BAD BUT NOT SAD

 

In the middle of night last Thursday, Jonah started with kidney infection symptoms: severe back and side pain and nausea and vomiting.  We spent most of Friday in the ER so he could get IV fluids and antibiotics.  Over the weekend, we started oral antibiotics at home for a 10 day course.

Jonah is starting to feel better: 

less back pain and less nausea.  

So he was feeling very bad when infection first hit, now he is on mend, thank goodness!

While it is very hard to see your child is pain and discomfort when they are feeling bad, we are very grateful that the cause of this kidney infection appears to be catheter related.  Catheters are breeding grounds for bacteria so it is not unusual that an infection would happen.  

What we were worried about when we first noticed he was having symptoms was that he was retaining urine again.  This was the cause of his original kidney infection in  August 2020.  

You see, these past 2 weeks, we have been draining the catheter less often which is requiring Jonah to have to void efficiently and safely.  We thought he was giving us very good numbers, however, when he started to get sick, we were nervous this meant he was not handling voiding on his own.   This would have made us very sad because it might have indicated that Jonah would need a catheter long-term.  

But we are not sad because the doctor is very impressed with Jonah's voiding totals.  Also the renal ultrasound done in the ER shows the left kidney is smaller in size than it was in October so it's actually improving.  So the doctor thinks this kidney infection is just "bad luck" of getting bad bacteria in that catheter.  

Of course, the doctor is concerned about clearing up this infection as soon as possible.  That is why Jonah is on 2 antibiotics for 10 days.  His bacteria is a tough one to treat so we are hoping and praying this infection can be treated with this course of treatment.

Because in 10 days, if all is clear, the doctor said he thinks we are getting very close to removing the catheter!!!!!  Provided Jonah also continues to void good numbers once he starts again on Thursday.  The doctor wants Jonah to be on full drainage for a few days to help flush the kidneys/bladder of this infection.

So Jonah felt bad, but at least we are not sad.  We'll take 1 out of 2 at this point.  As long we are getting closer to Jonah being without a catheter- it's been there since 9-4-20.  It's time to COME OUT!

From the ER on Friday

Jonah started to perk up after getting fluids and antibiotics by IV