Time For Your Check Up

"Time for your check up! Time for your check up!"  Doc McStuffins is a constant in our house and if you have kids…chances are you are now singing that song in your head…if not out loud.

It had been 6 months since we'd seen Dr. Hong and her crew at the U of I hospital.  Dr. Hong had a baby about 5 months ago.  Since she was on maternity leave and because Maci had been doing so well, we went 6 months instead of our normal 3 month check up.  Maci didn't understand why she was getting to go with mom and dad alone today.  I told her we were going to see the doctor and it was instant tears.  I think she was assuming it was a trip to the ENT and she immediately associates that with pain.  Luckily she forgets pretty quickly still so off we went in the truck.

We quickly got in to see the PA that we love.  She gave Maci the run down and made her contort her body in all directions to test her mobility.  Maci kept her on her toes and had her laughing.  The rhuemetologist came in shortly after that and put her through the same tests.  At the moment, there continues to be no signs of arthritis in her little body!!!!  Dr. Hong was very very happy with Maci's progress.  If she has 4 more appointments (about 2 years) without any flares, she will start to wean her off the methotrexate.  That is both exciting and scary at the same time.  It's exciting because she will no longer be on a medication that can permanently damage her liver but scary because we don't know how the arthritis will respond with no treatment.  In the meantime, we will continue to visit Iowa City every 6 months, do the weekly injections at home and have bloodwork completed every 3 months.