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A Mother's Intuition....Seeking Answers

Never doubt your intuition as a mother. Never.

Roughly 12 weeks ago, my little Everly appeared to have injured her foot. I assumed it was a mild sprain. It swelled up and she had a hard time walking. I took her to her pediatrician that next day. We ran x-rays, which came back clear. They just assumed it was a mild sprain.

I was referred to an orthopedic doctor who basically informed me that I was a crazy person and that there wasn't a thing wrong with her foot. "Three year olds do this for attention sometimes." I can still hear those words and inside I was screaming, because I knew deep down that there was something wrong.

Why would my three year old choose to limp and fake a daily struggle to walk and run with kids on the playground. Something wasn't right. I insisted that she needed a boot or something to alleviate some pain while she healed, which he obliged. What's even more ironic? That doctor is no longer there.

Fast forward 8 weeks...

Things were not improving. The foot continued to swell and after prolonged walking, Everly couldn't continue. Motrin wasn't helping. Ice wasn't helping. It was time for me to trust my intuition and find relief somehow.

I did some Googling and found a local foot doctor. I'm so thankful for him, because he was the first doctor to acknowledge a real problem. His first recommendation was another x-ray to look at her growth plates to see if there was a fracture there. I knew they would come back clear as this would be her third x-ray, but I agreed as it had been 8 weeks since her last x-ray.

The growth plate x-ray came back clear which meant our next step would be an MRI. While an MRI doesn't sound like a big deal, they have to sedate little ones and then put them under anesthesia in order to do the procedure. I was sick to my stomach just thinking about it, but knew it had to be done.

The MRI day was a bit stressful as the medical staff prepped our daughter as if she was a surgical patient. The absolute best part of the morning was the "loopy drugs" that made Everly incredibly silly and relaxed. The next step was to prep her for the anesthesia. We made our way to the MRI department and it was time to say goodbye. It's always gut wrenching to have to send your child back with strangers. Even though she was feeling loopy and sleepy, she still tried to fight her way to get to me. The fact that she was in a crib type bed was tough as well. It was almost like she was in a cage. I fought back my tears, because I knew she was scared. I said goodbye and didn't cry until I was out of her sight.

Before we knew it, the MRI was complete and I could here Everly crying out for me as she woke up. I was so glad to have her back in my arms and so very glad that the MRI was officially over. That same day, we were informed that the results showed inflammation in four ligaments, the outer cavity surrounding the ankle as well as the heel. The wonderful nursing staff sent her home with this cookie that definitely brought a smile to her face and some laughs!


Where is that doctor now that didn't believe me?

Our next step was to meet with a pediatric rheumatologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The signs and symptoms all pointed to one thing.....arthritis. The next question was....will this be lifelong?


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