Primary Children's Hospital

When I was about 32 weeks pregnant I had to get an ultrasound to make sure Otto was growing properly.  Well they found that he was but they also found that his left kidney was enlarged.  So they suggested that when Otto was one month old we get an ultrasound on him to check if it had worked itself out.

When we went in for the ultrasound at a month old it was still enlarged.  We were referred to Primary Children's.  Our appointment there was this past Monday.

So they ran a couple of tests to see what was causing the enlargement.  For the first test they put in a catheter and an IV.  Poor baby!  But the tough little kid literally only cried for like 30 seconds!

For this test they use the IV to inject a substance through his blood stream that is picked up by the ultrasound. They strap down his legs :( and put weights on his arms and stomach to hold him still :(

Then they take an ultrasound picture every 15 seconds for 45 minutes.  The purpose of this test is to make sure that both kidney's are contributing an equal part to urinating.  So normal is 50/50. 

The next test also uses the catheter.  They push a contrast up the catheter into the bladder that can be viewed by x-ray, and then have him urinate it out.  The purpose of this test is to make sure than urine is only exiting the kidneys.  So when he urinates none of the substance should go into the kidneys.  They do this twice just to be sure.

Otto was a trooper for this test too.  He didn't cry once!  The Dr. said "Man this is a tough little guy.  Are you guys from Wyoming or something?"  Little does he know the REAL cowboys come from Levan!

So after they ran those two tests we had an hour to burn, before our appointment with the Dr.  So we went to lunch and then fed Otto in our car in the parking garage.

See if you can pronounce our Dr.'s name... Dr. Oottamasathien!  For the first test Otto kidneys were contributing 51/49.  So they determined that was not the problem.  And the second test he did not have anything going back into the kidneys.  So basically the Dr. said that sometimes a kidney will just look larger on the ultrasound and there is really no problem.  but just to be sure we are going back in 3 months.