Daughter’s diagnosis

of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis spurs Bellevue mom to take action

When Bellevue resident Jackie Howard first received her diagnosis of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) at age nine, she was devastated. It was not the diagnosis itself that upset her, but the news from the doctors that she would no longer be able to pursue her number one passion – dance.

Juvenile arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that is characterized by swelling, heat, and pain for a short or chronic period of time. Nearly 300,000 children in the U.S have some sort of arthritis.

Her mother, Lisa Howard, initially became concerned when her daughter began to experience swollen knuckles, extreme fatigue, pain in her spine, trouble walking and aching joints. Having never come across Juvenile arthritis before, it never dawned on Lisa that something was seriously wrong with her daughter. After several visits to the doctor’s office and many misdiagnosis, Lisa and Jackie finally found relief when they payed a visit to Children’s Hospital.

“Call it a mother’s intuition, but I just knew in my gut there was something seriously wrong and we were missing it,” Lisa explained.

To minimize the effects of arthritis, an early and accurate diagnosis is essential. Jackie was able to get a handle on her JRA early on, but still suffered through the hardships related to intense treatments, including a regular medication regimen that left her feeling ill most of the time. She was put on a strict routine of chemotherapy drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The chemotherapy drug, methotrexate, lowered her body’s immune system so she was often sick.

Every Friday Jackie would take her chemotherapy drug and as a side effect she would become very nauseated, explained her mother.

“On weekends it was like she almost had the flu and trying to get homework done was a feat,” Lisa said. “She lost a lot of friendships because she wasn’t feeling well enough to have social time.”

Jackie would often feel sick until the following Wednesday when the side-effects would begin to wear off, only to take the medicine again on Friday and start the process over again.

“During that time, the focus was on just trying to survive. That was the goal,” Lisa said.

A year into her treatment, Jackie’s mother became involved with the Arthritis Foundation and now sits as a member on the board. Jackie attended the Kat-Fish Camp for those with juvenile arthritis and their families.

“It was neat to meet kids who were going through the same things I was,” Jackie explained. “I really enjoyed meeting other girls my age because I had never talked with someone who was on methotrexate and how it affected them.”

A couple of years ago Jackie and her mother volunteered for the Seattle Jingle Bell Run & Walk. This years 24th Annual Seattle Jingle Bell Run & Walk will take place on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Westlake Center in downtown Seattle. The event includes more than 400 volunteers, an Elf Village, Carolers and Carousel rides.

Early registration is encouraged. Last year, the event drew more than 12,000 participants decked out in red and green gear, showing their holiday spirit. All proceeds raised go towards finding a cure for juvenile arthritis.

“It is so inspiring to see so many people out there running for a really great cause,” Lisa said. “Arthritis touches so many people.”

This year the Arthritis Foundation is putting special emphasis on research that will make new treatment options available.

About a year-and-a-half ago, Lisa was in the midst of doing research and paying visits to a naturopathic doctor. After running tests, Lisa discovered that her daughter was deficient in Vitamin D and she needed to increase her Omega-3 Fish Oils.

“In the course of that time it prompted me to completely change her diet,” Lisa explained. On her own, Lisa decided to get rid of processed foods in Jackie’s diet and replace them with non-processed cheese and 100 percent whole grain wheat.

To her dismay, her daughter’s sickness worsened.

“It was making her really sick and she had bad stomach pains. The doctors wanted to put her on more medication and at that time I really wanted to find what was at the root of the problem and not just throw more medication at my kid,” Lisa said. “I went to a naturopathic doctor and found she had a wheat and dairy intolerance, but tested negative to celiac disease. That’s why we never caught it before.”

Once Jackie completely removed all wheat and dairy products from her daily diet, a transformation began to happen. Within weeks, the puffiness and redness in her hands and feet disappeared and her swollen face began to dissipate.

“It was such a visual transformation,” said Lisa about her daughter’s appearance. “Her dark eye circles went away and her skin color came back and she looked healthier.

Without official permission from the doctors, Lisa began to ween Jackie off methotrexate over an eight month period and saw a vast improvement in her daughter’s health.

“The results we saw from changing her diet is not for everyone, but we are lucky to have been able to get a handle on her health,” Lisa said. “She’s such a happy kid now.”

Today Jackie’s labs are the best they have ever been and she was given a clean bill of health. She now takes hip-hop classes and yoga with no pain.

“I really enjoy dancing and have been doing it since I was little. I’m glad to be able to continue to do what I love,” Jackie said.

Along with her mother, Jackie and a group of friends are busy planning their wacky outfits to wear when they participate in this year’s Jingle Bell Run & Walk. Prizes will be awarded for best costume in the kids category and adults. To run alongside Jackie and others supporting those living with Arthritis, visit www.seattlejinglebellrun.org.

Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@bellevuereporter.com or at 435-453-4602.