Mara has been doing great since her steroid injections! Her inflammation has gone down in both knees. She doesn't seem as stiff in the mornings or after long car rides, and she also seems to be moving around quicker. We are very thankful for how things are going so far. We had to search a bit to find a physical therapist because our insurance is making things a bit complicated. She had her first physical therapy appointment this morning, and it went really well. Our PT, Jodi, did a great job of working with Mara today during her evaluation. We are hoping with physical therapy that Mara's range of motion in her knees and legs will be 100%.
What causes JIA? Genetic, hormonal, environmental and infectious factors may be involved, although no clear trigger has been consistently identified. Thanks to Norwex, we are working to eliminate environmental chemicals from our house. We have looked into a couple diet changes but were completely overwhelmed. Gluten free is one option we looked into. We had Mara tested for a gluten sensitivity, and her numbers came back normal. Our rheumatologist didn't suggest we go that route since she doesn't have an allergy. We also looked into the Paleo diet which is basically eating organic fruits, vegetables (minus legumes), nuts (minus peanuts since they're legumes), and grass fed meats. We decided this wasn't a diet we could just put her on, so we'd all have to do it. Our concerns were not being able to have dairy (yogurt and cottage cheese are our kids' staples and we all LOVE cheese), Lance doesn't eat chicken, and I don't eat seafood. The biggest factor in our decision to not go with either is that they're both a lot of work and more costly, and there's no way to know for sure that the diet change is even helping. The injections she got could put the disease into remission forever without a diet change. There is no strong, proven evidence so far that I've found that diet changes help or cure JIA. However, there is some pretty convincing evidence that links processed foods and auto-immune disorders. So, we have committed to getting rid of highly processed foods completely and doing a better job of eating whole foods. This was something I've been trying to do in the last year anyway, so this wasn't so overwhelming for me. One big change we've made is getting rid of breakfast cereal. That just means a bit more work for me in the mornings, but it's definitely better for all of our diets! I've been a label reading crazy lady lately, and I'm trying to find healthier alternatives to the products we currently have that have high fructose corn syrup, lots of sugar, and hydrogenated oils. Chicken nuggets aren't something I typically buy because they are processed, but I made some
homemade chicken nuggets the other night in an effort to make a healthy meal and the kids went crazy over them! They weren't too hard to make, and I even substituted the corn flakes for homemade bread crumbs. Try them sometime!
Mara has been amazing with the food changes. We have been very open and honest with her about healthy foods and wanting to keep her knees healthy. The hard part is when other people are eating stuff she shouldn't have. But I think it's actually harder on the people eating in front of her (like Grandpa!) than it is on her. The other day everyone was eating chips and salsa, so I let her have 2 chips. I then gave her some healthy snack choices, and she was very content with eating an apple.
I was reading this week in 2 Kings. Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He cried and prayed to the Lord for mercy. It reminded me of how I take my family's health for granted especially when we all feel well. Ever since the morning Mara woke up limping with a swollen knee, my attention has been diverted toward her knees. The JIA diagnosis has made me very aware of the possible limitations this disease can cause. Whether or not God heals Mara of this disease, I am reminded to thank Him for what he's given us.
