The day after deprivation

Well, we made it through so many days of waiting only to be given another set of days to wait. Dr's visits begetting Dr's visits. Finally got in with the Nephrologist for Sadie, waited another 5 days for her "water deprivation test". By the time the test rolled around, she was drinking almost 7 litres of water/24 hours. We were up every hour of the night changing her and giving drinks as it continued on into the night. Morning diapers weighed in at 7 1/2 lbs. Sadie and I spent yesterday laying in the clinical investigations wing of the hospital. Curt, my hero of a husband came and brought Wesley. He looked after him all day at the hospital so that I could stay with Sadie and when Wes needed nursing, Curt brought him to me. I love that man. Curt's mom had all our other kids spend the day at her house making cinnamon buns and playing with cousins....I love her for that too. I brought Darren's DS with a "Dora Explorer" game borrowed from a friend, books and dollar store prizes to be chosen after each unpleasant test. That was my aunt and cousin's suggestion and it was a great tool to have on a day that was guaranteed to be a rough one. I carried her through the halls as we waited in between "checks", reminding her that i love her as i said "no" to repeated cries for water. We made scheduled and repeated trips to the washroom on the hour for samples of blood, urine, BP and weight. She lost 4 % of her body weight during the test (easy for a 28 lb 3 yr old to do) and her sodium was rising, something they were watching for. Suddenly it rose higher than their limit and the test was abruptly ended, last samples were taken and the anti-diuretic hormone was given to see what her reaction was to it....It was Diabetes Insipidus...Then the last results from the lab came back and the sodium was back to it's original number... high, but not at a level warranting stopping the test! They decided that the sudden jump in sodium in her blood work was probably due to the saline flush from her IV. So frustrating to have them screw up after such a long torturous day of it. Dr. decided that he needed to talk to the leading expert in Diabetes Insipidus, Dr. Bichet, who lives in Quebec regarding the results and in the meantime we were to cut her drinking down to 2litres/24 hours starting that day. WELL! We went home answer-less...She was parched and didn't want to eat on the way home. Only drink despite not having eaten anything all day. (The test had lasted from 3 am-2 pm.) I allowed about 4 cups total by the time bed rolled around and then explained to her that we were not going to give her drinks during the night. She said "I'm not thirsty anyways." !!! I haven't heard her say that ever. I tucked her into bed and she did not wake up for drinks even once. At 3 i woke her up to see if she could pee as i worried that she had drunk too much and if she couldn't pee it out (because of the hormone) it could be problems but she didn't have to go. At 7 am I pulled on some pants, coat, shoes and pulled my hair into a ponytail. I didn't wash my face, brush my hair or my teeth (This whole ordeal is encouraging some un-hygienic practices) got Sadie up, urine sample collected and went into the lab for more blood work. I was amazed with her reaction to the anti-diuretic hormone! My uneducated opinion is that she *is* concentrating her urine but just not *enough*. I think because she is losing too much fluid, she is getting thirsty. Around 11, her asking for water began again. She had only drunk 1 1/3rd cups of water, but 600mls plus the urine sample had escaped. Her drinking seems to be fuelled by her peeing. I guess we will see as time goes on. It is Easter so we won't get in to see the Nephrologist till next week when he has booked us in, but hopefully more will surface between now and then. In the meantime, it feels like God is just right here... silently watching and waiting with me. I recognize this "feeling". When Darren was diagnosed with epilepsy i remember feeling like God was present but He was silent. His silence annoyed me and made me angry. Somehow, this time around, His silent presence is peaceful and reassuring. It's an acute awareness that He sees my heart, He knows my thoughts...."...even before a word is on my lips, (He) knows it completely..." (psalm 139... again) The silence, to me, is God listening.