He only has one kidney!!! =(

[gbrice75]

So we had our 20 week ultrasound done yesterday, and got some bad news. The doctor saw what appears to be 'multicystic dysplastic kidney' with the left kidney. This is apparently a developmental issue and isn't treatable. Basically what it means is he'll be born with only one kidney, and the other will simply 'shrivel up' until no kidney is even detectable by ultrasound, OR it can be surgically removed.

The good news is everything else so far looks great, and generally people can function with a single kidney. That's why people are able to donate kidneys and continue on with a perfectly healthy life. However, it's difficult to hear anything other than 'everything is perfect'. I feel like there's now a 'crack in the armor', and where before I sort of felt the baby was 'invincible' in a sense, I no longer have that confidence. I guess I was naive in not even considering that something could be found wrong at this point, considering the 20 week is specifically to look at how organs and such are developing.

I know it's not the worst thing in the world... it's not his heart, it's not a single vital organ... but still i'm angry.... like, why us? We're good people, why isn't this kid being given the absolute best chances in life that he can have? I think of some of the disgusting people I know who have perfectly healthy kids, and it's just not fair... but life is that way.

I've researched the condition and even found a forum where people who themselves were born with one kidney discuss it. Just about everyone said they've had no problems at all, and most didn't even know it until they were adults and getting checked for something totally unrelated (I guess ultrasounds weren't all that when they were born).

The negatives - with one kidney, we'll have to be careful. He'll never be able to play contact sports, box, get into martial arts, etc. It's not only the issue of having no backup in the event 1 is damaged; it's also the fact that the healthy one will be enlarged to compensate for the undeveloped one, making it more susceptible to injury. He will have to be careful about his salt intake, and will have to drink alcohol only in moderation and have a generally healthy diet - not really a bad thing since we'd be promoting that anyway. He won't be able to be a bodybuilder because his single kidney would be too stressed by the high protein intake.

But, he'll still be our boy, it's not a 'disability' in the true sense of the word - nobody on the outside would ever know by looking at him, he'll be able to do all the things normal kids do, for the most part. At this point, all we can do is monitor the healthy kidney to ensure it's developing properly and adequately performing it's functions.

Yesterday should have been a happy day, but it turned out to be very bittersweet. I am definitely feeling sad, and feel badly for my wife who's taking it worse than I am (understandably).

Just wondering if anybody here has children who were born like this, OR have the issue yourself?

[calgarian]

I remember watching a documentary regarding this . That particular doctor use to insert a small balloon into the infant's kidney(the one which stop growing) while he was still in the womb. I cant remember much but after inserting the balloon into the infant he somehow inflated that balloon forcing the kidney to grow with rest of the body. It was a long time ago you may have to look for it..........

in Any case...dont worry these little things have amazing powers dont worry .If he wants to play contact sport he will, screw the odds. As a father I know how you feel.

[zimmy]

It's actually pretty common. I read up on kidney stuff when my mom just had hers removed. It's like 1 out of every 750 is born with only one. That is not that rare at all.

[SlimmerMe]

Oh Gbrice, I know you and your wife are in a bit of shock to get this news....

Please try to look at the positive and know that this son of yours will do things you can not even imagine at this point. He might end up a composer or rocket scientist or cure something to help others. How lucky he is to have you as a father who will feed him the best food in the world. He will be the apple of your eye, if not already~ Keep your faith. From what the other 2 posts above mention, perhaps this is not as strange as it sounds. But hard to hear I am sure.

Life is precious and your boy will be too~

[jimmyinkedup]

Gbrice - I understand how you feel but as you said it could be so so much worse. For all intensive pruproses your son will be able to have a totally normal life. He may not be a PRO bodybuilder - but he sure as hell can be a bodybuilder. High protein intake is not a requirement my man!

