The Boy is Back

Back to himself, that is. Apparently, the increased levels of ibuprofen have been effective in easing his pain in the legs. At lunch-time, he proudly showed his daddy that he could even jump.

I had never heard of reactive arthritis before. Yet, today, I was thinking that perhaps I even experienced reactive arthritis many years ago. I was working for the Claims Management Office at the University of Illinois as a temporary fill-in for a worker who was out for four or five months. I remember that it was a frustrating position because legally, as a temporary employee, I was not allowed access to the confidential files. Yet, I would receive calls from people expecting me to provide them with answers.

One day, my right arm began to hurt and within a few hours, I found that I could not even lift a stapler. Working in Claims Management, (ha) they immediately sent me to a doctor to check for carpel tunnel syndrome (as if I had spent my days constantly typing important confidential information instead of wondering how I could make myself appear to be busy without really being busy). The doctors never did determine what caused the pain, despite many lab tests.

I was finally advised to wrap the arm and avoid using it, while taking 800 mg pills of ibuprofen (we're talking "horse-pills!") several times a day. At the end of two weeks, when I removed the sling, I found I was able to resume using my arm normally. This memory has certainly eased my mind. I have never had another episode like this, so perhaps my son will not have recurring episodes like this either.