SO....here are some helpful ideas for living with arthritis as an 8th grader, so far.
1. Savannah's locker: All lockers at Savannah's junior high school have a lock built into the locker....all lockers but ONE...Savannah's locker. This is because the school physically removed Savannah's lock on her locker because her hands are not able to maneuver the opening of the lock due to the arthritis in her fingers and hands. We are thankful to the school for doing this...sometimes you just have to ask.
2. Savannah has joined the school swim team! This is a huge thing, because this is the first sport she has played that has really not affected her joints for the negative...in fact, the movement is great for her joints!! Soccer may be a thing of the past (so much running was killing her ankles and feet), but swim...well, it is a blessing from God for Savannah. Looking for a great school sport for arthritis...try SWIMMING!
3. Savannah still uses her pencil grip to write every day, but sometimes there are too many notes to write down for hands with arthritis to manage. So, Savannah takes her phone or computer and takes a picture of the notes on the board as the teacher writes them down. She then prints them up on our printer and puts them in her notebook for future studying and notebook checks.
4. SUCK IT UP! Yes, this is the term we use amongst ourselves. Sometimes, no matter how much it hurts, you just have to "suck it up" and deal with the pain as best you can. If Savannah wants to wear some cute shoes without her shoe inserts, she "sucks it up". If Savannah wants to run the football on and off the field as "ball girl" to help manage the varsity football team on Friday nights, she "sucks it up" (even though this simple act makes her feet and ankles scream by the end of the game). Get the point?! Don't let arthritis stop you from doing things that are most important to you.
Savannah's life is more than arthritis...it is full of so many opportunities and blessings.
Very informative information. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to handle her disability. Sonny had to go through school with a hearing disability, yet he, like Savannah has made the best of it just keeping on winning friends and influencing people. Love you Savannah.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that Savannah suffers so much. She, Eric and you are in my daily prayers. I can tell by the pics of her that she is filling her life with things she enjoys.God Bless y'all.
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