Scarey times

I’ve had a bit of a scare today. I don’t think it’s really anything to worry about but it’s still hard not to. A couple of weeks ago Beth had to go to do a wee three or four times in a row in the morning. The other kids had a day off school so I let Beth have the day off too and made an appointment for her at the doctors. I couldn’t get in until the next day so I took her even though it hadn’t happened again. As it was a Friday I thought I’d best get it seen to in case it flared up again over the weekend. They took a urine sample and said it seemed it had some protein in it but nothing to be alarmed about. The doctor sent it off for analysis and gave me a script for an antibiotic just in case it came back that there was an infection.

Last week Beth had the whole week off as she was very snotty and coughy. I took her to the doctor again on Monday as I had been asked to bring in another urine sample after Beth had finished the antibiotics. I thought I could knock the cold on the head before it got any worse. The urine seemed to be clear of infection but it was sent of for analysis anyway. Today I got a call from the doctor telling me that although the test had come back clear of infection there was still some protein in the urine. This means that I have to get a 24 hour urine specimin to have it tested. Well as you can guess I started to worry, thinking of all sorts of things; what if there’s something wrong with her kidneys, I wonder if I’m a compatible kidney donor, how will she cope if she has to have dialysis? All those yucky things. Luckily I had another appointment for her at the doctors an hour later, Beth had woken up this morning with an earache, not sure whether she was bunging it on to get yet another day off but wanting to play it safe I let her stay home again. She had fallen asleep after we got home from dropping the kids off so as that hardly ever happens I was glad that I did.

This time we saw Dr Mark who is the doctor we normally see. Briony was the one we had been seeing in his absence, both excellent doctors. As soon as I walked in I asked “Should I be worried?” I had had a few tears and hadn’t wanted to let Beth see me upset so held myself together at the time. Mark assured me that it’s just precautionary measures, that the protein levels were just above normal, that they may be higher because she’s not been well. He made me feel much better. Of course that’s his job isn’t it? We can’t take the 24 hour sample until the weekend as as a little bonus Beth has got her period and that could give a false reading on a test. He said that over 20% of the urine tests that we had done gave false readings anyway, that if anything was wrong the numbers would be higher. Still, surely when something first starts the numbers start off low? Anyway, I’m not going to stress about it too much. It probably is nothing to worry about but of course my job as a mum is to worry isn’t it? It sucks though, surely the big tick through the box labelled autism should be enough for one lifetime for my girl? Surely that’s enough stress for her and myself to contend with? Beth of course in her dramatic manner asked Dr Mark if she had kidney failure. Lovely Mark held her face in his hands and promised her that she absolutely did not have kidney failure. I really don’t think she thought she did. After all, when we went to get the sample pot from the nurse Beth asked her if she was going to suck her brains out!