Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Why is it that children whine and moan and seem extremely ill at home, yet when you arrive at the doctor's office, this transformation occurs and suddenly nurses are happily conversing with your seemingly healthy, animated toddler? The doctor who saw my YS in the hospital, Dr. Freeman, had suggested I wait until Wednesday to make an appointment if the leg pain didn't diminish. But, when my MS awoke crying that he couldn't get out of bed because of the pain in his legs, I began to think through what it would look like to take him on Wednesday (my husband works Wed., but not today).

I pictured myself (not a body-builder, mind you) attempting to carry a 40 lb. toddler and a 30 lb. infant into the doctor's office. I finally decided I would have to put them in the double stroller and roll them in. Still, it would mean exposing my baby, who was just released from the hospital, to more germs and illnesses. I knew I couldn't wait until Wednesday.

So, I called and explained his history: complete change in appetite starting in Dec.; concern from the Parent's Day Out workers because he complains about the noise every time they go to the common room for group play (they have been taking him to a quiet room and reading to him - I assumed he continued this because he loves one-on-one attention and being read to); after they mentioned it, I began to notice he will leave the room if I vacuum and will cover his ears and say his head hurts if there are loud noises; beginning in January, daily complaints of fatigue - too tired to eat, too tired to play; ER blood check came back negative for leukemia; then ER trip for ear infection, treated with a round of antibiotics; lingering cough; rash of unknown origin; red eye; and finally, two mornings of waking with pain in his legs to the point of demanding to be carried and unable to stand to toilet.

Despite an already full schedule, they squeezed him in with ... none other than, Dr. Freeman. Since my husband kept the baby home, I only had to take an umbrella stroller. The waiting room was full of very sick individuals and I was paranoid we'd come home with even more trouble. He was mad at me because I wouldn't let him go play in the toy area. I had the upper hand - he couldn't walk!

Dr. Freeman arrived and asked MS to stand. Can you believe, the boy just stood up on his tip-toes? Next, he was asked to put his weight on his heels and he was able to do that as well. Dr. Freeman asked if he could walk to his momma. He did. Then, he asked him to run to me. He shuffled over. I was flabbergasted. I said, "Patient - BE HEALED!"

However, the dr. did believe that he was in legitimate pain. He observed that my MS's gait is not normal. Dr. Freeman believes my MS is suffering from something called Reiter's syndrome or reactive arthritis. This is an inflammation in the joints which sometimes develops after a bacterial or viral infection somewhere else on the body. His suggestion? Give him children's ibuprofen 3x daily and if it is not 90% better by Friday, return to have lab tests.

I went home and looked up reactive arthritis. It did mention that it is often accompanied by red eye or conjunctivitis or a rash. Although, most of the sites mentioned the rash as being located on the hands and feet.

My MS did walk some later in the day. When we went to pick up the ibuprofen, he complained that sitting in the cart was bothering him and said he wanted to walk. He walked like an elderly individual out to the van! He also walked into the house to show Daddy that he could, in fact, walk. However, he didn't feel that the ibuprofen helped the pain and he again requested to be carried to bed.

At this point, it is a waiting game. We are trying not to worry too much, but do have some gnawing doubts in the back of our minds. I will say it is SO MUCH EASIER to keep up with the two little guys when one of them won't walk. I actually had every room straightened in the house prior to leaving for the dr.'s office. That doesn't happen often enough. Still, I'm hoping he wakes up tomorrow with more of the presence I saw at the dr.'s office - that cheerful, compliant, talkative demeanor that always charms the socks off those nurses!