Kidney Update

Today was the big day when we went to Peoria for Cole's kidney appointment.  Let me first just say that last night the kid slept great!  That was a much needed start to a long day.  Matt has the stomach flu and was not able to go with us today, so I recruited my mom to help me carry stuff and listen to the doctors.  I'm so lucky to have her around to help and to love on baby Cole.  We headed out around 8:30 a.m. and drove through the dense fog all the way.  Once we got there we had to find the admitting area.  Funny how I spent 4 days at OSF St. Francis in 2010, but I had no idea how to get anywhere in the hospital.  I didn't come in through any doors, I came into the hospital on the roof!

The staff at OSF is so friendly!  Everyone we passed said hello or helped us find our way.  Once we got upstairs to the area where Cole would have his procedure we didn't really even have to wait in the waiting room.  The nurse came and got us right away and took us back to the x-ray room.  We had to put a gown on Cole and he was not thrilled about that.  But then the nurse brought out a warm blanket and we wrapped him up in it and he was so calm after that.  The x-ray test they did is called a VCUG.  Basically, they put in a catheter and then fill his bladder with fluid that has a dye in it that can be seen on the x-rays and they watch to see if the fluid backfills into the kidneys from the bladder. Cole did an awesome job the whole time.  He was so laid back and cooperative for the entire procedure.  It only took about 15-20 minutes total.  The nurses were super nice and they were very reassuring to me during the times when he was crying.  They walked us through each step of the procedure.  After the x-rays were done, the doctor told us that he saw some reflux (fluid backing up) in the right kidney but he didn't see any on the left.  It seemed like very good news to me...

After we left OSF we had to go to see Cole's Pediatric Urologist at his office.  I really liked his doctor when we met him.  He seems like the perfect person to work with children.  Side note: we did find out today that Cole weighs 10 lb 7 oz and is 21.5 inches long!  The boy has grown a ton since his last weight check.  Anyway...  his doctor told us that he does have reflux in the right kidney, but that he also is not super worried about it.  It's common for boys and it usually cures itself.  He said he would not see Cole back for one year to check on it again.  That was the good news.  The not so good news is that the doctor thinks that his left kidney is partially blocked.  He said he looks at blockages on a scale from 1-10.  He would need to start thinking about surgery to fix it at a 7 or 8.  But Cole is at about a 4 on his scale.  The blockage could be a result of some of the "parts" of the kidney not being together right, but it could also correct itself as he grows.

Our next steps are to go back in 6 weeks to have an ultrasound and then meet with the doctor again.  We will reassess after the ultrasound to see if things have improved, worsened, or to just figure out a plan.  I do feel like we are in good hands with the doctor we chose, so that is comforting.  I just can't get over what an angel Cole was all day with people poking and prodding him.  He really is such a sweetheart!

I'm choosing not to worry right now too much.  As Matt and I like to say, "it is what it is".  We can't change the fact that he has some problems.  We will just continue to look into them and do all of the testing that we need to do in order to make sure he is okay.  We will be great advocates for his care the entire time.  He is such a special little boy and this is just a part of his journey through life.  Hopefully it's just a tiny little hiccup and we will be able to put it all behind us very quickly.

In a way I feel like it's not fair for Cole to have anything wrong with him.  I already had a child that had everything wrong with her.  But I know that God has a plan for us all and I need to trust that it is a good plan for us.  I know that because I dealt with all of Braelyn's issues I can get through all of this.  I also know it could be worse, but I still don't want anything to be wrong with my little man.

I'll keep you all updated after our next appointment in March.  Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, as always!