As the days grew warmer and longer, Ethan Horst sensed the excitement of summertime in the air. A then-second-grader at Lehighton Area Elementary Center, Ethan felt at home in the swimming pool and beneath the sunshine on a soccer field, friends running beside him.
But during those last celebratory days of school, Ethan became bombarded with headaches and episodes of nausea. “The school nurse had called me following afternoon recess one day and said something wasn’t right with him,” Julie Horst said, recalling the ambiguity of late May. “We had taken him to our family doctor and his initial tests looked normal. But Ethan was vomiting every few days and the headaches seemed to be getting worse. Our doctor told us to get him to the ER if this continued a few more days.”
Seeking Answers: A Trip to Breidegam Family Children’s ER
By mid June, Ethan’s symptoms intensified. On the 15th, the Horsts grew concerned as the morning hours passed and Ethan remained asleep in his bed – he never slept in this late. When Julie checked on him, he complained of an ache in his neck and pain shooting down his right arm. But that wasn’t the worst.
“There’s two of you, Mom.”
By the time they pulled into Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the Breidegam Family Children’s ER, Ethan had trouble walking through the door.
Distinguished Neuroscience, Deep Compassion
At just 8, Ethan was in for a fight. By his side, the health care staff comforted Ethan and his parents as they navigated through uncharted waters. Pediatric neurosurgeon David Hong of the Reilly Children’s Hospital and Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute finally brought clarity to Ethan’s case.
“Imaging showed a large brain tumor in the posterior fossa (a space in the lower rear of the skull near the cerebellum),” Hong explained. “A tumor in this area also can block the flow of spinal fluid and cause increased pressure on the brain. That was happening with Ethan and causing his headaches.”
David S. Hong, MD
Neurosurgery
With optimism and cheerfulness, the team prepped Ethan and his family for the coming days. The first battle: a ventriculostomy, a procedure creating a drain for the fluid to relieve pressure. Ethan’s resilient spirit buoyed him through the four days of fluid draining.“He never cried once,” Julie said. “We were so proud of him.”
Leading-Edge Brain Surgery
In a state-of-the-art procedure offered at the Neuroscience Institute, Ethan underwent a four-hour procedure to remove the tumor using microscopic surgery with stereotactic navigation, which precisely maps the location of the tumor to help determine the most effective way to remove it. Ethan then needed a second procedure to insert a temporary drain to allow for fluid diversion in case of urgent accumulation. The team operated with precision and confidence, and after just over two weeks in the hospital, Ethan was ready to go home.
Making a Splash
Ethan with his parents
“Ethan was so strong through the whole 13 days he spent in the hospital,” his mom remarked. While the days were long, the magnitude of what the health care team accomplished in a few short months was not lost on the Horst family. In May, Ethan was plagued with illness, the cause baffling the family. By August, he was well down his healing path, ready to make a splash in the third grade.
“It was a best-case scenario for Ethan,” Hong said. “This was a non-aggressive, benign tumor that we were able to remove completely. His long-term prognosis is very good.” While Hong will follow up with him for 10 years, he said the likelihood of recurrence “is pretty low.”
Ethan and his family will forever remember their summer scare but it was softened by the swift decision making and compassionate care of the team at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, which got Ethan back in the pool, out on the soccer field and laughing with his friends again.