Madelyn the little patient

We took Madelyn in for a special doctor's appointment early this morning to find out the cause of her three recent infections since she started potty training. It was a very exciting and emotional (for me, at least) time all wrapped up in one. She was such a good, big girl. She arrived in her pajamas and piggy house shoes, which she was curiously happy to be wearing outside of the house.

We went back for an ultrasound first, just like mommy's recent ultrasounds. She had always been so curious watching me get them, and she seemed very proud to be having one herself.



After her ultrasound we went into another room to put on her little hospital gown and get ready for her x-ray. She looked so cute. She did so very good as they sedated her and Jonathan and I held her hands. I got a little choked up as her eyes closed, but knew that she was in God's almighty hands who is in control every second of every day and loves her more than I could ever dream. He holds her in his protective hands as I stumble through this journey called motherhood, and there is no better place for her to be. I was much calmer than expected thanks to all the prayers on our behalf. Twenty-five minutes later she opened her groggy eyes in the recovery room and immediately sat up. All she wanted was to be held and for that darn hospital gown to be taken off! After she became stable on her feet, we were able to leave and treated her to her favorite breakfast at IHOP - pancakes with strawberry syrup!


We learned there is a medical cause commonly seen in young girls for the infections, and she should outgrown it in a year or two. Her "valve" - for lack of a better word - that connects her bladder and left kidney is weak causing the urine to reflux into her kidney, which in turn has caused the infections. In the meantime a long-term low-dose of antibiotics should keep the problem under control and keep her kidney from being damaged. We were told it is hereditary (mostly in girls) and commonly shows up when potty training begins. We are still waiting to hear back from her pediatrician, but this is the solution we were told to expect. A year from now, Madelyn will undergo all these tests again to see if the "valve" has strengthened on its own. It is just such a relief to have answers and a non-surgical solution to this almost three-month ordeal.