October 2009

Hello hello from the outer reaches of darkness . . . or so it would seem when you're living without a computer in the home and caring for the family. :-) It has been several months since my last post and we're well overdue. To be continued . . . pictures of our trip in July back home to Seattle and to Europe!!!! Fabulous! Updates on children and school and Dan and work and me and home. :-) Tune in shortly.

Deflux

Sorry it has been so long since our last post. (We're currently without the use of a home computer and getting to the library is more difficult than one could imagine!) So the pediatric urologist decided, after reviewing the images shown from Benji's x-ray and ultrasound that firstly, the images are very poor, and secondly she is not sure she agrees it being a grade 4 and instead believes it to be a grade 3 (this is good). So we've scheduled a deflux for June 22nd, it is an outpatient surgery which involves going under and a long needle while they monitor on a screen. The great thing is not only does deflux have a 80% + success rate, but it allows for the more invasive surgery later it it doesn't work. Also with them monitoring on a screen after he goes under, it ensures they can view the kidneys, ureters, and bladder themselves and see the images firsthand. If after seeing it themselves on a live screen decided that it isn't a grade 3 and is indeed worse, they will stop, not perform the deflux and instead schedule the operation for August. So we think this is a win-win.

Other than that, things are well down here. Weather is fabulous, move is in 7 days, and no one has killed another yet despite the stress of moving etc. :-)

Extra! Extra! Read all about it . . .

So in a previous post I explained that there is reflux in Benjamin's ureters that is causing problems. I was lucky enough to watch all this on a TV-type screen in the x-ray room which provided amazing views as I was able to watch the dye travel backwards up the ureters to the kidneys; thus the infections. Well, call me stupid but apparently the image you see above shows that he has a third kidney! I was so fascinated with watching the dye travel courses unintended and seeing how it worked, that I totally didn't realize there was one ureter on the right side and two on the left side, both on the left lead up to two different kidneys! The image above shows the dye as dark gray extending up to the two kidneys, you'll notice nothing on the right side of his body because the reflux on the right side only extended about 1/3 of the way up the ureters, while the left side has been determined to be a grade 4 (between 1-5). Benjamin has a third kidney! An extra kidney?! I am not sure if this is at all common . . . . I've heard of third kidneys before, but never actually known of one. (I did hear my younger sister has a third kidney . . . U wonder if it is a hereditary thing and if others in the family would have one????) Surgery is nearly guaranteed at this point according to the pediatric urologist in Lubbock, but she is double and triple checking results to confirm before proceeding.

Sunny Sunday

The four eldest ready for church this morning.

Isa smiling pretty.

Look at Katherine's sparkly whites.

Clarice in a more serious pose.

Benji always is so handsome. Too bad this isn't a scratch n' sniff, Benji always wears Navy cologne and smells soooooo manly. :-)

CLARICCCCCEEEEE

The following photos are of various Clarice faces within the past few days.
This one I title "I am sleepy"


"Bloodrush"

"Waiting for Prince Charming"

"Fire Starter"

"Oh, I couldn't have done that, I am way too sweet and innocent"

Andrew with Katherine and Clarice

Katherine really struggles to manage Andrew's weight. :-) They love to play together.

Clarice is a great big sister!

Andrew loves all the females in his life.

You are getting sleepy . . . very sleepy

Have you ever heard of a parent's favorite time of the day? NAP TIME!! Isa shot these cute photos of some sleeping angels. Gotta love the innocence and peace on their faces.
Benji catching a few zzzz.


Close up of K napping.



K sleeping soundly.