A Praise!

On Tuesday we took our sweet precious Molly to TMH to have a VCUG. This test looks at the workings of her bladder and ureters to see if she has vesicoureteral reflux like her sister did. Our pediatrician decided to call the pediatric urologist that operated on Emily and ask to see if Molly should be tested. Dr. Erhard in Jacksonville said yes. Apparently there is a 40% chance that a sibling sister would have the same problem. So we agreed with Dr. Elzie to have her tested and not just wait on a fever or urinary tract infection. We went through this test 6 times with Emily before her surgery at age 5. It is horrible. I guess not as horrible as the post op of surgery with a 5 year old but still just horrible. They first lay the child down, hold her legs down and catheterize her. They empty her bladder and then hook the catheter up to a bag of fluids and dye. The fluids and dye run into her bladder and blow her bladder up until it is full. Then they wait and when the child urinates the radiologist watches the dye and takes about 4 x-rays. The x-ray machine is on top of the child so it feels like it is going to fall on them I am sure. Then the catheter comes out. Emily had grade III (which is right in the middle of the scale of severity) on both sides of her ureter/kidneys. Most children that are born with this out grow it but Emily had not by 5 and the specialist said she most likely would not after that age.

John went in with Molly thank goodness..I didn't think I could hear her cry like that. We waited for over 2 1/2 hours to do the test. John said that as soon as they started putting the catheter in she started screaming and turned red from her belly button up. Dr. Albright (who we really like by the way...he was always great with Emily) did not see any reflux!!! Yeah! Praise God! He wants an ultrasound to look at the anatomy but that isn't painful so it won't be bad on her. So we are very thankful! And thankfully, Molly won't remember any of it!