Another Caitlin Update

Caitlin saw the Urologist at Children's in Dallas today... He reviewed her x-rays and sono from yesterday. She does have bilateral kidney reflux and it's at AT LEAST Stage Two, if not a Three. He couldn't determine if it was a "fungal ball" in her sonogram but he said it does look like one. He said that they are usually found in hospitalized children though so didn't know why she would have one. We had the choice to put her on antibiotics today or wait and we decided to wait. He did another urine sample today and will have that culture back and the culture that Dr. Tammi's office sent off yesterday. We will go back next week (not sure when yet) and have another sono done and go over the test results for the cultures. If she THEN has fungal in her urine or the sono shows the fungal ball and he is fully able to determine that is what it is, we'll put her on antibiotics. But as of now he is pretty certain that it will clear up on it's own (usually by the time they are 3 years old). Of course told us to watch for signs: fever, not acting herself, not eating, not gaining weight and we'd have to watch out for another UTI and if she gets another UTI we'd have to do another urine sample and we'll cross that bridge when we get there on what he'd do and how "serious" it is. He did tell us something very interested... her skin tag is commonly related to kidney problems. He said that with studies it has shown that children that have kidney problems usually have a skin tag on their ear. How that happens I have NO clue but I thought that was VERY interesting... he looked at her skin tag and said it would be easy to remove (not for him of course but you know) it's just skin, not cartridge with it. Dr. Tammi had already told us that but you know, it's nice to hear from another Doctor.

Wendy (Jeff's sister) sent me a link to a blog that she reads and how ironic her daughter is going through the same thing. I am going to steal what she put about the different stages and what her doc has said about it... just because she seems to have worded things better then me. Helps she is or was a Nurse so she knows all those medical terms :)

Kidney reflux is graded according to its severity:
--Grade I results in urine reflux into the ureter only.
--Grade II results in urine reflux into the ureter and the renal pelvis, without distention.
--Grade III results in urine reflux into the ureter and the renal pelvis causing mild hydronephrosis.
--Grade IV results in moderate hydronephrosis.
--Grade V results in severe hydronephrosis and twisting of the ureter.

So Caitlin is a Grade II or III and a good thing the doc said, she can't get "worse". This is one time that they usually don't get worse ... so even if we don't give her antibiotics through all this and she has time to "heal" on it's own... it can only get better. So that was nice to hear!!!

Anyway, she is doing good though. Eating great (cereal and nursing)... and being sooooooo happy and laughing ALL the time! She is a drool bucket too. I am going to have to go get her bibs or dig out Hailey's old ones, she can get the front of any outfit wet with drool!

I will be sure to update when I know something more! Please continue to keep her in your prayers for a speedy safe recovery!