Our Introduction

My name is Samantha and I have a husband named Ashton. We have a beautiful toddler name Tristen and a little daughter on the way. This is an introduction to our life.

Ashton and I just got married almost a year ago on July 28th. It was a beautiful wedding, but really warm. All our friends and family that truely cared about us came and celebrated that wonderful day. I'm so happy that I married my best friend. He has been through alot with me and I truely love this man. We were engaged for two years, so it was a long engagment, but worth it!

We have a beautiful son, Tristen. He was born on March 3, 2006. He was our unexpected surprise, but what a great surprise to have! He is our life and can't image my life without this little boy. He is the reason for waking up in the morning. He is two years old now and talking, running, and have so much energy.
Tristen was born with one kidney. We found this through ultrasounds when I was pregnant with him. He was born a healthy, bleach blonde baby. When he was 4 months old he had to be hospitalized for dehydration and kidney failure. They did some tests and found out that he had a blocked urter from the kidney. He was rushed to the surgury room, MeritCare - Fargo, and had a tube put into the kidney to drain out the urine that was backed up. It was like night and day. He was soo sick before the procedure and then after it was looking a totally new child. He was smiling, back to our Tristen. He's always been a smily child and hoping that never ever changes. I remember that procedure day like it was yesturday and it was soo scary. They have to tell the cons and I don't like to hear that, but it has to be done. Ashton and I prayed with Tristen before they took him away and I cried hard tears. Ashton and I had to walk outside and around the hospital and just talk about all the great things with Tristen. He is our life and we didnt want anything to happen. After an hour they came back and told us everything is looking great and he'll be done within the half hour. He came out sleeping and we walked with the nurses to the recovery room. They wouldn't let us back there and at first I didnt understand, but I knew it was for the best. About hour later he was back with us. This was just a long day. He was back to his self. Now Tristen had to be in the hospital for a week. His urologist came in and recommended us to a ped. urologist in Minneapolis.
About a week or two later his now urologist, Dr. Hutcheson, called me up to talk to me about some possiblities that we need to do. I remember asking him a million and one questions and asked about his background before I met the man. We went down there in July for some tests and Tristen was diagnosed with reflux and a blocked urter. Now of course I didnt understand much of this so of course the question asker, me, asked another million and one questions. Overall he said Tristen will need to have surgury the following week. I cried of course, but it was something that needed to be done. We came back that following week and we had to check in early. We got there earlier then we were suppose to just to spend sometime with our little man. We checked in and then they brought us to a room to get his preped for surgury. He had to put this little gown on and socks and then did some vital check. We sat in this little tiny room waiting for Dr. Hutcheson to come in to explain the surgury once again. The nurse explained the cons for course and I hate hearing that, but its necessary. Then his urologist came in and talked about the surgury. I was really scared but was holding back because of Tristen feeling the tension. I head Tristen most of the time and Ashton held him and rubbed his back. Before they took him, we prayed for the safety and surgury to go smoothly. Before I would give Tristen to the nurse I remember telling him that he had to promise one thing to me.. and he asked what was it and I told him that he had to bring Tristen back to me. And he promised. Tristen cried when he took because we werent allowed to go back there and I cried hard tears. That was a really hard day. He was in surgury for like 6 hours plus recovery. They called the waiting room every hour and tell the process and every time it was good news. That was the longest day ever. Surgury went great and we spent in the hospital for three days. We came back six weeks later to get tube out of his kidney. Now... that day we got back the from the cities after his tube taken out he spiked a high fever and I was freaking out. I called the hospital in the cities and thank goodness Dr. Hutcheson called me back adn told me to go the ER. They ended up hospitalizing him for a few days. That was another long day. Our poor little guy.. gez. what else...
Now up-to-date.. since that all was based back in 2006, I'll tell you where we are now. Tristen is doing great. We go to the cities once a year for check ups. Last year he was there and told he still has reflux, which mean his urine goes from the bladder back to the kidney, which your urter is a one way valve. His urologist last year mentioned he should grow out of this by age two, but wants to see him the next year. So now 2008, we had his VCUG, which is to check for reflux done up here in Fargo. They sent the films down to his urologist and Dr.Hutcheson called me up. He mentioned he wanted to do surgury, but mentioned that it will be ok to wait another year to see any progress. It is not at a dangerous stage where he needs this done, but we are figuring surgury is going to be done sometime. We have to go the cities to get some tests down again at the end of the summer. Since we are expecting another child he mentioned that it can wait. So here we are.. Tristen is healthy and doing great! He's been through so much and he been a trooper through it all!! He is my heart!

We are expecting a little girl here within a week or two. Her name will be Brooklynn. I'm 38 weeks now.. so its all a waiting game. Ugh.. I'm soo exhausted. We tell Tristen he's going to be Big Brother, whether he understands or not, who knows. I think we'll be fine..hopefully. Either way she's not going anywhere. I was checked two times with her with ultrasounds on her kidneys and she has both. I'm pretty sure her pediatrician will want test in the near future to check if she has reflux like her brother. Tristen's urologist said that she has a 30% chance.. so there is a chance, but we are praying not again. Anyways... This is our introduction and welcome to our site!!