Thirteen Weeks Into Treatment, Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

We are past the six weeks of high-dose prednisone. We are past the following six weeks of half-dose prednisone. The pediatric Nephrologist says his urine still looks great and, although she warned me that he will most likely relapse if – or should I say when – he ever gets sick, she is pleased with his progress so far. That’s some news that I’m not quite sure how to absorb. Of course I’m beyond grateful that his constant uplifting by all of you Prayer Warriors has been effective…but I’m also trying to figure out how to keep a four-year-old, living in a house with his family of seven, from catching even a cold.

While I know that nothing is too great for my God…I also know that I have to get all the Sparrows from This Nest up to the clinic for our flu shots!

The next phase of his treatment involves the slow weaning of his tiny body off of the steriods. It took three months to get through the high and half-dosing…and it will take that same amount of time to take him all the way down to a medicine-free existence. He will take a little less each week until, one day, he will be free from the nasty syrups that literally make him shiver in disgust as squeezes the syringe-full into his own mouth (he’s a little independent but, don’t worry, I do all the measuring).

During the same period of time, I expect to see (and have already begun to see) the reversal of the drug’s side effects. His very swollen face, his huskier frame, his increasingly hairy body and face, his sleeplessness. I have to admit though – we’ve sort of become attached to his chipmunk cheeks! I will miss those.

I want to thank everyone who speaks to our Father on our little boy’s behalf. Everyone who has been concerned about the kidneys of a cute, little boy named D’Lo – even though many of you don’t even know him outside of the posts I share. All of you who have hit your knees for our son, I love and appreciate each of you!

Please continue to remember our maniac midget because, as I mentioned, we are only at the end of the beginnining. This won’t be a sprint…it is, indeed, a marathon.

Be blessed.