Good Afternoon and Happy MOTHER'S day to all you mothers out there!
Unfortunately this Mommy has to be at work.. on the upside I can update the journal, make a couple bucks, and have a reason not to wear sweatpants (tee hee).
We wanted to update you on some of Brody's renal (kidney) things that are happening. As you all know the kidneys had an infarct (problem/hit/lack of oxygen) when Brody coded in his third hour of life. This caused the right kidney to atrophe some/not grow as big as the left one and therefore has caused Brody to have high blood pressure. That was the reason he was hospitalized last April 1 - 6. Therefore, we as Mommy and Daddy felt like we needed to do more, be more proactive and responsive to his elevated blood pressures and we were not sure if our current nephrologist (kidney doc) was providing us with all that Brody and we needed. Therefore, we looked into a second opinion down in Omaha, NE. Daddy, Mommy, and Brody packed up the car at 7:30 am and came home at 6:30 pm. In between that time we drove to and from Omaha, ate lunch with Aunty Jolean, had two appointments (with kidney doc and kidney dietician), saw Aunt Jolean's floor in the Clarkson hospital, and stopped 2 times along the way. The doctor gave us the same response, that it is 95% sure it is the kidneys, not the brain. The difference was time in responding to us (the nurses called us back in 1/2 business day), the nurses had the new prescription called in before we left the building, and the plan of action. This doctor is being proactive in that we will be having kidney ultrasounds every 6 months until he is 2 years old (so 2 more) to see the tendancy of that right kidney (atrophe, staying the same, causing trouble, etc.) and then at the age of two we will discuss options for that kidney. For now she confirmed that we are on the right medication but unfortunately, we need to keep uping the medications until his blood pressures are 100 - 110 for the top number. It seems as though for the lil' ones they (as many docs have told us) are not too concerned with the bottom number as the top tells a lot of the story.
The kidney dietician confirmed we are on the right caloric intake and free water intake and is asking around to 5 or so other docs she has contact with for help in figuring out the 'gas' mystery and why Brody vomits so much and so hard for such a little guy with a nisson.
This week is several 6 months out of the NICU appointments. On Monday Brody has to be knocked out for a follow up MRI of the brain. On Wednesday he has a BAER test for his hearing (doesn't have to be knocked out with new machine). Finally, on Friday he has NICU followup with several specialties present to make sure we are doing all we can for the Brodmeister.
With that said I better not forget the FUN stuff!
Brody has his first TOOTH! The bottom left tooth fInAlLy broke through the skin last Saturday. His poor bottom is just finally looking back to normal now.
Brody, Mommy, and Daddy are enjoying more and more and more time outside as the weather is getting nicer. Sometimes Mommy cradles me and puts me to sleep on the walks adn sometimes we three go on longer walks and use the stroller.
Brody is working on sitting right now with some supports of the boppy and support of a kewl bench thingy Daddy cut out of the diaper box.
Brody is working on rolling over. He is 'frustrated enough' being on his tummy that tummy to back is a 'breeze'. However, the toys have to move further and further away, and Mommy has to move further and further away to entice Brody to roll onto his tummy.
We are better at updating the pictures than we are the journal so there are SEVERAL pictures added to his account. Take a look :)
Love to you all!
Donna, Brett, and Brody
