Skip to main content

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?


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

No One Prepared Me for This

This is the part of motherhood that I feel no one prepared me for. Perhaps you can't really be prepared at all. I didn't think it would happen as quickly as it did.  I'm talking about the day you wake up and your firstborn child is looking you in the eye and well on the way to surpassing your height. Can we not?  Seriously!  Sending Rhylan to middle school last year was a very tough concept to grasp. I've come to terms with being the mother of a middle schooler. I mean...what choice do I have? In doing so, I've had a front row seat to extraordinary growth (and I'm not just talking about physically). I've watched him overcome so much. Whether it was constant encounters with a bully (no one prepares you for that either), watching him navigate tough decisions, strengthening his sportsmanship or taking accountability... I'm constantly amazed by him. Last year was fifth grade. He seemed like a baby walking into that giant middle school. We're currently im...

You, My Friend, Matter.

Are you someone who has put herself on the back burner? Maybe you're like me and you've neglected your healthcare needs for years? Today is the day that you make a change. Okay? Say it with me.  I matter. My health and well-being matters. How did that feel? Was it hard to say? Did it leave you with a pit in your stomach? That pit in your stomach is your body's way of telling you that you need to make a change. I decided that a new year was the perfect time to push myself to make an appointment and take the first steps toward medical wellness. Self-care is a topic that we hear about almost daily. We're told to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others. Make time to rest. Eat well. Exercise. Have a good skincare routine. Declutter our spaces. Listen to our bodies. Meditate. Be mindful. The list goes on and on....and while I have mastered many of those things, I also realize that medical wellness also fits into the equation (whether I want to admit it or no...

What I Learned from Frugal January

While I don't believe in new year resolutions, I do believe in goals, aspirations and dreams. As a society, we're made to feel that with each new year, we must make resolutions, which more often than not, fade by March or set us up for failure. The feeling of failure is never good for the spirit, so a couple of years ago, I decided to stop giving in to that societal pressure. I have found that self-reflection is an excellent place to begin a new year and set realistic goals. This year, I started by challenging myself to what I named Frugal January. It's exactly what it sounds like. I challenged myself to only spend on necessities. I gave up runs to the coffee shop and trips to TJ Maxx. I gave up frivolous, careless and impulse-based spending, no matter how big or small it was. I asked myself one question with every single purchase decision, "do I really need this?" If I could live without it, I declined it. Did this cause me physical pain at times? Yes! There were...