Texas
Arthritis Foundation
2008 Permian Hero
Miriam Faith Wagnon
I am five years old and I have Polyarticular Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was diagnosed with JRA just a few months after my third birthday. My illness started with a persistent swollen and painful right knee. My parents took me to my pediatrician a couple different times trying to figure out what was going on with me. I was very lucky, because I had parents who spoke up and were advocates for me and I also had a pediatrician who listened to their concerns and immediately started looking for an answer. Within six weeks, I was diagnosed with JRA and had my first appointment set up with a Pediatric Rheumatologist, Dr. Maria Perez in
In the beginning of my diagnosis, I presented as a text book case of Pauciarticular JRA. It did not take long for my JRA to progress and for it to show up in joints all over my body changing my diagnosis to Polyarticular. Last winter was my most severe flare up, and at one point I was taking eight different medications, which included three injections a week. I would get really mad because I wouldn?t be able to get out of bed myself in the mornings because I was so stiff and hurt so bad. My mom or dad would do physical therapy with me on a daily basis. My doctor?s visits consist of routine check-ups with my pediatrician, visits to the Physical Therapist when I have a flare up, visits to the Ophthalmologist every four months, visits for routine blood draws, and scheduled visits to my Pediatric Rheumatologist three to four times a year.
My Mom and Dad tell me all the time that I am an amazing little girl with an incredible spirit. I take my medicine without putting up a fight, even when it tastes bad or I know that my Methotrexate injection will hurt and will make me "spitup" sometimes. I enjoy exercise and my physical therapy, because I know that it helps me even though it hurts sometimes. I try to be brave at my doctor?s appointments and I don't even cry when I get my blood drawn. I have had to undergo x-rays, an MRI, an Orthocentesis, and too many doctors? visits and blood draws to count. The wonderful thing is that I have now gone five months without a flare up. I have been taken off some of my medications, and I am down to five totals. I even suffered from Mono this winter and I had to be taken off all of my medications abruptly for the first time, and did not suffer a flare up. My arthritis is part of who I am and I try not to let it slow me down. I am very active, and I love to dance, sing, play with my baby dolls, play games and play outside with my big sister Miah and my big brother Coltyn.
