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Article: She doesn't look sick to me. (caring for a chronically ill child)
- Article from:
- Vibrant Life
- Article date:
- March 1, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Review and Herald Publishing Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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When your child is chronically ill, how you handle his or her illness will make a big difference in the comfort of you both.
Last January my then 4-year-old daughter, Maggie, suddenly started running a high fever, developed a body rash, and was unable to move without great pain. She couldn't even sleep more than one hour at a time, because every time she turned in her sleep, she woke up from the pain. She was hospitalized twice, put in a neck brace because her neck had twisted to one side, and tested for a variety of diseases. Finally she was diagnosed with systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Now she takes 49 doses of five different medications ...