VCUG

Derek had his next appointment to follow-up on his enlarged kidney.  His appointment was for a VCUG, which stands for voiding cystourethrogram, which is basically a procedure where a catheter is inserted into to the bladder and dye is injected.  We arrived at Children's Hospital, parking in the close ramp this time, and went to radiology.  We had to wait for some time for a radiologist to become available.  When he did, Mike and I had to help hold Derek down while they inserted the catheter.  He normally cries during his diaper changing, and this was that plus more.  There was no comforting him during this procedure.  Once they got it in, we got to give him the bottle we brought and he was finally happy.  In the meantime, they injected the dye into his bladder and we watched it (through a series of x-rays) move through his system.  Then the nurse poured water on Derek to get him to try to pee.  He is great at this during diaper changes, but not when he needed to.  She had to use two full big cups to get him to go.  Needless to say, when we were done with the test he was soaked.

The radiologist saw no sign of reflux and explained that the next step was to do the test to check for blockage.  Uuuggghhh....this was not what we wanted to hear.  Then we went upstairs to meet with the Urologist at Children's to officially tell us the bad news.  He took a look at the scans, asked some questions about Derek's eating/peeing habits, and examined him.  Then the doctor shocked us both.  He said we should discontinue Derek's amoxicillin and come back in two months for a follow-up ultrasound.  The doctor did not think it was a blockage.  WOW!  We go back in two months to continue to monitor his kidney but no more tests (or possibility for surgery) right no.  Yay  :-)