.

Hidalgo is the second freshman to leave USF's program this season. Midfielder Christian Jimenez left school to enter the MLS draft in January. Schoendorf, who led the Bulls with seven assists and also scored four goals, was recently named to Soccer America's Freshman All-America team.

Kiefer said former USF player Ryan Anatol has accepted an offer to become his assistant coach, replacing Jeff Negalha, who left last month to become an assistant at North Carolina.

Anatol, who played on the 1997 USF team that reached the NCAA Elite Eight and was a co-captain in 2000, served as a volunteer assistant at USF in 2001 and has been a graduate assistant at Akron the past two seasons. Longtime Eckerd coach Jim DiNobile will coach Bulls goalkeepers this fall.

- GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer

[Last modified March 4, 2005, 00:31:15]