And I think many people don’t realise what a bounty it is to have a normally functioning bladder.

Do we appreciate the entire “normal” method involved of being able to urinate / deficate for that matter…?

Before I digress onto anything else, knowing the basics of the urinary system can help you understand better

Urinary system parts

Kidneys:

A pair of purplish-brown organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back.

THEIR FUNCTION IS TO:

1) Remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine

2) Keep a balance of salts, water, and other substances in the blood

3) Make a hormone that helps make red blood cells form

Ureters:

Two narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. If urine cannot drain or is allowed to stand still, bacteria can grow and a kidney infection can develop or pressure from fluid build-up can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal or back pain.

Bladder:

A balloon-shaped organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. When a person passes urine or “pees,” the bladder muscle squeezes to empty the urine through the urethra.

Sphincter muscles:

Two circular muscles that help keep urine from leaking by closing tightly like a rubber band around the opening of the bladder. The sphincter muscles relax when a person urinate.

Nerves in the bladder:

The nerves inside the bladder signal the body when it’s time to urinate.

Urethra:

A tube that is attached to the bladder and allows urine to leave the body

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Dysautonomia itself impacts kidney & bladder, either by causing incontinence which means leakage of urine with no control or by by preventing it from emptying at all –

Whichever of the two, due to the faulty disruption of shutdown of nerve signals.

I know many young people & teens who have to wear adult diapers & others who have to self catheterize daily which is no simple task & a package consisting of an additional load

In this chapter specifically, I recap & update about a rare condition with a prevalence estimated to be between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 50,000 livebirths.

If readers recall chapter 6 👇 it will be easier to understand this chapter written by my sister

https://kayborninmay.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/6-the-greatest-gift/

A unique baby born with

BLADDER EXSTROPHY

Pronounced as (Ek-stroh-fee)

Is a rare birth defect in which the bladder develops outside the fetus while a baby is developing inside the mother’s womb.

A condition more common in males than in females.

Only one out of every 20,000 babies born will have bladder exstrophy, or about 1 in every 30,000 births & there is no known cause. It requires delicate reconstructive surgery by urologic and orthopedic surgeons.

It requires delicate reconstructive surgery by urologic and orthopedic surgeons.

Some studies have found that this condition may be inherited, but the gene has not been identified. A baby born to a parent who had exstrophy has a 1/77 chance of having exstrophy.

The bladder develops inside out and is visible when the baby is born. Since the bladder is exposed to the outside, urine constantly trickles onto the skin, which may cause irritation.

Health care providers who treat children with bladder exstrophy work closely with both patients and caregivers to prevent skin problems.

This condition primarily affects the bladder but may affect other parts of the body, such as the:

– Upper and lower urinary tract

– Muscles (pelvic and abdominal)

– Bones (pelvis and hip)

– Digestive system

– Reproductive tract

After the initial surgery which has to be conducted within 24-48 hours after birth. It doesn’t end there! Patients require ongoing care, which may include:

– Medication to help their bladder work correctly or to prevent bladder and kidney infections.

– Catheterization (passing a tube to empty urine from the bladder

– Physical therapy to strengthen certain muscles to tighten and relax to allow urine to pass

– More surgery sometimes required for

– Normal kidney function

– Improved bladder function

– Urinary continence; no leakage of urine.

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So most people are aware that my little nephew Abdullah who is now 3 years of age, was scheduled for a major reconstructive operation today……