Last Mayo

5/8/17 The fifth trip to Mayo in Rochester Minnesota should be the last. Jayden and I drove up on Sunday. We went to church, she gave a riding lesson, went to a 4H meeting, we we took Jake to Williams, and finally we were headed north. It was 10:30PM when we checked in, close to midnight when we went to sleep and up at 6AM. We had breakfast, then first appointment at 8AM. All these tests, labs, and doctor visits start to get to me. As the doctors try to come up with a solution, they also have different opinions and contradicting recommendations. That is when my stress level starts to rise. We look to the doctors as they are the educated experts, the ones with all the knowledge. However when they dont agree, that leave us greatly confused. From the beginning of Jayden's symptoms, we started out visiting her local medical doctor who suspected a post strep response leading to rheumatoid arthritis. We made several trips to Omaha children's hospital to a pediatric rhematologist. She went to holistic doctors diagnosing things like Lyme, mono, candidia,borillia. She has gone to her chiropractor who told her she has a very tight and tense spine like that of an old person. She went to Mayo where the doctor prescribed orthotics for her shoes and physical therapy in addition to a bone scan. The local physical therapist that she sees has his own agenda on how to treat her and his own opinion of what is going on. She was also sent to a Mayo Gastro expert where she had scopes done. She was also seen by a Mayo rheumatologist. After the bone scan she was referred to an Orthopedic doctor at Mayo. That is where we started today. Orthopedics checked Jayden over and discussed the small bone lesion on her scapula. The rheumatologist had scheduled yet another MRI today. You can imaginw through all of this why I was getting overwhelmed.  I discussed it with the orthopedic doctor. He could confidently tell me a tumor was not a concern and there was nothing about the spot that concerned him. He told me the MRI was not necessary. He then discussed it with the rhematologist who is persistent about the MRI. That is where the anxiety started again. I feel  my stomach turn in knots and the tension rises. I called the rhematology department to indicate the Ortho doctor and I did not think the MRI necessary and wanted to know the reasoning behind the procedure. The MRI of her shoulder should have been done the first time anyway. Why wasn't the scapula done on the first MRI she had to have if that was the main focus? I was becoming more irritated and upset. I have no problem running tests and paying for medical treatment that is necessary and is needed. We have insurance, but it doesn't cover 100%. All this medical stuff is going to add up and be quite the shocker. Our family has poured out so much money for medical in the last few years with nothing to show from it, no improvements, no changes, between Mark, Jayden and myself. The response again was that the MRI was needed and the doctor was not going to cancel. The lesion that showed up on the bone scan is what the MRI would focused on. It was totally unrelated to Jaydens issues, unrelated to anything she is having problems with. It is a secondary find to what she is being seen for. I just didn't feel right about it. I was getting more and more upset. I felt like a bomb ready to explode.
Appointment number 2 was with gastro. The biopsy information from the scope showed Jayden has a type of colitis. I felt that for the first time, we had a plan. Jayden has a condition in her colon that NSAIDs irritate. She will be put on medication. It is even possible that the medication could help with some arthritis and joint pains. My prayer is that it is all tied to this problem and the medications will help. Finally some answers, finally a plan, and finally no more Mayo appointments! Jayden did end up having an MRI and we met with the rhematologist. She could see it in my face I was not happy. She told me everything was fine with the MRI and she just wanted to be sure. I do get that and i think that is good to be thorough, however when the other orth doctor confidently told me it was unnecessary, it was pretty irritating. It was a great feeling to go home from Mayo. We are prayerful that this will be the answers and thankful that it is nothing more serious. Praise God for good health. We all take it for granted.