finger pain

Over the past week or so I had noticed Jacob holding his fingers a lot. While waiting for the bus, I asked him one morning last week if they were hurting him. At first, he said no. I started to bend them to see if I would get a response. As I was doing this he pointed out a few fingers that were very sore. I asked him if they hurt at school he said they did when he used a certain pencil. I let his teacher know that he has complained about his fingers and asked her to keep an eye on him. When I picked Jacob up from school on Friday he said his teacher gave him a pencil grip. He was very happy and said his fingers didn't hurt today!! (thanks Mrs. P-E!!)

It is so funny, well not really funny, that he was in pain and didn't say a word about it until I brought it up. Once again an example of how a child learns to live with chronic pain. :(

Just yesterday, I brought the kids to a park and Jake was running around playing and decided to go across the monkey bars. I could see he was struggling and when he jumped down he immediately grabbed his fingers. He said that they hurt badly.

The rheumatologist appointment is in a few weeks. I am curious to see what he thinks.
It is tough to see this happening because it is going on despite the heavy duty medications he is on. I don't know what the doctor would do about it. I don't know what he could change. So basically a nine year old has to live with chronic pain???

I think the right fingers look a little swollen

What a frustrating disease!