Polka Dots & Other Thoughts

I can't seem to get ahead lately.  The blog remains stuck without any recent updates, and my laundry piles have grown to mountainous heights. While you wait for the Easter and St patricks Day photos, updates from my mom's visit last month, a glimpse of my new hair cut,  and other random events in our household .... here is a photo to tide you over.  

I love those little girls. 

Obviously, I must also really like polka dots, too!

Over the past couple of weeks, my mind (and time) have been preoccupied with more illness.  Two weeks ago, Carolyn had her third confirmed kidney infection since December.  These infections are nasty and take her down fast. It is scary to see how quickly she goes from being healthy to completely unresponsive, whole body trembling with a 104 fever.  Fortunately, she bounces back almost as quickly if we are able to get fluids and antibiotics in her as soon as we see the symptoms. 

After this infection, it was clear that we need to figure out why these keep occurring.  Of course, getting into a pediatric specialist comes with a delay, even if your pediatrician puts a "priority" order in for you.  When I first called the urology department, they gave us an appointment that was 7 or 8 weeks out.  The more I thought about it, that was not acceptable to me.  She would have another infection before we had the appointment.  I was not going to wait.  So, I called in some favors.  Within an hour of calling a surgeon friend of ours (who called the chief of urology on our behalf), a scheduler called and said they could get us in the next day. Sad but true, it really is all about who you know!

Last week, Carolyn had several imaging tests done, followed by appointments with the urologist, radiologist, and pediatrician.  We now know what is going on.  I will explain more later, but she has bilateral vesicoureteral reflux (i.e., urine flows backwards from her bladder to her kidney, making her prone to kidney infections.) Her age and diagnosis put her in a position where it is very unlikely that she will outgrow it, so she will likely need surgery -- probably this summer -- and she has to be on daily antibiotics indefinitely to prevent more infections. 

I just have to keep reminding myself that these infections have not yet caused any permanent kidney scarring (ultrasounds confirmed that last week.  Phew!), and the surgery has a very high rate of success. So, in the grand scheme of things, it is not all that bad.  We can fix this!   But still, it has been weighing heavy on my mind and heart.  Being a parent can bring the highest of highs, but also so much worry and stress and sadness when things are not 'perfect' for a little one.

Carolyn knows that she is sick, and she knows that we now have a plan to help her get better, but when we have tried to explain more to her, she tunes us out and says she does not want to talk about it. She has had some pretty sepctacular meltdowns lately, and I attribute that to her trying to process everything in her little head.  I know that she has heard the word "surgery" from the doctors we have met with, but I am not sure she even knows what it is. I figure, given her adament refusal to talk about what we have learned from the doctors, there is no need to explain much more to her about the procedure until it is actually scheduled.  In the meantime, we are giving her some extra attention and trying to keep her infection free. 

Maybe, if I can clear my head enough, I can start tackling those piles of laundry in my house.  And, once I finish that task, maybe I will find an evening to download the photos from my camera and bring you more glimpses of the adventures in our household.  Stay tuned.