Let me tell you something my man...your son may not have one kidney - but what he does have that so many children lack is a father like you. That in and of itself will help him to acheive , aspire and accomplish anything he desires. With the love , knowledge, support and caring you and your wife can provide there are no limitations for your son - the sky is the limit. He is blessed to have a father like you and you will be blessed to have a wonderful , normal , beautiful son like him.

[RaginCajun]

GB, there is nothing wrong with having one kidney. i grew up with a girl across the street from me and she only had one kidney. she participated in everything and nothing ever stopped her. i agree with all the other posters and he will be really lucky to have a father such as yourself. i was told at a young age that i would not be able to participate in sports with the rest of the kids because of my asthma and allergies, and i proved them all wrong by doing a triathlon last weekend. no worries bro and i will say a prayer for him!

[DSM4Life]

Like you said it could be a lot worse. He will be fine. I don't pray but I'll give ya one.

[gbrice75]

Thank you guys for all your love and support... I have been copying and pasting your replies and emailing them to my wife... it's making her feel better as well.

[Tigershark]

I will add you and your family to our prayer list at church Gbrice. I hope all goes well for all of you.

[Standby]

i think your best bet is to not stop him when he wants to do something and be like no you only have 1 kidney you cant! let him to what he wants being a kid with all the other kids is the best part. i wish you guys the best!

[Twist]

Bro having one kidney really won't make any difference whatsoever unless he were to go overboard on alcohol or some other drug. I seriously doubt you could damage a kidney with protein intake even if you tried. I have had kidney problems (cured now: thanks HGH) and no problems resulted from anything other than drug use, and that took a hell of a lot too. This kidney thing is not gonna be a problem bro. Two would be better than one but if the doc didn't tell you, you would never know.

[gbrice75]

I will add you and your family to our prayer list at church Gbrice. I hope all goes well for all of you.

Thanks TS, appreciate that!

i think your best bet is to not stop him when he wants to do something and be like no you only have 1 kidney you cant! let him to what he wants being a kid with all the other kids is the best part. i wish you guys the best!

I agree 100%. I've already toyed with the idea of not telling him, at least for some time. On a forum I was reading, a few people mentioned that they only found out later in life, and had done some risky sh!t - hangliding, rock climbing, excessive alcohol consumption, etc... and each said that if they had known about their kidney, they might not have done those things. I see that as - they did these things, nothing bad came of it (granted, risk is risk), but had they known about the kidney, they would not have had these fun times and would have missed out. I don't want to make the kid feel like he's different and DEFINITELY don't want to make him into a neurotic little basket case over it.

Bro having one kidney really won't make any difference whatsoever unless he were to go overboard on alcohol or some other drug. I seriously doubt you could damage a kidney with protein intake even if you tried. I have had kidney problems (cured now: thanks HGH) and no problems resulted from anything other than drug use, and that took a hell of a lot too. This kidney thing is not gonna be a problem bro. Two would be better than one but if the doc didn't tell you, you would never know.

True man... before they days of ultrasounds, people just lived like this and never knew. They only found out upon autopsy!

[auslifta]

My uncle only found out when he was 47 that he only had one kidney. He fell at work and got an x-ray and the doctor asked him about it. He'll be fine, he can be perfectly healthy with one.

[firmechicano831]

bro my cousin has one kidney from being shot 3 times. He looks fine and has no issues at all. My other friend was born with one Kidney and he's doing great too.

[benkidney]

hi there

i was also told the same thing at my twenty week ultrasound.
So i understand your pain,when i was told my heart fell on the floor.
Since my sons birth in Feb 2009 he has done a whole heaps of test and told to have the kidney removed at nine months
But i chicken out much to hubby annoyance as no dr will be good enough to operate on my son.
My son is now two and half and no problems to date.
So hang in there cause my son is doing great and i wish you and all your family the best of health.

[boxa06]

Gbrice sorry to hear.. One of my best friends has only one kidney but you would never know it. He plays sport and is fit as anyone could be. As teenagers back in the day we used to drink heaps and party like crazy and he was fine! He eats junk so sodium hasn't given him a problem. He always goes to the doc to check and is perfectly healthy! I'm sure everything will turn out fine and you will have a perfectly healthy boy!

