Oh Happy Day

Alternately titled: We're FREEEEEEEEEE!

Guys, I have tried to update this thing fifty million times while in the hospital with the mouseless internet, all with the use of the TAB key and the worst keyboard ever known to man, but Mah God every time I thought I figured out how to make it post with the use of TAB, TAB, TAB, TABTABTABTAB TABTABTABTAAAAAAABDAMNYOU it would eat the entry that took triple the normal time to write, thank you worst keyboard evah.

Alas, we have arrived home, and what a difference a week makes.

Quick backstory: We took Marin back to the hospital last Friday, just a few hours after we were released, because she had spiked a pretty good fever.  In all the awfulness the universe could muster, she had blood tests, catheterization and a spinal tap and was then started on antibiotics and admitted.  It turned out that she had a bacterial infection in both her blood and her urine, a pretty serious one that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic she's been on since birth, and subsequently the antibiotic she was started on that first night in the ER.

So very luckily, Accomodations were provided by Blue Cross & Blue Shield at the Four Star University of Chicago Spa & Resort, and Marin was cared for by a team of doctors, residents and nurses that were just incredible.  (The docs and residents?  They really do walk around in large white coat-wearing groups just like Grey's Anatomy.  I gave them little pet names in my brain, like Yang and Izzy and Mer and wondered which tiny supply closets they were sleeping in during their twenty-four hour shifts, but then the challenge was to not speak these things aloud in the moments I had to rejoin the world of, uh, re-al-i-ty, as they discussed with me plans of action for my baby and more damn IV's.)

As I had filled you in way back when, my next step last Monday morning was to contact a new nephrologist at the Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.  Fortunately, the only thing I could really do with the odd, odd version of Hospital Internet on TV was to TAB TAB TAB and read.  And after doing plenty of reading about the urologist/surgeon we had been seeing at U of C, I wondered why we gave up on the entire hospital so quickly after one bad opinion from one nephrologist.  (I'll tell you why.  With the news and advice from last Friday?  I was in a panic and willing to stand on my head for the rest of my natural life if it would mean never considering the possibility of renal failure in my baby again.)  

With that I left a message for the urologist, and within a couple of hours Marin was being wheeled down for another renal scan.

A few hours later the doctor was back up in our room with answers.  (I won't begin to list the ways in which I adore this man, for I fear I will never be able to stop and then you will never get the rest of the story.  Am long winded.  Have been in seclusion.)

First of all, after much physician debate over the badly worded MAG-3 results, it was clarified that the forty and sixty they had mentioned were meant to say that Marin's bad kidney is functioning somewhat below what is normal, but the good kidney is overcompensating to give her a nice ninety percent total renal function.  That news in itself was enough to have me swinging from the hot fluorescent ceiling lights, but then I let the man finish.

The top half of Marin's bad kidney is very swollen (and now infected) as we have been seeing in test after test.  Thankfully, the bottom half and its attached ureter are completely normal.  The top half of the kidney also has a second ureter coming from it, also very swollen and infected, and neither the top half of the kidney nor the upper ureter are functioning, but rather, reeking havoc on Marin's poor little body.

For that reason, our doctor is giving Marin several more weeks to completely heal from her bacterial infection and then she will undergo surgery to remove the upper half of the kidney and ureter.  And if you can imagine, that is the best damn news I've heard all week.  My daughter is going to have surgery, and then she is going to be FINE.  She will be checked periodically after all of this, and she will be JUST FINE. 

Normal - and healthy - and fine.

My tortured mind and her tortured body since week twenty-five of pregnancy, and finally there are answers, and a plan, and a predicted wonderful outcome for a long, happy, healthy life.

Just for kicks, though, I think I should change my blog name.  Shall we go with,

Lost An Ovary,

Lost My Mind,

or 

Lost a Kidney?

 

A fine time to joke, protests the chubby-cheeked one.   

This was us for the last seven days, in the most awful chair in the entire hospital - the only place I could hold her given the short leash of leads, wires and IV tubing.

 

Kevin and the boys were able to visit the nurse with the juice and snack cart us last weekend, which was great.  It was nice to be together as a family, even if it meant being here together as a family.

 

And as a perk?  In-room prisons for bad behavior (or for playing zoo polar bears, whatever floats your boat.)

Back in pink instead of those awful blue hospital gowns.  Maybe now unsuspecting nurses will stop calling me Martin!

I am also feeling infinitely better all around, and have plans to spend the rest of the week catching up on playtime with my children, and cleeeeeaning, holy pent up energy Batman.

Comments

[Debbie]

Molly, I'm, so glad to hear that everything is better and that Marin is going to be fine. What a blessing to know that it will be better soon and life can be normal. We have been praying for all of you. By the way, Marin has gotten so big since the last pictures I saw and she is absolutely beautiful as usual. Good Luck and Please keep us posted.

[glamgranola]

I am so happy that you finally got answers! Now you can BREATHE, move on and enjoy your family!

[Rachel]

I am soooooo happy to hear all this good news!!!!!!!! I guess all the wishing and hoping and praying paid off for Marin! One surgery and that's it! I know how relieved you must be feeling!

So happy for you guys!!

