Jaxon has had a rough couple of weeks! He was scheduled for his hip injections, and other appointments, on May 28th, but we couldn't wait any longer. He has been in so much pain, not sleeping, and we knew that he needed some relief to be able to make it through the last part of school. Plus, summer baseball ( his favorite!) is starting the beginning of June! He has been more honest about how he has been feeling lately too, not just saying he's fine, which he does often, but saying " I really hurt, Mom"!
So, we left on Tuesday morning for an early set of appointments. Dr. Mason's nurse, Fran, worked lots for us to be able to get in early. I really didn't think it would work, cause just setting up the cortisone shots, with the anesthesia is a big deal, but God helped make it happen! We had a x-ray appointment at 4pm, and that didn't take very long at all, so we headed over to Grandma Knick's to pick her up, and go to visit Grandpa. They were doing good, and we had some good laughs together.
The next morning, it was an early start with his cortisone shots in both hips, and right ankle. They all love him around there, and the nurse said that everyone was talking about him, and the fact that he's the best kid around! He does so well with that kinda stuff, he woke up great and we were off to his next appointments. We saw physical and occupational therapy, which was great help. We got new good tips, on how to help him sleep better, things to do to preserve his joints, and new exercises to strengthen his muscles and joints. The last appointment was with Dr. Mason, and it was the hardest! He showed us the x-ray picture first, and even before he started talking, Jeremy and I could see that it was bad! He explained that the hip ball joint, and bone, should look like a smooth, ivory mushroom. Jaxon's right hip didn't look right at all, it is basically bone on bone. There should be spaces between his bones above the hip, and the leg, and there was none. It also should be smooth and white, where Jax's looked bumpy (kinda like coral), and lots of dark spots. Dr. Mason was pretty concerned about it, there is a lot of damage to his hip, because of his disease. So much damage, that he will most likely have to have a hip replacement in high school. We have to wait until then, because they just don't do that surgery that young, and he has to be done growing. Wow, that was hard to hear! We have to start another plan of action asap, because we are getting no where fast! There is a new medication that has just been approved by the FDA, it was made especially for Still's disease, which is Jaxon's type of JRA (you can read more about Jaxon's type of JRA, in an article, on the right hand side, of our blog). It would be a once a month IV infusion, that would have to be done at Mayo. Dr. Mason seems really ready to trying it, we have been talking, and praying about it for awhile, and feel it is the right move. The cortisone shots he just had, should give is a little time, so he can finish school. We will be starting that in July, and seeing how it goes for 3 months, then reevaluating it from there. Meanwhile, we are going to bump up his other meds, just to see if we can get anywhere. We are changing his motrin to naproxen, to see if it helps with his pain. No matter what we do, his hip is going to be giving him pain, because of the damage, so that is where the naproxen comes in.
So that is the low down, I know it is long, but it's so hard to explain, that it just needs to come out, how it is in my mind. Sorry, and thanks for listening to me! We will just take one day at time, and rely on God! We have really nothing else to go on right now, and we do serve a big God, that has everything in His hands! We have to leave it there, everyday.
I want to say "Thank you", to you all, who have been praying for us! We can feel it everyday, and when we feel overwhelmed, we remember that!
When we got Sophie 2 months ago, we had no clue or even thought about her being pregnant. I was starting to wonder what was going on a few weeks ago, because she just kept getting bigger and bigger. I just thought she was eating too much, but then I started to wonder if she could have come to us pregnant. Last Thursday, while I was cleaning her cage, Jeremy was holding her, and he felt something move around. We watched her closely the next few days, and her tummy would just go crazy! On Tuesday morning, we got to watch her give birth. Jeremy heard something when he came into the room, and looked in to see her with 2 already, and called us in. We watched the 3rd come out in the sac, and Sophie bite it so the baby could breath. It was pretty incredible! She then started cleaning them right away, and soon they were walking around making noises! We think that they are all 3 girls, and will keep checking these next few weeks, just to make sure. If they are, we will probably keep all 3, get another cage, so 2 can share. We had been talking about getting the other 2 one anyways, so this works out great! They say that they should not be alone, so they will have plenty of company!
The three little ones minutes after they were born!
Here is Sophie feeding them. They somehow all get under her and are able to eat. They are 4 days old now and are eating regular food, and drinking water. They still have their mom, but they can eat regular food already too!
Baby #1~ Jaxon's Asoka (from has favorite cartoon Star Wars the Clone wars) We think she was born first, and has different hair than Minnie and Sophie.
Baby #2~ Hayden's Minnie. She was the last one born, we actually got to watch her come out. It was pretty amazing! She has the same hair as her mommy, Sophie. Hayden wanted her right away, he called her the "down hair one"!
Baby #3~ Jonah's little Lola. We think she was the 2nd one born, she has the same hair as Asoka, and is the loudest out of all 3 of them!
There were a lot of boys, right around Jaxon and Jonah's age, they had fun getting to know each other!
The boys ready for the baptism
The handsome man of the hour!
Dad and Morghan
The boys eating dinner
Our dinner spread, it was all great!
Playing his guitar
A closer look at his "Clock" costume. He was so cute!
Jesse and Jeremy as babies
Jesse, Jeremy and Chris at a Jesus Lovaz concert. Jesus Lovaz was a rap group that Jesse and Jeremy were in during high school and college.
Jeremy, Jesse and Jeremy Mueller