Hip Hip Hooray!!!

There is no sign of inflammation in Ayla's joints!!! We are so excited! This is the first time in over 18 months that she has not had a swollen joint. I was so excited and was asking if we could decrease any of her medicines but the Dr. wants to keep her on everything for one year. If she is still doing well in one year with normal lab results and no inflammation, then we will talk about decreasing the meds. So it is still two injections a week for miss Ayla for the next year. The Dr. also explained that 50% of the children who are taken off of their meds after being in remission for one year on meds will have another flare up. He said they are doing research now to try and determine which children will have the flare ups again and which will do okay and go into remission without medications. If they could find this out, they could discontinue medicines after three months of being in remission. Wouldn't that be awesome!!




So we are hoping and praying for one year of no flare ups and normal labs! We have came so far with this disease and I am finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!! Last March she had trouble walking and she would limp and drag her leg behind her but looking at her now, you would NEVER know that. She is running, jumping, playing and just being a NORMAL toddler!! We are so blessed and so thankful.








Our biggest concern now is just keeping her healthy. It is going to be a bad flu season and I have a feeling we will not be doing much this winter. I wanted to sign her up for dance classes or gymnastics but we are going to wait until the flu season is over. I know some parents still bring their children to things like this when they are sick and I just can't take that chance right now. It is just not worth her getting sick over. We have already got her into the habit of washing her hands. I bought her some sponge bob square pants soap and we leave a step stool in the bathroom for her and she just goes in there and washes her hands without our help. It is the first thing she does when we come home from somewhere.



We also saw the physical therapist while we were there. They couldn't believe her progress since the last visit. Ayla can almost straighten her right elbow and left knee all the way out. Her left leg is measuring a little longer than her right so they made some shoe lifts to put inside of her left shoe. Ayla tends to walk on the side of her foot and they think this could be the reason.

Oh, and of course I brought Ayla a surprise while we waited for her appointment to be over. Yes, it was ANOTHER baby. She loves babies and this kept her occupied the whole time. She did so great at her appointment. She did not cry any and she was such a big girl. She has came a long way, she used to cry almost the whole time! I am so proud of her!



So, for the first time since diagnosis, we are FINALLY saying goodbye to arthritis and hello to being a healthy three year old!

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!