Bandaids always make the "pokes" better!!
Cordale's new "Spiderman" glove that keeps his wrist extended while he is sleeping.
Cordale pretending to be "Spiderman" before he goes to bed.For those of you who don't know, about 2 months ago Cordale was diagnosed with JRA(juvenile rheumatoid arthritis). He initially had it in 4 joints; right knee, right ankle, left wrist, and left middle finger. Then within 3 weeks later they found flare ups in 2 more joints which moved him to the second stage which is better know as JIA(juvenile idiopathic arthritis). He now has it also in his left knee and right thumb as well. Due to it spreading so quickly, his rheumatologist chose the agressive way to attack it and hopefully get it to stop spreading. Well, that resulted in Dennis and I having to give him a shot was a week. Yes, it absolutely kills us to have to do it. We just have to keep in mind how much it is helping him. Since he started the shots 4 weeks ago, he is no longer limping like he was and he can get out of bed on his own. (I use to have to go get him and carry him around for about an hour each morning until he could get his joints to moving again.) Lately, he has been a totally different kid and bouncing off the walls like most kids do. The only delima we are going though now is that his medication has made him anemic as well as very fatigued. So he has had a decline in potty training. He is just to tired to go to the potty and it sure makes mom and dad sooooo frustrated. Oh I should say that he will be on this medication until he is in remission for 6 months before the doctor will start taking him off of it. So he told us to plan on giving him shots on a weekly bases for at least a year. Also this week I found out that if he isn't better by his next appointment (it still spreading), then he wants to add another medication that will require even more shots. I feel so bad for him. It's already bad enough having to hold him down once a week for shot, let alone more. Anyway, they also put him in physical therapy 2 days a week. At therapy they gave him the Spiderman glove to wear at night so his wrist will stay extended and not stiffen up. He will also be getting some orthotics for his shoes to help with his ankle stiffening up. So our lives have been turned upside down in the last 2 months, with going to several doctor appointments, and therapy and then taking care of him at home on a daily bases.
