Bummer news.

Yes, I cried today.  Second time in a month.  I don't cry. (Or so I think) The first being happy tears over hearing news that we were moving into base housing sooner than planned.  Realizing I won't be homeless with two kids, a dog and a newborn, and that my peaceful feeling all along about moving out and renting our house out before we have another home was as I suspected all along, God providing me and our family with His love and grace.

Today I cried after reading old blog posts and looking at pictures of my sweet Ella starting preschool. She has grown and changed so much especially in the past year.  Seeing all those old pictures with her chubby little cheeks after looking at pictures of my sweet Ella's scarred right kidney on ultrasound earlier.  I know right?  Pictures of her right kidney with a scar on the top....... (left one normal and healthy) 

Over the past year of random doctor appointments for poison oak rashes, sore throats, regular old illnesses, and regular Blood pressure checks at those visits, Ella has been running a little high in her blood pressure.  Because of the way military medicine works we never see the same doctor unless we schedule a week or two out with her PCM, and not until we randomly got in with her PCM did a single doctor seem concerned that I was concerned about her elevated blood pressure. Each other doctor blamed her bp on 'white coat syndrome' meaning she gets nervous at the dr office and thus her bp rises.  Both Ella's dr and his senior attending agreed it was time to investigate if I was concerned, and IF I was concerned, they were concerned as well.

*Let me back up and say high blood pressure in an otherwise healthy child is rare and usually a sign of kidney damage/disease.*

A couple weeks ago Ella had urine and blood tests and today the first ultrasound.   So sweet and quiet and scared, she questioned and worried about why she was having the tests done and the "what ifs" of having "something wrong" with her kidneys.  I along with her doctors felt pretty strongly that the tests would reveal no underlying issue with her kidneys but certainly nervous, and explained to Ella in her worries how we all felt and that making sure she is healthy and perfect is what the tests are for.  

She has watched me have ultrasounds several times and knew what to expect, yet approaching the bed for it to be her turn she hesitated, started to cry a bit, and had to be coaxed to lay down and relax.  Quickly there after, she began to enjoy seeing what's inside her tummy and then began sharing all of what is going on in the life of our family with the kind U/S tech.  Ha! 

After the tech was finished taking pictures, she went and got the pediatric radiologist and he came to look as well.  I sat in complete oblivion that there could possibly be something abnormal.  He asked me a bunch of questions about her past medical history which is basically perfect.  (except for what I remembered just  a bit ago about her multiple subcutaneous hemangiomas when she was just a few weeks old. Remember that?)  He in fact saw scarring on her right kidney which he said could be the root of her high blood pressure.  He questioned if she had ever had a UTI, trauma to her kidney, weird meds, or any other health issues.  Perhaps a high fever caused it, perhaps there is something else going on?  The possibilities (according to evil google) seem endless and terrifying.    

I'm not the only parent with a kid who has a health issue.  But right now, it's my kid and it's a big a deal as it was, is, or would be if it was yours.  It may be less severe than your child's, it may be more and until we know for sure why it is there, or what caused it, it is what it is and we would appreciate your prayers for my sweet, gentle, innocent, Ella girl. 

Today's ultrasound will hopefully be followed soon (as in today) with a conversation with her PCM.   We have a renal study scheduled on July 22, an EKG and possibly an MRI to get a better look at the scar, as well as a new relationship with a pediatric nephrologist.  

That's what I know.......