Kidney Overview and Update

Max had a follow up appointment this week for his kidney. After some reflection I realized I haven't blogged about his surgery. 

So let's back up from the beginning:

Our 20 week sonogram with him showed his left kidney to be slightly enlarged. Might be something or could be nothing. We did another sonogram at 34ish weeks to recheck it and see if it was indeed something. Well the left kidney was still enlarged and the right one was also slightly enlarged but there was nothing else to indicate a serious problem so the doctor thought it was just hydronephrosis and there was a good chance it would take care of itself after delivery. He wanted us to do another sonogram about a month after delivery to see how his kidney was doing. If it was better then it was exactly what he was thinking: hydronephrosis. If it wasn't better then we would do more to figure out what was going on. 

A month after delivery we had a recheck for his kidneys and his right kidney was completely fine and had shrunk down to a normal size. His left one was even more enlarged than it was in utero. Pretty clear sign that something was going on and we needed to see a specialist. :( Well we were in the process of moving so we were able to see a specialist here once we got moved in. 

The week we moved in we saw a pediatric urologist and he did a sonogram and agreed that it was not a normal size. He then explained that a sonogram can only show the size and shape of the kidney but doesn't show the function of it. We would need to do another test for that called a Lasix Renal Scan. In order for this test to be successful the patient needs to be still for an hour. Obviously a 3 month old baby isn't capable of sitting still so they decided to put him under anesthesia to do the test. It was more stressful than I was expecting it to be but all went well and we got conclusive results. The kidney was not draining at all which indicates a blockage of some kind in the tube that goes from the kidney to the bladder (called a ureter). UPJ obstruction if you want to google it. :)

So we scheduled a surgery for August. I was so nervous and stressed about it. Max was almost 5 months old. 

Before surgery. 

Momma holding him after surgery. 

It was a rough 24 hours. He was so groggy and sad. We had to spend the night in the hospital and Dan and I took turns holding him all night. Anytime we moved or put him down he just cried and cried. We got no sleep. 

But very quickly he perked up!

Dan was exhausted but Max was feeling a bit better!

Ready to go home!

He had a drain put in and needed it for a week. Then he got it removed. We had a follow up check at 6 weeks and the kidney was significantly smaller. The surgeon was very pleased! He wanted to see us again in 6 months to see how the kidney was doing. 

The 6 month check up was last Friday. I am so happy to say his kidney looks completely normal!!! His scar looks great, too. The surgeon was so happy with how it looked and considers the surgery a success! The surgeon wants to see us back in FIVE years (2020. Max will be 6. Does that seem weird to anyone else?!?!).  I am so very thankful! It was a rough summer and fall and I am so relieved to be on this end of it all! 

A now happy and healthy 13 month 

old! So thankful that God led us to a city with such an amazing pediatric urologist. I am so thankful for modern medicine. 

*you can see his arm is brace free! Got an all clear on that last week, too!!! Phew what a year we have had!!!