Wednesday, March 23, 2005

more time in hospital - chest infection

Last Thursday morning Ethan did his blue trick. He had had a cold for a week and had started coughing. His ventolin wasn't getting any results, doctor mum diagnosed viral pneumonia so another visit to Monash.

He was admitted at Monash with an exacerbation of asthma due to a viral respiratory infection. They also found he had an urine infection. They commenced IV antibiotics (After numerous attempts to put in an IV) They also sent off the usual blood tests. He had a chest Xray. This indicated his heart wasn't abnormally big, and that he had a chest infection. It also showed his bones were good, but he would still need to have the follow up blood tests.

The blood test came back and his alkaline phosphatase was quite high. My understanding is that it is usually below 500 and his was 1600. He was ordered more tests to try and work out why. The liver and bone can both cause this level to rise and due to his cardiac condition and his oncology both are a possibility. They also repeated the level to see if it was coming down but it had gone up to 2400.

The cardiologist reviewed him. They thought it was unlikely liver due to cardiac complications because there were no other indications, so it must be bone. Another doctor came and ordered more blood tests. To check his calcium and vit D levels and also to do all of the follow up bone and parathyroid blood tests that he was going to have because of the Xray back in Feb. He also spoke to the oncologist about the possibility it could be cancer. The oncologist came, they thought it was unlikely cancer because his kidney ultrasounds and chest xray have been good.

Ethan picked up after a lot of ventolin and some prednisolone and late Saturday we were discharged. I had to make a paediatrician appointment to follow up the blood work. I couldn't get in to see Chris Smith so we went to the GP. His alkaline phosh had gone up again to just over 2500 and the other results weren't back yet so we still have no idea what is causing it. We are hoping it will just come down by itself and that it is nothing but at the same time there is the chance it could be cancer in the bone.

Special services are coming this morning. I will let you all know what is happening with that and post some more photos later.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Our thoughts are prayers are with you all, hopefully the levels will come down by themselves and that they have been caused by nothing serious.
Hope Easter Bunny finds all the kids well and happy.
Love from The Maxfield's