Stephanie, mother to 11 year old Asher, recounts her son’s journey with hydronephrosis, a disease of the kidneys:
Making the decision to go ahead with my son’s surgery was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. It was going to be major surgery and we didn’t take that lightly. We also couldn’t have made the decision without the care and guidance of our amazing urologist and surgeon, Dr. Linda Lee, who walked us through the entire process.
As a parent, all the ‘what ifs’ start running through your mind. The big question for my husband and I was ’what if this doesn’t work?’ We wanted to make the right decision for him.
Asher was only five years old the first time we had an indication something was wrong. He felt a terrible pain which he described as a side ache; it was so intense that he started vomiting. Strangely, it would then disappear, and he’d be fine for months. It would just come and go, with no rhyme or reason.
I can’t tell you how stressful it was to see him in pain and then rush him to the doctor, only for it to subside by the time we were seen by someone. It was heartb
reaking because you never want your child to be in agony. This lasted for years. We couldn’t get any straight answers from the doctors–they just didn’t have enough information. At one point, we suspected appendicitis, then dietary concerns, anxiety and even constipation. He would take Tylenol, use a heat pack, and just try to get through it.
When I was pregnant with Asher, one of my final ultrasounds revealed that he had hydronephrosis. It’s a condition where your kidney swells—and sometimes, this results in urine not passing through properly.
The condition was monitored after birth with routine ultrasounds, but we were never able to connect it to what was happening with him until we were referred to Dr. Lee. It was such a relief to know we would be seen by the Island’s only urologist specializing in pediatrics.
Dr. Lee was able to link Asher’s pain to elevated hydronephrosis last year, via an ultrasound. The imaging revealed polyps on his ureter that were causing a restriction right where it connects to the kidney. We finally had an answer.
The best solution, Dr. Lee explained, would be laparoscopic surgery. She would remove the portion of the ureter with the polyps and reconnect the remaining ureter.
We had gone from no one understanding the pain he was feeling, or that it could be related to the kidney, to going in for major surgery. We wanted to be certain of the diagnosis, and that the surgery would ultimately heal him. Dr. Lee understood our fears and concerns. She suggested Asher undergo an exploratory exam first, which would give us insight into what the surgery could do for him.
Last November, he underwent a dye-test, which allowed Dr. Lee to get a more detailed look at the blockage and determine how she would need to operate. The test results helped us make the decision to go ahead with the surgery.
We were relieved to have a treatment path for Asher—and to know he was in great hands with Dr. Lee. We appreciated her care so much so that we didn’t mind traveling from our home in Qualicum Beach to see her in Victoria.
Asher underwent surgery at Victoria General Hospital this spring. Dr. Lee was able to remove the blockage during surgery and operated a second time to insert a stent. Asher was in a lot of pain during that time, but Dr. Lee and all the staff were wonderful, always there to help.
I can’t say enough about Asher’s surgical team. The road wasn’t easy for him, but the doctors and nursing staff were always there to help him.
In May, the stent was removed, and he’s been doing great since. I’m hopeful it’s all over. Asher has two younger siblings and they’ve been so worried about him.
Asher’s condition will now be monitored with regular check ups at Dr. Lee’s office.
The surgery was a big decision but after seeing how it helped him, we would choose surgery with Dr. Lee in Victoria, all over again. The entire team was so compassionate and caring.
I would have been in full support of any option that would have made my son’s surgery and recovery easier, including robotic technology. It’s possible we could have been able to avoid complications, and a second surgery, if the first operation was done with robotics.
Every day we spent at VGH was a challenging day, but we couldn’t have done it without the support of Dr. Lee and the entire team. Her team deserves the best equipment—they do so much for our community. I fully endorse the Victoria Hospitals Foundation campaign, for it will do so much good for surgical patients. Anything that would make life easier for our son would have been a blessing.
I end with gratitude. Today, we beyond happy to have our joyful and active boy back and on the road to recovery. We owe it to our hospitals.
