Brianna's Bilirubin

So like I said, the lab results had come back and the number went down a little. They (actually the doctor on call for our regular pediatrician) wanted us to come for a "weight check" though, too. So we did...turns out it was more than a weight check! They were concerned about a different number from her lab results. Bilirubin levels consist of 3 different numbers - 1 is the indirect bilirubin, 1 is the direct bilirubin, and those 2 added together are the total bilirubin (the number we always hear about). Her total bilirubin went down, but what was weird was that the direct bilirubin number went up - in fact, it doubled and was only .1 below the level at which they really start to worry. It should be going down along with the other numbers. They wanted to check her weight and liver and spleen and stool etc. The direct bilirubin going up can be an indicator of a possible liver problem.

Sound scary, yes. Of course they didn't tell me all this on the phone or I would have been freaking all afternoon. BUT as scary as it sounds, it seems as though all will turn out okay. He saw her poop and it is the perfect color (a person with a liver problem would have different colored poop). She has plenty of urine output and it is also the right color. She has gained plenty of weight - they like to see so much gain per day and she doubled that, and is now just 2 ounces short of her birth weight. If she hadn't of gained a lot of weight, he would have been more worried. He felt for her liver and spleen, and said they feel perfect. Everything points to a perfectly perfect outcome...they just wanted to check in with us before the long weekend and everything. Then on Monday, we have her 2 week check anyways, and they will also do yet another lab to re-check those bilirubin levels.

So yeah - it was a little scary for us in there for a few minutes, with all the talk about "degenerative liver disease" and some other thing I forget what it was...but in the end, the doc said he was very pleased with everything else - it made him feel better, and it makes him feel like the number will almost surely be down by Monday.

So cross your fingers for us, again, that everything turns out well! I know it will, I have faith :-)