Friday, June 3, 2016

New Plans


Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 143:8 
Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21 

As we have been going through this new season of trying to put weight on Ollie we have been reminded over and over again who loves our boys more than Danny & I. Every morning i try to read from the Bible for encouragement and strength. The first verse (Psalm 143:8) above has been one that I cling to. Refreshment every morning, a reminder of what He has helped me to do that morning, put my trust in Him and that promise that He leads me and holds my life and each precious life I care about in His mighty hands. As we look back at our lives before kids, these things were not how we thought life would be. Our plans held this lie of a picture, this picture of the perfect, easy, fun life, with a perfect marriage, perfect pregnancies and perfect kids. This goes against everything God teaches in the Bible. He promises trials and tribulations, sorrow and hardships.But He also promises our reward is HIM in Heaven. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast."Hebrews 6:19


I went out of town 10 days after Oliver's 2 year appointment where we found out he wasn't gaining weight. When I arrived home Sunday (3 days after leaving) Danny told me he thought Oliver might have fallen out of bed and he was limping and his ankle was very swollen. It never crossed my mind that it was the arthritis. We took him in to the pediatrician Monday since it had been 4 days since it started and the pediatrician did an x-ray. When she came back in the room with the results she said "I've never wished for an injury before, but I was really hoping Oliver had an injury not more arthritis." She explained that there was no injury but lots of inflammation and the joint was very warm, she had called the Rheumatologist already. He also agreed the arthritis was now moving into a new joint and we needed to start Oliver's Naproxen once again. We had an appointment lined up for a follow up from his injections 8 weeks ago, the following Tuesday, so they were ok with waiting until then to figure out a new plan.  He did really well that week on the pain/anti-inflammatory medicine.
     On Tuesday we went in to see Dr. Moore at Children's Hospital. We explained everything to her and she did her exam and saw the swelling in his left ankle even with his medicine. She agreed that this was more arthritis. 

The new plan-Keep Oliver on the Naproxen for two more weeks, if at that point the swelling is not completely gone we will do a steroid injection into that joint. 

So far he has been really painful and swollen the last 3 days even on the Naproxen, which is how things went with his knees. We have switched to Meloxicam and its helping. Yesterday was particularly bad and we noticed his right ankle may be starting to swell. We will continue to wait and pray that things will heal and heal quickly!