How to Collect Urine Sample for Urine C and S test

Urine check is a way of determining so many diseases. When I was pregnant, I have a urine check every now and then to determine if I have diabetes and monitor for a urinary tract infection.

When my little Keona was 4 months old, she was having UTI. It is becoming recurrent that her pediatrician suspected there might be physiological problems in her urinary tract and not just mere hygienic reason that she often has UTI. She referred us to a Nephrologist- a doctor specialist of kidney diseases. We had her undergo ultrasound which reveals that she is having ureteral reflux. Then she had to undergo VCUG- vesico-urethrogram to determine the grade level of her reflux.

The result of VCUG revealed a grade 3 reflux which does not necessitate surgical intervention and just a regular antibiotic which acts as a prophylaxis to keep the bacteria in a lower level so as not to have an infection which can result to damage kidneys. In spite of her prophylaxis, she had outbreaks and she keeps on getting an infection that we finally decided to have her undergo surgical operation.

After the operation, we have to monitor Keona's urine through Urine C and S test or urine culture and sensibility. It a test wherein we have to submit a urine sample to the laboratory and they will incubate it for 48 hours to see if there will be bacteria that will grow. If there's bacteria, there are corrsponding list of antibiotics that the laboratory people will determine if the bacteria growth will be susceptible or resistant. It means that those antibiotics that the bacteria is susceptible can cure the said bacteria while the resistant one's cannot cure it.

Lately, we have urine cs test and we are very sad because there's a bacteria growth on Keona's urine C and S test. Our doctor said that there might be a problem with the collection of the urine sample that we have submitted to the laboratory and he wanted us to have repeat urine culture and sensibility test. Indeed, the second urine cs test has no bacteria. The pediatrician is indeed right, it was the way we collected the urine sample.

To avoid getting trapped with the same problem and to avoid unnecessary expense on urine c and s, here are my tips on the proper collection of urine sample especially for baby girls like our little Keona.

1. Clean the vagina of the baby properly. Wash it with water.
2. Include the labia in cleaning your baby.
3. Use the cellophane urine collector if the baby is still infant or cannot manage to sit down yet when urinating. If possible, use a newly purchased baby urine collector and not an old stock one.
4. You can may use the plastic sterile urine collector if the baby can be instructed to sit down and collect urine properly.
5. Bring it or submit it right away to the laboratory, not later than 1 hour after collection.

That's all for now folks. Have a great day. Stay blissful, blessed and healthy everyone:).

No Scoliosis and Pneumonia is Gone

As I have mentioned in my previous post, I really felt down due to Keona's x-ray findings of scoliosis and pneumonia. When we had Keona checked by her pediatrician, he prescribed us with an antibiotic - Unasyn with a dosage of 3.5 ml /3x a day for a minimum of 10 days. On the 7th day of her taking the antibiotic, Keona underwent an X-ray as per advise by her pediatrician.

It was a thoraco-lumbar and APL x-ray to really look into the severity of her scoliosis and at the same time, to monitor her pneumonia. When I went to claim the result, I was surprised to see that there was a negative study of the scoliosis. Thankfully, Keona's pneumonia is also gone after 6 days of antibiotic.

I am really happy of the result. It turned out that the scoliosis findings on the x-ray was just an incidental finding and according to the pediatrician, it is just because of the positioning. We are really glad about it because we will not be bothered by that concern anymore.

Thanks be to God for giving us the grace and for Keona's recovery from pneumonia and the negative x-ray result of scoliosis.

I hope everyone is having a good day.

A Time to Relax During Chinese New Year

I am glad we had no work today because of the Chinese New Year. Last week, I have been very busy, at work and at home etc.

It's my first time to send someone a package to another country, actually it's my close friend's Liz birthday so I had to send her a gift I personally made for her. I got to a delivery station and was a bit confuse about their Shipping Options, I'm just glad their staff is helpful enough to guide me to the process.

Lately me and hubby are thinking of getting a car since Keona will be going to school this June. We are still weighing our option for a Car Transport or a public transport. I know we can save a lot on public transport compared to owning a car, but having a car has its benefit too, especially during the busy hours it's hard to get a ride and with a car we can go fetch Keona and his nanny earlier.

Keona last week was also having a cough so we are constantly monitoring her condition even at work to see that she gets her medication on time.

Having no work today was a breather, and with Keona's cough gone, it was a great day for relaxing.

I Feel Down

My title describes what I'm feeling right now. I'm really down emotionally. Keona has had cough several days now. In fact many days already. It started even before Christmas. We had her checked and her pedia advised us to let her take bricanyl for her cough and disudrin for her colds. But both colds and cough never cease.

During our visit to her pedia, I told Dr. Mike that she might have primary complex tuberculosis because her cough is almost every other month and every time she has cough, she always takes antibiotic. This time, her pedia said that if she'll have still fever in the New Year, we would go to his clinic but Keona's fever is gone.

Our concern is her cough and it's getting severe in spite the medicine she's taking so we decided to have her undergo an X-ray. I got the X-ray result today and that what makes me feel down. Her X-ray result reveals an inflammatory lung disease compatible of a Pneumonia. Aside from that, the X-ray revealed she has scoliosis. I'm more concerned of the scoliosis because I know the inflammation in her lungs will be cured through antibiotics. Hopefully her scoliosis is not severe and it is just in relation to having her cough. Tomorrow we'll have to visit her doctor and let him know Keona's X-ray result. Hopefully, Keona's health will just be all right.

Happy New Year 2012 Friends

I just wanna greet a happy new year 2012 to everyone. The past year brought us a bitter-sweet experiences and it has been a busy year and we are still thankful for all the blessings showered on us.

Lots have happened on me last year in terms of career. I was transferred to another department at work and I thought it was a hard new assignment only to find out it was the complete opposite. It was actually a blessing in disguise. Master studies is not easy yet I was able to pull up my first semester class with high grades. For all of those blessings, I am very thankful. And for all the trials and tribulations, still I am tankful I am able to pass through them and for all the learning I have taken from them.

I have plans and goals for this year 2012 and hopefully, the good Lord will grant all my heart's desires. If he'll will not, I just pray that I'll understand his message/ reasons why.

I always pray for Keona's good health. Her urine culture and sensibility recently has a bacteria and I hope it's just in the collection and not really from he inside. We have a repeat CS and I'm gonna get it tomorrow from the laboratory. Hopefully, it is negative from the bacteria. Her kidney/urinary bladder ultrasound result is good.

I hope for a more fruitful and blissful year ahead. Have a great day friends.