[Mrs. CPA]

I'm so glad you guys are home. I know what a week in the hospital feels like with a tiny baby and it isn't fun.
It sounds like they have decided Marin has appendicitis in her kidney!
I hope everything turns out great and you guys have a nice recovery time at home. With peace and quiet for the next few weeks (but with two brothers I'm not sure how quiet it can ever get.)

[SJ]

Oh Molly! This wonderful news and this wonderful upbeat update brought tears to my eyes! What great news. I'm so glad you have a plan and can move past all of this finally and get on with your life as a wife and Mom to two boys and one girl.

*sigh*

You look wonderful by the way! Love the photos...

[Jen L.]

Oh, thank God! So glad to hear everything is working out. Yay for answered prayers. That picture of her in pink is so sweet. I know this is a load off your mind. Hang in there and take care!

[Erica]

Oh Molly, so happy for you and your family, and baby Marin. Hope everything will settle down for you and return to normal, well as normal as life can be with three wonderful kiddos.

[Amy W]

So, so glad to hear the good news that she will be fine!!

[Hilary]

It is so amazing how you can hear the relief in your voice even though you aren't actually speaking.
I am so glad you have answers and that those answers are that Marin is going to be just fine. Ahhhhh. Bless your little hearts. I know I say that all the time but really, God bless you all. What wonderful news! Weeeee.

Now, I have to ask...forget Yang and Izzie, was there a McDreamy?

[Karen]

So happy to hear the good news! Thank goodness the week of hell is over for you and sweet Marin.

[stacey]

Thank God! That is the most wonderful news. I think the entire household just heard my sigh of relief for you. You and your family have been on my mind a lot this week, and I am so grateful that all is going to be well with sweet Marin.

Also? This post sounds like YOU again. I've told you before, I regard you as SuperMom, and when YOU lose your shit? I LOSE MY SHIT. Whew. So glad you're back. Momentary rainstorm, right? I know you'll be back running all around with KJ and Jack soon, and I can't wait to hear all about it!

[Nikki]

Molly, this is wonderful news!Love the pic of the boys behind bars and the one of Marin, you'd never guess she'd been ill. Forget the cleaning though, unless, like me, you find it therapeutic. Just enjoy your family, your home and the autumn colours.

[AJU5's Mom]

I guess her getting the infection was a blessing in disguise. It allowed you to see the doctors you needed to and get the diagnosis (and plan of attack) you desperately wanted. Glad everything is going better and you are home and happy!

[Parsing Nonsense]

Oh, such FANTASTIC news! I'm so happy for you and your family! Congratulations!

[BetteJo]

Oh what a freaking relief for you! Medicine is an amazing thing when it works. The pics are wonderful and that last picture of Marin - my gosh she looks wonderful! Happy day - enjoy!

[Bethany]

That is wonderful news!!

[Beth]

Wonderful, wonderful news. The power of prayer does indeed work.

[Tina]

I am so glad to hear you guys are finally back home!

How far is the Children's Hospital in Indianapolis from your place? just curious.

well, give me a shout sometime when you get a chance.

I am returning back to work tomorrow from my three week vacation....that went by way too quickly....but if you need any help with anything at all, do not hesitate to ask. I can take a day off in a heartbeat for you guys. =)

And btw, thanks for changing and getting rid of that code thing, it has made things so much easier now. I am able to post in the first try! yipppeeee! =)

love ya

[Erika]

Such wonderful news!! Thank goodness for effective doctors. And strong baby Marin!!

[Amy Guyette]

I am sooooo relieved to hear that she is doing well and that you actually have some answers -- finally.

I can feel the stress melting off of you from here. :)

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

So glad you are home and the baby is OK. The photos are great. Your kids are seriously cute!

[crookedeyebrow]

What wonderful news!
You were sprung from the joint. I was wondering all week how Marin was.

She is getting so big and I am just so happy that you all have answers now!

[Becky]

Hi Molly!
So glad to hear that things are finally looking up for little Miss Marin. You looked great for just having a week from you know where...

Love the zoo bears...looks like the perfect bear cage to me.

Oh and I would love to hear about any McDreamy or McSteamy sightings! ha ha

[Nichole]

Hi Molly. I've been following your blog for a bit now and had to comment after reading this post. I've got some good news for you. I am 30 years old and I too had an extra malfunctioning ureter on my left kidney. It was also discovered due to an infection that I had when I about 5 months old. By 6 months, I had the surgery to remove the extra ureter and the bad portion of my left kidney. Although this only lasted for a year and I had a second surgery at a year and a half to revise the procedure, I am now doing fine as an adult. If you have any questions about my story, feel free to contact me directly! God Bless!

[Laylabean]

Hooray for good news! And hooray for being home in your own beds again. *happy dance*

[debi]

Happy is not even close to how great this news makes me. But it will have to do. I think you all deserve a break now. It's true, there's no place like home. It is the most amazing thing to read all the well wishes here. I think bloggy friends are the best and I have come to love many of them. So much love and prayers and positive thoughts coming to Marin, wow.

[bubblewench]

Very glad to hear results are finally coming through. And plans.

Marin is adorable! I'm so glad she's going to be fine. Keeping you in my prayers!