endocarditis?

Radiotherapy was postponed again. Ethan is still up and down with temperatures. When he is feeling OK we get him up for walks around the ward, although this is not easy lugging an oxygen tank and pushing an IV pole with him. Otherwise, he is in bed sleeping or watching videos. Sometimes a music therapy person will visit and play tunes. By the time they are finished, Ethan has realized they are not going to cause him pain. Ethan has been very pleased with a couple of Thomas the Tank Engines and a Henry the Octopus toy received as gifts.

His weight loss is becoming an issue so a naso-gastric tube was put in and now he receives a constant supply of nutrient rich milk straight to his stomach. This certainly had Ethan dark with everyone after the tube went in.

Today, more temperatures and a question over the last chest xray, led to the doctors ordering an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound). They wanted to see if the portacath tube had been inserted too far and was in the heart rather than sitting just before. A foreign object in the heart can cause endocarditis. The echo was inconclusive and the cardiologist will be checking previous echo's to see if there has been any changes.

The doctors have prescribed another antibiotic as cover, in case it is endocarditis. Nothing is straight forward for Ethan.