July 2012 update

 I know it has been a while since I updated the blog. Everything has been going well with Jacob. At the last rheumatology visit in April we decided that we would try to wean down on Jacob's Humira. He has been on Humira for 4 years now. (time flies!) The rheumatologist and I discussed weaning him down slowly. We went from giving the Humira every two weeks to every three weeks. Jacob seemed to be okay with that until about mid May, when he decided he was done with the med. He flat out refused to let me do the injection. I don't know if this is what many families go through when the kids hit the teen years. I emailed his rheumatologist and she said that we can give it a try stopping it. Jacob had the understanding that he may need to go back on this if his joints started to get inflamed again. We just saw the rheumatologist 2 weeks ago. Overall he is doing great! The only thing that showed was both of his second toes were swollen. They xrayed his feet to be sure that there was no bone damage happening. Thankfully there wasn't! The doctor gave Jacob 5 options. (I know he likes to have some control in deciding his treatment) She said we can watch the joints a little longer and see what happens, he can start Meloxicam (an NSAID), Start MTX, start Humira, or restart both Humira and MTX. Jacob chose "option 2". So he started on the Meloxicam. We are to return in another month to the rheum because she wants to watch him closely. I think the appointment is the first week of September. We also have an appointment the end of August for his eyes. I will be very nervous for this appointment because he will of been of the Humira for 3 months. This is the longest he has been off meds while he has had uveitis. This appointment is good timing if his eyes flare we know that he has no choice to go back on the meds.

You can see the swelling in the second toe