Ella's art has been added to the school's gallery.

Guess who is basically out of diapers?

I let the margarita wash over me last night as we sat in a dark booth at Maria's up the street.  I settled in closer to Jerry as we looked across at our two girls.  The last twenty-four hours had been rough.  With each sip I started to feel my body once again.  My chest was tight, my neck was sore.  Ella shared no resemblance with the girl we saw on Thursday.  She stared up as the roving guitarist made his way to our table and smiled.  She fought her sister for the last tortilla chips.  Thursday's Ella was strapped to a metal bed in a sad tiger hospital gown.  There were tears, a catheter, instructions that a non-sedated four year old should not have to follow .  Two worried parents standing helplessly at her side with bulky lead aprons.  It was a whirlwind of horrible images.  It was a very dramatic process for a very un-dramatic diagnosis.  She has grade 1 reflux which will likely resolve on it's own in the next few years.  Next week we see the urologist and unless he/she makes a very compelling argument otherwise, we will not be moving forward with the typical protocol for this diagnosis.  She will not have to go through this again unless new evidence of symptoms arise.  Jerry and I have decided.  How parents do this day in and day out, I cannot fathom.  Our beginning, middle and (hopefully) end of this whole process was a quick few weeks, four visits and an end result that is extremely promising.  In fact, if this is all we ever have to deal with medically speaking, we've won the lottery.  In the end, my friend Mandy pointed out that Ella felt loved and 100% supported,  and as parents that is about all we could do.  Moving forward.            

Before leaving for California, we had a strep throat scare and a UTI all within days.  Ella's little body was worn out.  After ten days of antibiotics we are awaiting a second possible round because things are still not 100%.  With my history of wonky kidney and ureter structure, Ella's doctor wanted her to undergo an ultrasound.  So away to Children's we went on Tuesday of last week.  Ella performed beautifully.  At that point, I figured there were three ways this whole thing was going to play out.  Let's just say it wasn't the worst (she doesn't need immediate surgery; her insides don't mimic her mother's) and it wasn't the best (we're not off the hook yet).  She will be undergoing a VCUG sometime soon to determine next steps.  This involves catheterization (this I dread) and one four year old trooper.  I just want to fast forward a bit so that we can get on with "a plan".  I help people manage crises for a living...wish I knew how to manage this itty bitty one for myself.   Whoever said, "having a child is like having your heart walk around outside your body", wasn't kidding.