Wow, 2010 already?? Where has the time gone!?
It's been a bumpy ride for Amanda. When she went to see the rheumy in May, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Well, at least we now have a name for all the pain she's been in without any inflammation! Not that it makes it any easier to deal with. The rheumy said the most effective way to deal with it is through exercise since she's already on enough drugs. So Amanda has taken up a fibro swim class which she enjoys alot. And she's been walking home from school when she can - a good 20 minute walk but usually takes longer since she's walking with friends and she's too busy gabbing to walk quickly!
She wasn't seeing any improvement over the summer with her pain levels and, in fact, her pain worsened in the fall. When she went back to the rheumy, he said the only thing he can recommend is exercise. He mentioned that she could consider going on low dose anti-depressants to help with her sleep cycle. After a LONG discussion with the physiotherapist, Amanda decided that was the best option for her. She began them 5 weeks ago. She feels like she's sleeping better but she's not sure about the pain levels. When we discussed it with the pediatrician at her last Remicade infusion, he said that, for alot of kids, the six week mark is like someone flicked a switch. All of a sudden they notice an improvement. So we'll see!
Other than that, we had a wonderful Christmas break full of lots of reading, eating, watching movies, and hanging out with friends and family. My DH Tim will also be participating in the Joints in Motion marathon on January 9th in Disney World. Not sure how I agreed to let him go to Disney without me!!??
Hope everyone is well and pain free -- may 2010 bring improvement for all!
