Colin's Diagnosis: Nephrotic Syndrome

For the last two weeks Colin has been looking puffy - his face, ankles, arms, and especially stomach are very bloated. Since we started weighing him a week ago, he has gained 6 pounds. The medical-type people call this edema. We initially thought this was allergies, however, after some blood and urine tests we learned that he has high levels of protein in his urine, high cholesterol, among other things. Shelley started with a visit to the Embassy doctor on Monday, a pediatric doctor on Tuesday, which led to several visits with a Nephrologist (kidney specialist) the last few days. The doctors diagnosed him with Nephrotic Syndrome - a condition where the kidneys are not filtering correctly. It is a serious condition, but in most cases can be managed with medication.

That's the bad news; the good news is that Colin has shown signs of improvement in the past 48 hours. The Embassy doctor initially advised us to go back to the U.S. to conduct tests, but after seeing his condition stabilize, they determined it was best for him to stay here in Jordan to continue his treatment. Needless to say, this week has been an emotional roller coaster. However, we are confident that Colin will be able to get good medical treatment here in Jordan.

The first week Colin woke up with a puffy face and body each day.

Not too different from pregnant women, Colin's belly button went from being an "inny" to an "outty." His abdomen is filled with fluids which are slowly returning to normal levels.