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Edinburgh schoolgirl in constant pain and misses school from chronic condition

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date24 June 2022
AuthorIona Young
Publication titleEdinburghLive (Scotland)
Jessica Rhodes, 12, was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and complex autoimmune issues when she was a toddler after her mum Tanya noticed she was tiring easily when walking to nursery

Despite numerous GP visits and lots of tests, no one could find anything medically wrong but over the next few years, Jessica developed increasingly unusual symptoms and was referred to Rheumatology at Edinburgh's Children's Hospital where doctors battled to get things under control.

By 2019, she was experiencing intense muscle spasms and could not walk without collapsing. She was given a wheelchair to attend school but could only manage short periods due to pain and extreme fatigue. Mum, Tanya, had to give up her job and find home-based work to care for her.

Now 12-years-old, the brave school girl has become the face of a campaign to raise awareness about the loneliness that comes with a chronic illness with her having to spend lots of time in hospital as well as to highlight the essential work carried out by Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity (ECHC).

Explaining what had happened, Jessica said: "I saw so many doctors. I didn't know why I was getting ill all the time, and why I had to have so many different tests. It was quite scary.

"Eventually they discovered that I have arthritis, uveitis and Raynaud's disease. I have arthritis in my knees, ankles, shoulders and hands. But the inflammation isn't only in my joints; my eyes and skin are affected as well and it really hurts."

The youngster told of the gruelling treatment that she undergoes on a weekly basis to ease the pain and the isolation of missing out on seeing her friends at school during long spells in hospital.

She continued: "I need pain relief most days. I've lost count of the number of injections I've had. I have monthly infusions and regular steroid injections and I have a methotrexate injection every week. It makes me feel sick and rubbish the next day, but I know it helps make me less sore all the time.

"It can be lonely having a long-term illness. I have had to miss quite a lot of school for...

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