Another Surgery Down!

We are happy to report that we are home from Mitch's surgery, and it went well. Dr. Gonzales said that there was still some membrane left that they removed, which is what was causing Mitch's urethra to still be dilated. We reported to Texas Children's this morning at 6 am with a hungry, grumpy baby. (Mitch hadn't eaten since 3:30 am, which was the last possible time I was allowed to nurse him.) The surgery was in a different location from the first time, so we got to hang out in a new area of the hospital. After the procedure, we went to see Mitch in the recovery room. He was a bit more upset this time, and he didn't nurse. I think his throat was irritated from the breathing tube and congestion. He finally ate about an hour after we got home. He's resting now, and we're hoping that this is the last surgery he'll have to have and that he'll grow out of any other problems. It'll be a long road. Like the Fellow we met today said, "You'll be seeing a lot of Dr. Gonzales." Kids who have Posterior Urethral Valves need to be followed closely, since there are lots of potential issues that can come up. For now, we are happy to have made it through this surgery. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Surgery Countdown

We've been in Erie for the past week, enjoying cooler weather and seeing family and friends. We return to Texas tomorrow with my mom in tow. Mitchell's surgery is scheduled for 7:30 am on Monday morning. We'd appreciate prayers. Specifically, we hope that he doesn't have an infection and can have the surgery, and we also pray that this procedure is the last one he'll have to have!

Mitchell Update

We got some bad news today at our appointment with Dr. Gonzales. He is not seeing the result he wanted from the surgery and he'll be repeating the procedure. Of course, this is not what we wanted to hear. It's overwhelming to think that the problem is not corrected. The surgery will be after our trip to Pennsylvania, most likely the first week of August. This time, it should be an outpatient surgery, which means we won't have to stay over in the hospital. Please keep Mitchell in your prayers. It is so hard to see such a wee one dealing with these issues.

All Smiles

Mitch has been showing off his smile lately. It's hard to believe he's 2 months old today!

Bubble Boy

Fauxfection

After fretting about Mitchell's infection, we were delighted to learn that his urine culture came back clear! Apparently, there can be false positives. They have decreased his antibiotic to 2x/day and we are all set for the repeat VCUG on Tuesday!

Follow-Up at TCH

Yesterday we trekked to Texas Children's for Mitchell's post-op appointment. We had two tests scheduled: an ultrasound of his kidneys/bladder and a VCUG. We had the ultrasound done, but, unfortunately, an infection in his urine precluded us from having the VCUG done. This was a disappointment, as it is a test that shows whether the surgery was successful and how much reflux is still present.

Dr. Gonzales changed Mitchell's antibiotic and upped his dose. We'll go back to TCH on Tuesday, 7/21, to have the test done.

We did see the ultrasound, and the right kidney is a bit smaller and the left looks "good" according to the doctor. It is a bit disconcerting to know that the reflux of urine into the kidneys resolves in 50% of the patients. We're trying to stay postive and pray that we're in that 50%.

Mitch is such a sweet baby. Despite all he's gone through, he's a smiley, happy boy. He's hit the social stage, which is a joy, but this means he's harder to get down to sleep. It's a stage--we know--but it's a bit frustrating.

We're looking forward to our visit to Erie next week. We're ready to escape the Houston heat and to have some help.

I will update after our visit next week.