Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

When Julianne was 2, she was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis  or JRA. I just thought she had fallen and hit her knee on something because it was swollen. At the time we lived in Sacramento and there was no one in the area who was a Pediatric Rheumatologist and accepted our insurance. We ended up making trips to Stanford Medical Center every few months. By the time she was 3, the joints in her toes affected and she had a steroid injection in her knee. Here are a couple of pictures of Julianne when she was 2.
Victoria and Julianne at Disneyland, April 2003
September 2003

Many kids have difficulty with walking and playing. Julianne remained active. She would wake up with a stiff knee, but she never complained.

Now she has been in remission the past couple of years! We make a visit to the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters every August to see the Pediatric Rheumatologist. She enjoys the visit and giggles during the exam as her legs and arms are bent in all different directions. Her doctor always says she looks amazing.

I am so grateful! Here are pictures of our visit yesterday...
CHKD
Waiting for the doctor
Dancing with the statues after the appointment
The bear Julianne keeps asking for at Costco
Julianne and our friend Dawn
After lunch at Olive Garden

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