Primary Children's 3 Month Update

Yesterday, I took Paizlei up to Primary Children's to see a couple new specialists.  I was stressing over it more than I should have, mainly because the last 2 times I had taken her up there, she left more miserable than when she went in.  This time however, was so much more pleasant.

Paizlei had appointments with a Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis specialist and a new GI doctor, as the one we weren't getting any results from moved back to his country of origin...China.  I was a little upset that we didn't get a call from his office stating he was going back and we would have to find a new doctor, but at the same time, I was getting tired of the game he kept playing with Paizlei and not doing anything for her.  So, this gave me the opportunity to seek another specialists opinion.

Her first appointment was with the JRA.  She first saw a NP, who did a brief run-down of Paizlei's medical history, then did a brief exam.  She said she was fairly certain there was fluid in her knees, which would indicate arthritis.  She also noticed Paizlei favoring her right side when she walks, and a little pop in her hip when she moves her leg.  She didn't go into great detail about the pop in her hip, but said it wasn't anything to worry about right now.  She said most likely the reason Paizlei is favoring her right side is because of the fluid in her knee.  Once the NP was done with her exam, Dr. Bohnsack came in...loved. him.  He was so great with Paizlei.  So patient, gentle and kind with her.  After watching her run, jump, walk, poking, prodding, twisting, pushing pulling, and looking at an x-ray we took up with us, he determined Paizlei does in fact have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  He praised me for giving her Motrin every 6-8 around the clock, to help with the inflammation, however, he told me it would have been better had I not given it to her for a week going in to the appointment, so they could have a better idea of what other joints she may have arthritis in.  He did pin-point it in her knees, her shoulder and her ankle/foot.  He ordered a TON of labs, including some genetic testing, which will help them "better understand Paizlei's arthritis".  He set us home with a prescription for Meloxicam to help with the inflammation, as well as the pain.  He also advised me to get her in to a pediatric ophthalmologist for an eye exam to rule out Iritis, which is common in people who suffer from arthritis.  They are working on making sure our insurance will cover it, so we don't make a trip up there and have a surprise when they tell us we have to pay for the appointment.  They are pretty confident the insurance will cover it, because it isn't a routine eye exam and goes hand-in-hand with JRA.

Her second appointment was with the GI doctor.  I was a little confused when this young doctor walked in and introduced himself as Dr. Patel, because I thought Paizlei's appointment was with Dr. Pohl.  However, Dr. Patel, was so great with Paizlei.  He had so much patience with her, it was great.  Because he was new to Paizlei's case, he did a brief rundown of her medical history, and the history of the pooping problem she has.  When I told him she is a former 33 weeker, he told me his 2 year old daughter is a former 30 weeker and has the same problem Paizlei has.  As we got talking, I told him what Dr. Wu had us doing for Paizlei wasn't working and that I was having to take her in to the ER for outpatient services to get an enema every so often because all the medication wasn't working and something needed to be done, because the pain she was in, was awful and I didn't think it was necessary for a 2 year old to be in so much pain.  He looked at the barium enema she had done the first time I took her in, and said she has a VERY enlarged colon, due to her not being able to push out her pooh.  He said she still has muscle issues in there, but he thinks they are just immature muscles and that's why she is having such a difficult time.  He told me he had NEVER heard of the problem the other doctor was suggesting.  Ummm...I think its a REALLY good thing he went back to China.  No offense.  Anyway, he put Paizlei on 4 new medications to try to help her go and to help her colon to shrink back down to its normal size.  He is also testing her for Celiac Disease and checking her thyroid.  He said thyroid disease can and will cause constipation.  And, we have to take her to the hospital here to get an x-ray in 4 days.

I'm pretty happy with how they both turned out.  The only thing the did that was remotely painful, was the "poke" for lab work.  She has to go back to see both doctors, and possibly the peds ophthalmologist in 3 months.  If the new meds the GI doctor put her on aren't working and she is still having her issues, he will do an endoscopy to see if there is something going on that he can't see in a regular x-ray.  Obviously, we are hoping it doesn't come to that.  We are hoping the labs he did yesterday, will shed some light on what is going on inside her tiny little body.

PS....on a side note, when the nurse was checking Paizlei's vitals, they of course weighed her...she weighs 4 pounds LESS than Hunter...she is 2 years YOUNGER than Hunter!!!  CRAZY!!!  The really crazy thing is, she doesn't have an ounce of fat on her...she is built just like Hunter...she is ALL MUSCLE!