Someone, Please Help Me

Hannah had her follow-up ultrasound and VCUG procedure last Thursday. It has taken me this long to shake off some of the bad feelings from that day and give an update. If you have ever had to hold your screaming child down on a surgical table while they do medical things to her, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It does things to you…

Last March, in amongst all the other things we had going on, we also had Hannah in the hospital getting her kidneys checked out. She’d had a UTI, which in itself isn’t all that strange, but the fact that she was 2 years old and had a UTI was cause for question. Her pediatrician recommended we do some testing to see if she had a condition called Kidney Reflux. Both Lance and I were there with her, but neither of us really had any idea what to expect. Because of the all the radiology though, me and my 8 month pregnant belly had to hide behind the glass wall during the VCUG part. It. Was. Awful. Lance had to help keep her pinned to the table while they inserted a catheter and filled her bladder up with colored liquid. I was behind the glass, trying very hard not to sob, because I couldn’t pick her up and soothe her or try to make it better. After what seemed like hours, they were done and I was able to come back in and hold her. I could tell by looking at Lance, he needed holding too. It was rough, but we learned she did in fact, have Kidney Reflux. She was graded a level 2 and we were told to give her a small dose of antibiotic each night before bed to keep any future UTIs away, and we would re-test in a year.

Many kids that are diagnosed with Kidney Reflux, outgrow it on their own as their bodies continue to develop. So we waited the year and went back for all the testing again last week. This time though, Lance stayed home with Eliza while I went to the hospital with Hannah. She did fantastic. All during the ultrasound, she chatted up the nurses and talked about going to preschool at the zoo. She watched with great interest, the pictures of her tummy on the ultrasound machine. But then, it was time to go into another room for the VCUG part. That room just looks scary. So much equipment, so many nurses and doctors dressed in their scrubs, a big sterile looking table. If I were 3, I wouldn’t want any part of that room either.

About 2 minutes after we got her up on the table, she lost it. I had been trying to prepare her for what was going to happen, but I’m sure she thought I was crazy. Why would a doctor stick a tube up her weewee butt? Silly mommy. But then, they stuck a tube up her weewee butt and it was awful. All she wanted was to crawl up into my arms and have me hold her. All I wanted to do was scoop her up off that table and hold her. But instead, I had to help pin her down to the table. Holding Hannah’s arms down so she doesn’t yank the catheter out, while listening to her scream, “someone please help me!” over and over. Ya, that about broke me.

Luckily, it was over in about 15-20 minutes. She was up and off that table, climbing my body, quicker than I could blink. A little bit of soothing, a room change, and things were better. The hospital was fantastic though, she left with her arms full of books, stickers, and even a new cabbage patch doll. Unfortunately, she still has Kidney Reflux. But, it has gotten a little better and she is at a level 1. So, she will take her nightly antibiotics for another year. And, next March, we will test again.

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