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Lauren
Lauren
e-mail Lauren
Hello everyone! My name is Lauren, and I'm 14 years old. I
was diagnosed with Polyarticular JRA a few years ago. But believe me, it didn't
start there! When I was in about second grade, I remember sleeping over at a
friends house and waking up very stiff, and not being able to move my ankles. My
friend's father is an orthopedic, and I told him that I had a hunch that I had
arthritis. His reply was "You have some symptoms, and you better get it checked
out before it's too late." I told my parents about it, but we didn't check into
it. About seven years later, I had such sharp pains in my neck that I couldn't
stand to move it. Finally, my parents thought it was time to see a doctor. They
took me to my Pediatrician, who then referred me to a Pediatric Rheumatologist.
I can remember sitting in the waiting room of the hospital and feeling my
stomach churn and knowing that in a few minutes my life would change forever.
The moment my doctor stepped into the room, she took one look at my hands and
told me that I had Raynaud's Phenomenon. Raynaud's is a disease that effects
your hands and feet when you are cold. When you are exposed to cold climate, the
blood vessels in your hands and feet shut down, and there's no blood flow.
(Episodes usually last a few minutes) After hours of testing and x-rays, my
doctor finally came to the conclusion that I had Polyarticular Juvenile
Rheumatoid Arthritis in my hands, wrists, shoulders, neck, back, knees, ankles
and toes. Although I expected this news, it was extremely devastating. I have
always been very athletic, and having arthritis has made it difficult for me to
play sports. I have trouble running, and walking up the stairs. In school, I
have to take the elevator which is a pain! I've always loved school, but there
is a dark side of it. A lot of people just don't understand the seriousness JRA
or what I'm going through. Many people ask what's wrong with me, and when I tell
them, half the time they don't believe me. People think that because you don't
look much different from other people, there's nothing wrong with you. In the
past, I've been on many medications. They consist of Methotrexate (through
injection), Sulindac, Prendisone, Procardia, Folic Acid, Naprosyn, and
Plaquinil. I'm currently taking Enbrel, Alzudafine, Celebrex, Flexeril,
Ultram...and I think that's about it. Having JRA has not only affected me, but
my whole family. It hurts my parents and my 2 brothers to see me suffer and see
me so upset all the time.(I'm sure all of you know what I'm talking about) I try
not to let it get me down, but unfortunately, it does. Everyday is a battle for
me, from the moment I wake up until the time I go to sleep. My ankles, knees,
fingers, wrists, and back are always bothering me, and are very stiff. Of all
those, my back hurts the most. I recently found out that I have a disease called
Ankylosing Spondylitis...it's NOT Fun!! I went to a chiropractor and therapy for
a while, but they didn't help the way we had wished. I often get really hot, and
my face burns up. It starts in my upper arms, going up to my chest, neck, and
then eventually travels to my face. It occurred once when during a doctor
appointment, and she didn't understand what was causing it.. She called another
doctor in, and both of them were stumped..weird huh? I believe that of all the
bad that goes on, there is always divine good. I used to always want to be a
Pediatrician, and now, I want to be a Pediatric Rheumatologist. My former
Pediatric Rheumatologist was such an inspiration to me, her name is Dr. Egla
Rabinovich. She was the best doctor I've ever had, but unfortunately she
relocated to Duke University. Dr. Rabinovich, if you happen to read this..I
can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me, you've changed my
life. Your hard work and dedication to your patients is greatly appreciated! In
addition to that, having arthritis has made me a stronger person. I really hope
that researchers and scientists will soon find a cure, I don't think anyone
should have to go through this. My heart goes out to everyone that has JRA, I
truly admire all of you! I know what all of you are going through, all the pain
and agony of this terrible disease. I've been through the side effects, pain,
therapy, getting talked about or made fun of, and most of all, the nervousness
of a doctors appointment. I recently did the annual Arthritis Walk, and with the
help of my AWESOME friends and family (especially my dad), Yoli, and all the
employees from Bovis-Lend Lease, we were able to raise over $2,000 for the
Arthritis Foundation. Thanks again for your support and hard work, I appreciate
it! You're the BEST!! If you EVER need to talk to someone, or just need a
friend, feel free to e-mail me. My e-mail address is Sweetp9297@aol.com, and my
Instant Message screen name is Sweetp9297. I look forward from hearing from you!
Feel better, and keep being optimistic! :)
-Lauren
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