RE: Cryptic Status Updates... Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 8:37am

Abby is fine... We're fine.. I'm just known to be a litttttle dramatic... Here is the update I emailed my family about Ab's arthritis. I have a friend who told me she had something very similar as a young girl- she told me it made her stronger and she wouldn't change it.. so I think Abby will be the same way.. I've partially digested this news and with Jay's support and unaffected optimism (I hope Abby gets that as I sure don't have it!) we will just work with it... we already started our morning off with a bubble bath and she's close to walking already! So I will adjust to having my morning coffee in the bathroom- why not.. I do all my other alone time things in there :) So thanks for the concern and the love yo. I take comfort in the fact that it could, "be worse" Ab doesn't seem to let anything get her down.. so I will follow suite and do the same.. she's a good teacher. Hello Again, So. It's been a long-ass day.. we had our appt. at Children's today.. with a pediatric fellow, pediatric rhematologist, (apparently the best in Canada) a clinical nurse who specializes in arthritic kids, and a physiotherapist who was so sweet and gave Ab some "s-m-a-r-t-i-e-s" (I'm like she's smart but can't spell yet and yes she can have some).. we were there for two and a half hours and Abby was so good... She played and was so cute people kept popping in the room to see her little cindy-loo-who pigtails saying, "ohhh she is cute!!" That was nice.. Anyway, the news: Abby has been diagnosed with juvenile idopathic arthritis (I think idopathic means unknown). Abby has the mildest form which is known as Oligoarticular (four joints or less). Both her knees are very swollen and her right ankle and one of her fingers.. and quite possibly her apparently freakishly short fourth toes (he let me know gently that those are a little weird) In addition to the swelling and pain Ab is unable to fully extend both legs and is unable to bend both knees to the point she should be able to.. same thing goes for that one finger (the ring finger) and her right ankle.Unfortunately it isn't curable- but it is treatable. They have upped Ab's dose of naproxin- to 3ml twice a day according to her weight and hopefully it will actually start working.. as of right now it's not- it's helping abit but not as it should.. if that doesn't work by our next visit (6 weeks) Ab will then likely get a joint injection.. which is injecting medicine right into the joints (duh) she will have ot be put under anesthitic- so we're not thinking about that right now because it's sad and terrifying. Ab will also be doing some physio after her next appt. and Jay and I will be giving her a bath in the morning to warm her joints up.. we have some exercises to do there like kicking and splashing water (how fun for cleaning) and getting her to point at things with her toes instead of her hands.. we are to encourage her to use a push car backwards and forwards.. so basic stuff that to her will actually be fun.. the physiotherapist was so funny.. she said, I know it's a pain to give her two baths a day (Ab loves her bedtime bath and she said it's good to keep that going as it will relax her joints again) but it will make her joints feel better... and you don't even have to use soap in the morning ;) Cute. The Dr. told me Ab can be a ballerina or a cowboy whatever she chooses and we just keep treating with the meds to avoid damage to the joints to the point she cannot use them. We still have to get our bloodwork done..today she was so tired I couldn't bear to put her through any more poking.. she was a trooper though. We will also be seeing the opthomologist to rule out uvenitis (I'm not sure how to spell it) if Abby does have it she will have to use lots of eye drops to prevent sight loss.. but we'll worry about that when we get to it.. Because of the arthritis though Ab will have to have eye tests done every 3 months... I wonder if all the s-m-a-r-t-i-e-s will fatten her up?? Anyway, I think that's it. I'm sad from repeating this story.. so.. hopefully Ab won't remember this as Jay and I do.. it could go away within a year, or five years or 10.. so fingers crossed :) Love you All