What's up with Al??

So... after the MRI we found out that Alex does not have arthritis!! I think the doctors were shocked, because they made the radiologist look at it twice, and explain things. What they did find is a fissure along the bottom of his growth plate on his thigh bone (right by the knee) which they made sound like it was no big deal. Basically what they said was it "might cause some discomfort", but Alex should just buck up. They suggested another x-ray and physical therapy. The x-ray showed Alex has what is called Osgood Schlatter. Basically it's a bad growing pain - too fast of a growth spurt has caused all the ligaments to be stretched. Much better news than arthritis and physical therapy is the best thing for it.

We met Mary a week later. She had looked at all the doctor's notes and started assessing him. Gave us some exercises to do and made another appointment a week later. She did ask us to go see a Dr. Aoki, an orthopedic that specializes in knees just to cover all our bases, because she was a little worried there was something more going on. The reason for this is how Alex walks; he looks like an old man who has had a hip replacement. When he marches only his left knee can be lifted but not his right. That's a hip bend. Anyway, when we went to therapy this week, she was relieved that we did get an appointment with Dr Aoki (on the 24th) and said she had talked and talked to other therapists because she just felt uneasy with things after we left. She assessed his hip this time, since she concentrated so much on his knee. Now what she's thinking is that maybe he started with the Osgood Schlatter, which is what started the limping, but when he fell she's concerned he damaged his hip somehow and now maybe it has grown improperly.

I'm just so grateful for doctors that listen to their patients, or their parents and try everything they can to figure things out. We will go get another x-ray soon and see Dr Aoki next week. Cross your fingers that IF there is anything else that needs to be found, it will be found.

Alex is getting faster at walking and only seems stiff in the morning. He's getting better!