[Shol'va]

I'm with the others here G. With science and technology growing by leaps and bounds, in ten years if he needs another one they will probably be able to grow one from his own stem cells and replace it. but he may never need another one. he'll be fine he's a Brice!

[Times Roman]

Nowadays, this shouldn't be a major problem. the kidney system is one of the redundant systems we have, and should be g2g. Having said all this, by the time the little guy/gal runs (IF) into a problem, medical tech is growing exponentially, and what may seem like a problem today, could be a minor outpatient procedure tomorrow. For example, knee replacement surgery is now 30 minutes, and you are up and walking before they release you, usually in two days. It wasn't too long ago knee replacement was a major surgery/ordeal, with an extreme amount of pain associated with recovery. Today? Not so.....

If all else is normal, then you are blessed with an otherwise healthy baby! Exciting times mate!! =)

[gbrice75]

My uncle only found out when he was 47 that he only had one kidney. He fell at work and got an x-ray and the doctor asked him about it. He'll be fine, he can be perfectly healthy with one.

Good to know bro... I hear more and more stories like this... about people who have one kidney and only find this out later in life when they're x-rayed for unrelated issues - obviously because they didn't have ultrasound back in their day.

bro my cousin has one kidney from being shot 3 times. He looks fine and has no issues at all. My other friend was born with one Kidney and he's doing great too.

Gangsta life!!!

Thx for the info man. My son was born on the 26th and is doing well so far. We're seeing a urologist and nephrologist just to do some tests and make sure everything with the healthy kidney is just that - healthy - and doing the work of 2.

hi there

i was also told the same thing at my twenty week ultrasound.
So i understand your pain,when i was told my heart fell on the floor.
Since my sons birth in Feb 2009 he has done a whole heaps of test and told to have the kidney removed at nine months
But i chicken out much to hubby annoyance as no dr will be good enough to operate on my son.
My son is now two and half and no problems to date.
So hang in there cause my son is doing great and i wish you and all your family the best of health.

Thx for making your first/only post about this!! I feel special - and i'm happy to hear about your son doing so well now, thanks again!

Gbrice sorry to hear.. One of my best friends has only one kidney but you would never know it. He plays sport and is fit as anyone could be. As teenagers back in the day we used to drink heaps and party like crazy and he was fine! He eats junk so sodium hasn't given him a problem. He always goes to the doc to check and is perfectly healthy! I'm sure everything will turn out fine and you will have a perfectly healthy boy!

Thx Box... so far, so good! And you're right - people who (unknowingly) had one kidney lived crazy lifestyles, drinking, drugs, bad diets etc and nobody was the wiser.

I'm with the others here G. With science and technology growing by leaps and bounds, in ten years if he needs another one they will probably be able to grow one from his own stem cells and replace it. but he may never need another one. he'll be fine he's a Brice!

Lmao, thanks Shol'va! LOVE this!! ^^^

Nowadays, this shouldn't be a major problem. the kidney system is one of the redundant systems we have, and should be g2g. Having said all this, by the time the little guy/gal runs (IF) into a problem, medical tech is growing exponentially, and what may seem like a problem today, could be a minor outpatient procedure tomorrow. For example, knee replacement surgery is now 30 minutes, and you are up and walking before they release you, usually in two days. It wasn't too long ago knee replacement was a major surgery/ordeal, with an extreme amount of pain associated with recovery. Today? Not so.....

If all else is normal, then you are blessed with an otherwise healthy baby! Exciting times mate!! =)

Thx for your continued support TR. This is basically what we've been telling ourselves, about how we're lucky to be born with 2 - the problem could have been with his heart, or liver - no redundancy there. Our neighbor's daughter is pregnant with her first, and just found out the baby has a problem with his heart and will have to undergo open heart surgery at 2 mos. old. In comparison to that, our problem is rather small.

All relative man, all relative.