July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness month...

My wee girl is 4 and she was diagnosed with Pauciarticular Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when she was 2 years old. There is no cure. It will progressively get worse. As a mother, as a human being, I find that unacceptable. 

 


The more of these amazing children I've met, the more I realize that we got of kind of light.  We only have an hour's drive to her specialist.  Other's drive all day.  We also have the benefit of the Virginia Eye Institute for her eye exams.  


Kyleigh will be on medication for the rest of her life.  But for right now it's simply Naproxen.  Her immune system is compromised.  Any illness over mere sniffles earns her a trip to the doctor's.  We just can't take the risk and "wait it out".  But she's active.  She has yet to find an obstacle she can't get around or over.  There are many days when it's all I can do to just keep up with her.  There are also mornings when she struggles to walk down the stairs.  


She still inspires me to conquer my own fears and blow past previous limits.  I wouldn't change her for anything.  But, if I could, I'd take away her pain.