Today was Abby's urodynamics testing. The test involved catheterizing her to empty her bladder, then using the catheter to insert a dye into her bladder, watching her bladder fill up and then watching how it empties. Abby cried and cried and cried until she couldn't cry anymore tears. She was constantly telling them "no, no" "all done" "down" and "cold". They were very impressed with her vocabulary.
The end result is that the sphincter stays too tight and doesn't allow her bladder to empty all at one time, just in spurts. The diagnosis on top of the tethered spinal cord is a neurogenic bladder. They put her on a medicine that is supposed to help relax the sphincter and release the urine. If the urine is not released, it can damage both the bladder and the kidneys.
The good news is that right now, we don't have to catherize her at home. In the future, we may have to in order to help her empty her bladder. We are hopeful however that the surgery will take care of this issue and it will be over with. The Dr. made us aware that once she has surgery, urology will visit her in the hospital. Also, she'll have another urodynamics test three months after surgery to get a new baseline.
Dr. Jane, Jr., the neurosurgeon said that if this test came back with any issues at all, we will do surgery. So that is where we stand now. I'm not sure when it will be. They are supposed to call within the next couple of days.
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3 comments:
Poor Abby! She has endured so many tests already. Once the bladder is hopefully fixed, will there be more?
Well, the surgery is actually for the detethering of the spine, not the bladder. However, the nerves that are tethered are the ones that control the bladder, bowels, and lower limbs, so they are essentially effecting her bladder.
No guarantees on whether the bladder will be fixed. She'll have to undergo this same horrendous test 3 months after surgery to get a new "baseline". She is showing interest in the potty and using it twice a day, but we aren't sure where to go with since she has these issues.
I'm hoping the neurosurgeon calls tomorrow.
So do you know when the surgery is going to be?
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