2 Months & A Diagnosis

Brooklyn turned 2 months old at the end of March and we are finally in a routine and have all the newborn baby "kinks" worked out.  She has been the easiest baby ever.  She's very easy to soothe.  She's on a 3 hour feeding schedule and takes 3 1/2 oz bottles.   She's generally happy all the time unless she's hungry or needs to burp.  B loves watching her brothers move around her and appreciates laying on the play mat near them.  I think one of her favorite things is the swing.  She can last in that thing for hours-- not that we've tried that, but the boys never lasted more then 20 minutes at a time so we're grateful that she enjoys it. 

Brooklyn weighed 9lbs 8 oz at her 2 month doctors appointment and was 22in.  She sleeps through the night swaddled from 8pm to 7am.  It's awesome!!  She loves holding lovies or blankets in her hands to squeeze and grab.  Miles did the same thing at this age.  It's weird but if you give her something to hold, it kinda calms her down!!   Gavin thinks she's beautiful and Miles has just decided that he likes her and wants to be around her versus always terrorizing her.  He attempts to be soft and gentle around her and tries to pat her versus hitting her.  Hey, we're making progress! 

 

Soooo... there are some other things going on with Brooklyn that we haven't shared with many people,  but that we have been aware of since before she was born.  Brooklyn has been diagnosed with moderate to severe hydronephrosis.  It took about 6 weeks for her to be diagnosed, and then another 4 weeks after that for us to find out what is causing the hydronephrosis.  Brooklyn currently has a partial blockage in one of her kidneys that is causing the kidney to dilate.  We are in a waiting game now just "monitoring" things with ultrasounds since this diagnosis can change over time.  From what we know hydronephrosis has the ability to fix itself over time, if it doesn't and it goes untreated, there are risks.  We've had blood and urine work done to check her kidney functions and have been monitoring the size of dilation in her kidneys over time.  So far, they have been increasing, which is why we've been so concerned.

We're happy to know what the cause is and to know that there is a surgical procedure that can fix the problem.   We're grateful that even though both her kidneys have dilation, only one of them is affected.  Brooks and I are hopeful that as we continue to have B monitored and go in for routine ultrasounds, whether the dilation continues or not, we know the problem.  For weeks we went unknowing and really had no idea what we were dealing with.  Our plan is to have 2 more ultrasounds done, one in May, one in June.  The results of those ultrasound readings will determine if another MAG 3 (see below) test is needed to determine if there is still a blockage in her kidney.  From there, we will know what our next step is.   We have been in contact with urologist from Texas Children's Hospital and have been given advice on what do do and how to handle B's diagnosis as the results come in and will be meeting with them this summer once we're in the USA.  If surgery is required, Brooks and I have decided to have it done in the states.  We trust our hospital here and the urologist (who have been right on track with the urologist in the states) but we just feel more comfortable being in the USA and surrounded with family.

If you want to know more....
When I was 18 weeks pregnant, my doctor noticed something with B's kidney and said he was going to monitor it from that point on while in utero.  Brooks and I thought nothing of it since we figured it was very early in her development stage, we had just had an ultrasound in the USA and nothing was detected, and that there was plenty of time for things to change.  When I was 34 weeks pregnant my doctor noticed that one of B's kidneys was dilated and brought it to our attention one more time.  At this point, Brooks and I then became more alert and decided we would take this a little more seriously.  During my last ultrasound at 36 or 37 weeks we discussed that her kidney was still enlarged and we were given instructions as to what to do once Brooklyn was born.  

When Brooklyn was one day old, a urologist performed an ultrasound to locate and determine the exact dilation that was taking place with her kidneys.  We went back at one month for a consultation to let us know what we were looking for and what we could be finding out.  At 6 weeks another ultrasound was conducted, which showed dilation in both her kidneys, where we were told she had bilateral hydronephrosis.  From that point, her urologist ordered 2 tests to be performed that would tell us what was causing the dilation.  I took Brooklyn to SAAD Hospital on two separate days and had 2 different tests done.

The first test they conducted was to test for reflux.  Brooklyn had a Voiding Cystogram (VCUG) test done where they placed a catheter inside her and filled her bladder with a dyed saline to cause her to urinate.  The dye is then monitored through video X-ray imagining to see if her urine backs up into her kidneys instead of leaving her bladder.  Immediately.. the technician said there is no reflux.    I was incredibly bummed by that news.  We were told that this is what we wanted to be the cause because it was the easiest to fix.

The next day, I returned to the hospital with Brooklyn to have a MAG 3 test (or renal scan) done to determine the functioning of her kidneys and whether there was a blockage somewhere.  This test was a little more invasive.  In order for the test to be performed a radioactive material was injected into B's bloodstream via IV.  There was a moment when I didn't even know if we were going to be able to conduct the test since it took an hour, 3 nurses, and 24 pokes for her IV to be inserted.  It was a HORRIBLE experience, Brooklyn cried for an hour straight, I was fuming, doctors and nurses were coming to our room left and right and no one could could find a vein.  Eventually a sweet nurse came in and instead of poking her to find the vein she worked on getting a vein first then poked her.  It worked and an hour and 15 minutes after our scheduled appointment time, B was strapped to the table sound asleep.  They injected her with the material and her kidneys were monitored for over an hour.  She slept through the entire test and didn't move once.  We left the hospital and returned 2 hours later to rescan her body to ensure that all the radioactive material left her body and nothing was remaining.  That scan lasted 5 minutes.  I asked the technician if she noticed a blockage anywhere, but she said she wasn't allowed to comment on the test.

A week later, Brooks brought Brooklyn back to the urologist where he gave Brooks the results from the test.  Brooklyn has a partial blockage in one of her kidneys, which is causing the dilation.  One kidney is able to secrete urine and waste appropriately and in a timely manner, while the other one doesn't.  It can secrete just not at the rate that it is suppose to.

Please keep our baby girl in your prayers as we continue to sort this out.  Our prayer is with each ultrasound that any dilation occurring would be spotted.  We're praying that the dilation would not affect her kidney function and that her BUN levels continue to look good.  There are multiple risks that COULD come out of this, but thus far Brooklyn doesn't have any of them.  This is just a diagnosis you have to watch and stay on top of until you're given the all clear.