Monday Medical: Pyloplasty #2

This is the update I have been waiting for myself... We have dates and a plan.  And even though I have been trying to prepare my folks and George for the risky business involved in this surgery, it still hit me like a ton of bricks when the nurse finally confirmed it.  "It" being a stent exchange with possibility of an open pyloplasty.  So let's take this step-by-step:

- Clayton is tentatively having a stent exchange in November.

- Clayton's stent exchange is for the stent in his ureter that is there to drain his kidney because it can no longer adequately do so (if at all) on its own.  

- We have been doing these stent exchanges for 3 years, but they have become more problematic due to scar tissue and such from his original pyloplasty and particularly from his tumor resection.

- The increased risk with these stent exchanges now prevents us from doing them locally.  The doctor tried and was unsuccessful in March.  Our local urologist referred us to a urologist in Orlando that has previously worked with our local urologist on cases including Clayton's.

- When Clayton went into acute renal failure in Texas it was due to this ureter issue and the urologist there suggested then he may need another pyloplasty.   

- The urologist here bounced around various alternatives and so we have been waiting on the urologist in Orlando to confirm surgery date and his plan.

Which brings us up to speed.  So we will go to Orlando in November and the doctors will attempt a stent exchange, but are preparing to do an open pyloplasty.  A pyloplasty is the same surgery Clayton had as an infant.  It did not go so well the first time so we are hoping for a better outcome this time.  The fact is, if they get a stent exchange successfully and don't do the plyoplasty now, he will still need it later.  The stent exchanges are only a temporary solution.  If you remember, a year and a half ago when Clayton's kidney function began to decline, the doctors were preparing us then for something major.  Well they bought us a little more time and even if they manage to do so again come November, the amount of time they can buy us is limited.  I honestly don't know if I want to get it over with or want to do it a little later on.  I just don't know.  Clayton's original pyloplasty was suppose to have about a week of recovery.  He was in the NICU for two months.  Thankfully, George and I have grown and learned a lot and now clearly see mistakes that were made then and know how to be more aware of issues now and advocate for Clayton as he deserves.  Ultimately though, it is a different time, we are different people, different doctors and different hospital.  George and I are not turning over our child to a surgeon with blind trust.  Rather we will be turning him over to a surgeon whom I have researched, have references for, met, spoken with and ultimately who we chose.  So I feel like our prior experience with this particular surgery serves as a caution and even a tool, but not a reason to be fearful.  I think any fear just comes from the fact that we are finally entering the territory of major kidney surgeries that we have known was coming and what this might mean for our future.

I will let everyone know the surgery date when it is here in November.  So for now if everyone will please pray that whatever route the doctors take come November, that they are able to help Clayton and his sweet kidney in a smooth, uncomplicated way so that he can recover quickly and get home for Christmas.

I also have a second prayer request.  My sweet PawPaw went in the hospital at the end of last week.  The family is going to try and bring him home on hospice once everything is arranged.  This amazing man's life is coming to a close though and I ask that you please pray for peace for his heart and soul during this time.  And please pray for my sweet grandmother too.  They have been married for 62 years.  I can't imagine the pain she is feeling.

I LOVE this picture.  Clayton took it 1 year ago on one of our playdates at Granny and PawPaw's.

Took this picture about a week and a half ago.