Becoming a mom is the one thing in my life that I had absolutely NO doubt about doing.  I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a mother, and my two children fulfill my life in a way that nothing else can.

About two months ago, Allison became sick.  Pretty typical symptoms: fever, vomiting, the usual.  It was her lethargy that concerned me, though, and at the time, we were in the process of finding a new pediatrician, so I didn't have anywhere to take her.  We took her to an Urgent Care and they checked her for everything.  Everything except a urinary tract infection. 

She was prescribed the usual medication, the pink stuff (aka Amoxicillan) and we were on our way.  Within 24 hours, her symptoms improved and we thought it was all behind us. 

A week later, she got sick again.  This time she had very classic urinary tract infection symptoms.  RAGING urinary tract infection symptoms.  Back to urgent care.  She was put on a different antibiotic, and at this point, we found a WONDERFUL pediatrician who was now taking control of her care.

After a week of antibiotic number 2, we sent a urine culture, and this time it came back even worse than the first:  it was growing two different bacteria in very high counts.  On to antibiotic number 3!

As we were trying to treat this, her pediatrician alerted us to the fact that she was showing 2 distinct signs of possibly having kidney reflux, where urine flows back up into the kidney instead of out.  The fact that she had a definite diagnosis of a UTI, and the fact that she developed it at a very young age.

Antibiotic number 3 decreased the bacteria counts, but it took a fourth one to wipe it out completely. 

Last Thursday we met with a pediatric nephrologist.  This week she had to undergo an ultrasound of her kidneys and bladder, as well as a VCUG (basically they put a catheter in, fill her bladder with contrast, then take x-ray images to see which direction the contrast flows).  We were told that structurally, she is completely normal.  There were zero signs of reflux or any other abnormality.

I don't think I realized how nervous I was until the doctor confirmed she was just fine.  A weight has been lifted off me.

Allison is such an amazing child.  She was so extremely cooperative during the tests, even the doctor was amazed.  I am so proud of my girl.  And I am so thankful to be her mom.