2001 - 2012.

All from a young developing age, what could have gone wrong? I was prescribed on medications for daily and relapse usages, you would think everything was monitored. Wrong. I was still developing these flare-ups that would influence my childhood growth and education either resting at home or rushing back to the Hospital. Throughout my previous blog, I was administrated to have Dr David McDonald (Paediatrician) and Dr Jeffery Chaitow (Paediatric and Rheumatologist) working close by and endeavoured the journey. Whilst we are on these two goats, I do recommend researching their studies, I am beyond grateful to have and still have these professionals by my side.

Mid-development child stage, technology was steadily improving within laboratories. Further research was getting conducted across Australia and the United States by genetic testing, also supporting if there was any history in the family tree, however, this was rejected. The testing itself was also not determined to establish these flare-ups. So, we stuck to the original plan and were still prescribed the stated medications. Due to growth, this was an introduction to the RA. Pretty much sums it all up, resulting in muscle and joint aches because of the immune system over-reacting to healthy cells and resulting in inflammation throughout the body causing swelling to the major joints.

It wasn’t until 2012, nine years go from now that I experienced a major relapse. We all didn’t know it was a significant relapse either by the symptoms being staggered or developing. Still, I remember the day clearly, surprisingly… Just finished a local bodyboard comp with a good mate, and is to this day, NA. I and MM were taking it easy that night, watching the footy, although, I did have a fever and wasn’t myself. Throughout that night, seemed like everything was getting worse. EM rushed me to Port Base Hospital due to the increasing symptoms and furthermore, not controlled. Few hours of waiting in the emergency department in the sparrow morning hours, I do not recounter anything when I finally nodded off. I was then administrated for a few days with much support from family and friends, and to this day, I don’t remember seeing them either I was drowsed on high meds or my inflammation was remarkably high.

All of sudden, I was flown down to Westmead Hospital. This is where it became surreal, I was placed into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), supported by an air ventilator for nine days, waking up in a new ward and where the two-month journey began. 13 years old, a grom, finally conscious but not knowing where I was or in the state what happened. Early in the episode, the white blood cells increased to the right side of my brain, infecting my physical and mental ability due to inflammation. This created for one to learn basic abilities such as walking, talking, reading and moving. With MM and EM, nurses, and Dr Chatiow on my side, I was determined to push through intensified rehab sessions.

Throughout the process, there were a lot of surf vids watched, more so from MM but we all had to keep insanity. A professional drop knee legend, Matt Lackey was reached out by my aunty, he and Bodyboard Surf Co, at the time, threw together a get-well package of the Lackey Project, posters and stickers. I was stoked! I was determined each day to get better and stronger. There were a lot of strong and positive vibes around the room which made the recovery, somewhat, easier.

A new alternative medication was prescribed, a daily injection called Kineret Anakinra which happens to be a sub-cut, thankfully enough. This new medication originates from Switzerland, where most rheumatoid conditions are advanced research. This was an improvement in preventing relapses, and controlling my health and did not need to rely on prednisone. Over the three-month admission, things started to improve slowly but surely determined to showcase from intense rehab. More fortitude enough, I was back at high school, bodyboarding and pretty much normality across my mid-teens. The Anakinra was trialled and trusted with not showing any major symptoms over a nine-year period. I continued living life.