reflux update...

Tuesday we spent the day at Children's Hospital and Sasha had an ultrasound and DMSA renal scan to see how her kidneys are doing. (Thank you Virginia, Janice and Adrienne for the visits with you which broke up the day and the extra hugs were great!)

Thankfully we met with the urologist at the end of it all so we knew the results right away (well...over 45 minutes in the waiting room is not exactly right away...but I've had to wait many days for results before and that really sucks!)

to recap what the problem is Sasha has Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) which occurs when the valve between the ureters and the bladder is not working properly. It should operate as a one-way valve. Instead, it operates as a two-way valve and can allow urine in the bladder to flow backwards (reflux) into one or both ureters and kidneys.

and the results...it looks like her right kidney has suffered some damage, though it is unclear whether this is scar tissue from the infection in June or new damage caused by the reflux of the urine from the bladder back into the kidneys.

(I also have scar tissue on my right kidney from my infection as a teen. I'll soon be having a follow up ultrasound as our doctor wants to ensure that it is only scar tissue and not a new problem...great!)

anyways...the two main options we now have to consider are these:
1. continue with the antibiotics for a couple of years (with follow up tests along the way to measure progress) and see if her body can outgrow the reflux problem on it's own. With this option she has a 50% of making it to age 3 without further complications. However, the antibiotics are no guarantee that she will not get another infection...
2. Sasha can have a procedure called Deflux. This is an endoscopic procedure (not a surgery that requires cutting open, however she would be sedated) where the surgeon injects a gel around the ureter opening to create a valve function and stop urine from flowing back up the ureter. This basically provides a structure for her cells to grow around as well. The risks are 'minimal' - along with the usual risks involved with being sedated, etc. The procedure gives her a 75% chance of recovery...and we can take her off the antibiotics.

so, we have an appointment with our pediatrician next Friday, and after a week or so to think it over and do some more research on our options (and are there any others?) we will discuss it with her before making our final decision. It may seem like a no brainer to some...but I want to be confident we are making the best choice for her health.

as it stands she may have high-blood pressure problems in her future due to the damage done (so we need to make sure her blood pressure is checked regularly), but so far she seems to be in great health.

if you are interested in medical procedures, or curious to learn more about the Deflux procedure Sasha may have, the web site from the pamphlet we were given is www.deflux.com

I'll update again after we meet with our pediatrician and have made up our mind...in the mean time, here are some more picks of Sasha living la vida loca!
- her first swing ride, my favorite bath pics, telling a story and exploring her world on foot!
- conspiring with her buddies Merlin and Charlie (Sasha and Charlie broke into big smiles after I took this one)

Thanks to all of you for your positive energy and concern for Sashas' health...your support means a lot! :)