Newly diagnosed daughter - new member introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi - my name is - I am a 32 young wife and mother of three -

Amy age 2 1/2, Charlie age 5 1/2 and who would be 8 this year

(we lost him in 2005 to Neuroblastoma)

Around the start of September this year my 2 year old daughter Amy

started complaining of leg pain - in her knees, and her walking

started being stiff - so after being sent to our local hosiptal for

tests we were given diagnosis or Reactive Arthritis ( the one after a

virus)

Her pain, and stiffness has increased since - and she needed an

increase in her pain meds (Ibuprofen and Paracetamol) and started

waking at night crying in pain - in the morning her leg is so stiff

she can't walk and as the day goes on her mobility improves

This was affecting her Right knee - but somewhere along the way moved

over to the left - and on a visit to review appointment for her

knees - after I mentioned the migration of arthritis from right to

left we were admitted for further tests - chest x-ray and leg x-rays,

Bloods and urine VMA - The diagnosis of Juvenile Chronic/Rhumatoid

Arthritis was given

We have to go back next week to meet a different doctor who

specialises in this area - to arrange meds, physio etc - so hopefully

then I will know more

I'm feeling quite bewildered and apprehensive - not knowing quite

what to expect - hoping Amy wont be affected into adulthood and

trying to adjust to the prospect of a disabled child

Amy also has another health issue - a foreign object in her right ear

that was discovered at a doctor's appointment for cold/cough, back in

May - they advised us to leave it and that it will come out by

itself - which it hasn't and we think Amy has pushed it in further,

right round the bend in her ear - so she is having a general

anaestetic next Wednesday so they can remove the offending object!

(my spelling is appauling - you'd think after having a son with

Neuroblastoma I would be able to spell these trivial little words!!)

Also - my 5 year old Son, Charlie is being assessed for ADHD and

possibly mild Aspergers - he is struggling at school, and has had a

rough first few years - his older brother was diagnosed Neuroblastoma

when he was 6 weeks old, and then when Charlie was 2 1/2 his brother

died - through the chaos Charlie has been overlooked and his speech

and development was delayed - and we've had a struggle to get him

back on track

You'd think that someone wouldn't get so much shit throwen at them -

after the last few years struggling I really wanted a happy stress

free life

Love - Devon - United Kingdom

xxxxxxxxxx