So here is the latest (and hopefully last) post on Garrett's health issues stemming from his urinary reflux. After a marathon day of testing at UCLA- which Garrett took like a REAL champ- we finally have some answers.
The tests confirmed that he still has Grade II reflux in his left ureter, but that there is no hydronephrosis (or pressure being applied to the kidney from the back up of urine, which would create a greater potential for scarring and infection). We also confirmed that his left kidney function is still around 16%. It showed there was some growth in his healthy kidney (as expected as his body grows as a whole), but his left kidney measured slightly smaller than last time. Although we were hoping for some growth in his left kidney- having reduced the reflux- we now know that there is not much potential for his damaged kidney. As bad as that sounds, it's not necessarily bad news...and it provides us with a path.
The doctor's opinion was that as long as Garrett remains infection and symptom-free and does not develop hypertension (the kidneys produce an enzyme that helps regulate blood pressure), there is no need to remove his damaged left kidney. (Big sigh of relief!) Of course there are no guarantees, but we'll take it for now. The risks are minimal to his healthy kidney since he does not have reflux on that side and we will have to monitor him with ultrasounds (SO much better than VCUG's which require being catheterized) and blood pressure checks, but he is otherwise able to live a normal and healthy life! Hallelujah!
So while tackle football and motorcross racing are out, Garrett is especially excited about not having to endure the long and painful trips to UCLA. On the positive side, he is eager to revisit the campus again in future....when he's a student there and not a patient. Go Bruins?
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