JRAJourney6

November was a fairly quiet month with JRA/health issues (after October, we needed that!). :o) Anna had an appointment with the opthamologist towards the end of November. The inflammation in her eyes had quieted down, so we scheduled the next appointment for mid-February.

We attended the AJAO (American Juvenile Arthritis Organization) Holiday Party at the Hershey Med Center. If any JRA family has an opportunity to attend one of these, I highly recommend it. It's a great time of informal socialization with other families, the pediatric rheuamtologists and their families, and the local AJAO.

Anna had an appointment with the pediatric rheumatologist in early December. Basically status quo--continue with the current medication of Trilisate and Zantac (ordering via mail order, now that we know she'll be on this awhile). Leg length discrepancy is a little better. No "red flags". Next appointment: mid-March.

No appointments related to JRA at ALL! In fact, no doctor's appointments during the month of January! I was ready to be snowed in all month, with no appointments to be concerned about getting to . . . (but hardly any snow in our part of Pennsylvania this month, either!)

We have slipped a little with getting to the YMCA to swim regularly, and need to be more diligent and disciplined about doing that.

February 14: Valentine's Day. Anna had an appointment with the opthamologist. He found inflammation in the right eye. From the my past experiences in knowing the usual amount of time for him to examine Anna's eyes (when they are clear of any inflammation), I was expecting far more inflammation than he found when he took an extraordinary long time carefully looking--I mentally prepared myself for it to be really bad news. "Just" a few cells of inflammation in the right eye. But he's trying a different medication this time--Pred Forte. We go back on March 4.

Looking for a place for support and encouragement in your own family's JRA journey? Come join the MESSAGE BOARD at Parent's Place. These pages about Anna's JRA Journey are just the basic story. I share a whole lot more of my feelings on the message board. It's a place for everyone to do that.

Want to start reading at the beginning of Anna's JRA Journey? She was diagnosed July 1999. This is page six. Click on the heart at the left to go to page one of Anna's JRA Journey.