February 9th, 2011

After initial appointments (in January) after the release found nothing, we were back to doing what we normally do at home-keep a journal. It seemed as if January was just staying the same with no major changes good or bad until about the 4th week in January. As I keep the journal and tend to Jaiden (she is completely attached to me and only me) I realize that there are changes in her symptoms and attitude and they are not for the better. She seemed to wake a lot in the night crying out, but falling back to sleep immediately and swelling was now in her knees, hands, fingers, feet, and toes. Initially the swelling was only in her knees and index finger. She also developed a cyst which feels like a hard ball of mass near her thumb on a joint which appeared literally out of no where. Again, we went to her pediatrician to make sure he knows of what is going on and what changes are changing for the worse. After that there were more blood tests to be done and to go to our scheduled appointments which on February 9th.

The first appoint we had was with the Rheumatologist and this time it was much more informative. With all of Jaiden's labs being so fluctuated and the symptoms she showed proved the Kawasaki Disease diagnosis to be incorrect and that Jaiden actually had Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis....again we were like what!?!? How could this be, 3 months later and figuring it was something else all along. We are saddened that something like this could be a part of Jaiden's health and 3 months later there can finally be some closure to what is really going on with her. The Rheumatologist still wanted another bone marrow biopsy to be completed prior to the start of treatment and we were scheduled right then and there for the minor surgery for Friday the 11th. This biopsy was done before when she was admitted to CHOC but no findings came from it. Come to find out that the steroid that were given while in Missouri could mask a cancer (if there is any) in her bone marrow and this second time around will have had enough time for the steroid to have left her body. This second procedure will make sure there is nothing else really going on that would need a different treatment. With the procedure to be completed tomorrow we already have her first treatment and appointment again with the Rheumatologist on Tuesday the 15th to get things started.