Teen Deals With Rheumatoid ArthritisPaige Lalonde is an unlikely spokesperson for arthritis.
A 13-year-old who goes to Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, Lalonde acts like it's no big deal that she lives with arthritis.
It all began when Lalonde was 10, said her mother, Shauna Perkins.
"Her ankle had swollen up. It was like a softball," said Perkins. "I figured she sprained it so I gave her Ibuprofren, an ACE bandage and iced it down."
But the pain and swelling wouldn't go away.
On a visit to her dad, Lalonde went to Wabash County Hospital.
There was then a trip to an orthopedic surgeon.Lalonde went through a bone scan that came back negative.
Finally, a trip to Indianapolis delivered the verdict that Lalonde had Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. She was told it was caused by several bouts with Strep Throat when she was younger.
That was three years ago.
Now Lalonde and her family deal with the problem and it's become part of life.
"It's pretty much the same as it was before," said Lalonde. "But there is some stuff I can't do."
When she was first going through it, she was given prednisone.
"No 10-year-old girl should be on prednisone," said Perkins.
Lalonde then began taking medication that had her taking up to eight pills a day.
Finally, Lalonde began taking a shot once a week.
"She's always done it herself," said Perkins of the shot.
Lalonde is not alone in her battle with JRA.
There are currently 33,000 children in Indiana who are living with arthritis.
"She took control of the disease and treatment," said Perkins of her daughter.
Lalonde and Perkins will be recognized at the 2010 Arthritis Walk May 22.
Registration starts at 1 p.m. and the walk begins at 1:45 p.m.
Dogs are welcome to the event as well.
For more information, visit http://arthritiswalkwarsaw.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=345217
