Remember Blake from last week? Today, you'll hear from his little brother Kasen!
When Kasen's mom was just 12 weeks pregnant, doctors noticed a that the amniotic fluid was backed up in his bladder. He was diagnosed with Posterior Urethral Valves (PUV). This happens 1:8,000 male fetuses, is not hereditary and can be extremely fatal to the unborn male. The chances of Blake and Kasen's mom having one son with a hereditary kidney disease and one with an unrelated, non-hereditary kidney disease are about 1 in 1 million!
Fortunately for everyone, Kasen's bladder returned to normal size and he did not have to have corrective surgery in the womb. Unfortunately, his mom discovered around this time that she has a blood clotting disorder, as well as gestational diabetes. Kasen was born under stressful circumstances with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. His tiny body was purple when he made his debut.
Consistent vomiting and high fevers followed Kasen home. He wasn't gaining weight and additional tests showed that he needed surgery after all at just three months old.
Kasen isn't out of the woods yet. He still has health issues as a result of the PUV and gets sick very easily. Despite being a regular at the doctor's office, Kasen, age 5, says, "I go to preschool, love trucks, drawing, watching movies and following my big brother around."