Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Vesicoureteral Reflux

Vesicoureteral  Reflux

That's a big word hey? It's a big word that I've become a bit more familiar with lately.

Remember that visit to the hospital Cait had earlier this summer? She had a what I thought was a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) but it turned out to be a kidney infection. It quickly got worse and because she was so young it required a nearly week long stay in the hospital. They did a TON of testing while we were there...and basically came to the conclusion that it was... a kidney infection. She responded quickly and got better super fast. Right before we left the hospital she had a kidney ultrasound, and depending on the results of that ultrasound she would or wouldn't need more testing. Her ultrasound was normal and so the doctors decided the infection was a one time occurrence and that no further investigation was needed. So we went home. We all assumed that was the end of it!

And then a few weeks later I noticed all the same symptoms...and took her into the doctor again. After a day of frustrating attempts to collect urine from her to be tested, we finally figured out that she had another infection!! Antibiotics again! And then a few weeks later...more symptoms...more antibiotics! 8 days later (while still on antibiotics) her symptoms returned...even MORE antibiotics!!!

So this resulted in a referral to a nephrologist. We just had to wait for our appointment. In the mean time, my doctor booked her in for a VCUG test which would help us with a diagnosis. I knew by this point what the results would be. I KNEW she would have kidney reflux. Kidney reflux is a condition where the urine, instead of leaving the bladder and traveling down through the urethra, refluxes BACK up to her kidney before she pees. Which basically causes all sorts of infections. Anyway, she had her VCUG last Friday and I didn't expect instant results. But one thing I've learned in my experience with doctors is that when you're getting a test like and ultrasound or an X-ray, the radiologist NEVER gives you the results unless they are bad. And bad they were. It turns out Cait has grade 5 reflux in one of her kidneys...grade 5 being the MOST severe. Bad enough that her nephrologist bumped her original mid November appointment up to this week!! Bad enough that we're meeting to discuss her surgery options. Bad enough that I'm actually starting to worry a bit. I know things will be fine. This is a relatively common condition, and it's treatable. So I'm ok. She's ok. In fact, she's more than ok! She's still just one of the happiest sweetest babies I've met.

p.s. Friday I'll have more information...i.e. surgery date? And then we can move forward with life.
p.p.s. Did you know Cait also sees a pediatric ophthalmologist? Yep! But it's such a non issue now that we're dealing with this kidney issue. I'll write a whole post about that at another time.


Sunday, August 12, 2012

Summer Holidays

The year Hailey turned One we bought a trailer. It was kind of a foreign concept to me. I grew up in the city with a teacher as a father and 5 siblings. We didn't have the money for big exotic Holidays...but we still holidayed. We camped a lot when I was younger (in the tent trailer...of which I have no memories), we went and visited family on the coast a lot, and sometimes we had the hotel kind of Holidays. We still camped...but I just don't remember it quite as much as staying with family and friends.

My picture of an ideal holiday was a cabin...or a nice hotel anywhere. I really didn't think camping was my thing - especially with kids!!! Not at ALL! But then Ben opened my eyes to the world of RV-ing! We bought a giant trailer (34 feet long, with a bathroom, a master bedroom, a kitchen, and a bunk-bed room). It was AWESOME!! And then Ben opened (only slightly) my eyes to world of quads and toys. So we sold our first trailer and bought the toy hauler...which has a garage for the quads (with two queen bunk beds), plus a master bedroom and all the other perks the other trailer had. Now THIS trailer is sweet! Especially for moms like me who can't sleep with their babies. The grunting and snorting and noises my baby's make at night keep me up. I like them in their own rooms! So we unload the quads, clean the garage, put the bunks down and set up the room for the baby...or who ever else is sleeping in there. It's sweet!! Anyway, because of this sweet trailer, we spend a LOT of time camping. It has a built in generator so we can camp anywhere (back country) and have power for things like: the microwave, the Air Conditioning, the TV etc.

Anyway, every year we do a week long trip in the trailer (on top of the many weekends we use it as well). This year we went to Shuswap with friends. We had a fabulous time!! Here are some pics:

Night one...Baby's first time in the exersaucer...not her first Mohawk


Water slides in Salmon Arm...the girls had a BLAST

So much fun that I couldn't get them to look at me or my camera even ONCE!

Paige was diva all the way!! Throwing rocks to smooth out her sun tanning spot...pink rhinestone glasses

Suntanning...Diva - I told ya

Cait...oh Cait...she was the PERFECT baby! Slept on the beach for hours at a time, hung out in her stroller and smiled at everyone...did I mention that she slept everywhere?? PERFECTION!

Hailey...just so sweet and innocent and happy and adorable and beautiful

On our way home we decided to take a 'slight' detour to the Columbia Icefields...I mistakenly thought they were in Lake Louise, so we got all prepped for the glacier. And THEN we realized they were an hour and a half NORTH of Lake Louise. So not at all on our way home, but still worth the drive. I played tour guide for my family...and failed miserably. The only mountain I could remember was rundle mountain and I have no idea which one it was. So much for all those Canadian Rockies Geology courses I took in University!

The Athabasca Glacier was pretty cool! The girls LOVED IT! We especially liked drinking the fresh glacier water. Deliciously fresh!

Cait slept

Family picture


Overall the week was great! We're happy to be home...but more happy to have made so many great memories!! I'm already planning next years holiday!!