Andrew W. Griffin
For 19-year old University of Oklahoma sophomore Madalyn "Maddy" Ruth Byrne, coming to the school to study music education was a dream come true for the Burtonsville, Md. native.
However, Byrne would never get to fulfill that dream after her liver gave out and she died following an overdose of acetaminophen, an ingredient in pain relievers such as Tylenol and others.
Byrne's grieving parents, Michael and Evelyn Byrne, were in Oklahoma City Thursday talking to the media at Integris Baptist Medical Center, where Madalyn died Monday.
Evelyn Byrne did most of talking, telling the media about their daughter, a mellophone player for the Pride of Oklahoma marching band. That is the version of the French horn that is played in a marching band.
"She was an honors student, on the Dean's list and active in band," Michael Byrne said, his wife noting that she absolutely loved the French horn, a particularly heavy musical instrument.
"The warnings aren't that clear," Evelyn Byrne said. "A 19-year-old should read that bottle and understand clearly what can happen."
Madalyn's cause of death, according to a medical report, was overdose of acetaminophen which led to liver failure.
The Byrne family said their daughter was taking as many as nine Extra Strength Tylenol tablets a day for up to three weeks to help relieve pain for a toothache. The recommended dosage is two pills every four hours, not to exceed 8 in one day.
It was on Friday that Madalyn began feeling ill at her off-campus apartment and on Saturday that she began getting nauseous and throwing up. On Sunday, Madalyn was unconscious. Her roommate called the paramedics and upon arrival it was thought she had sepsis or blood poisoning. She was initially taken to Norman Regional Hospital but was then transferred to Integris where she died the following day.
Evelyn Byrne said she flew out right away but doesn't think her daughter recognized her due to her being comatose. Nevertheless, Evelyn Byrne said she played an iPod of her daughter's favorite music and she seemed to relax. Eventually, Byrne's liver was no longer functioning which put a strain on her heart and brain and led to her death.
Evelyn Byrne said her daughter loved going to school in Oklahoma, noting that when they first visited OU it was "love at first sight." She loved the friendly people and the safe environment. She also helped with teaching music at a local school, she said.
�I knew she was happy here," she said. "That's what I take solace in."
The Byrne family said they want to warn parents and students to always check the label on a pill bottle, even if it's an over-the-counter drug.
Integris physician Dr. Harlan Wright said that if a person is experiencing pain, take acetaminophen and get medical attention if it's serious enough. As for Madalyn it was never clear to her parents whether she had scheduled a dental appointment or not.
"The message here is to be careful about the dosage you are taking," Wright said.
He said that on average, 200 people a year die from liver toxicity due to overdose of acetaminophen found in common cold and pain remedies available at the local drug store. In the past decade, Wright said Integris has seen 47 people who have experienced the same symptoms Madalyn faced. Five have died.
"We recommend no more than two grams (of acetaminophen) a day," Wright said.
Added Evelyn Byrne: "If you don't have a religious objection to being an (organ) donor, be a donor."
A viewing will be held for Madalyn Byrne on Saturday. She will then be cremated and will return to Maryland with her parents.
