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Guest column

Sufferers, supporters plan Arthritis Walk

By APRIL MANNING
Published May 1, 2005

LUTZ - To look at 9-year-old Patrick Bliven, with his freckled face, baseball cap and chubby cheeks, you'd never suspect anything was wrong. On his good days, he rides his bike or motor scooter, plays with Legos and loves to watch detective shows. On his bad days, he hurts - a lot.

Patrick has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). His disease first surfaced on Sept. 19, 2004. Patrick remembers the date exactly; he's a huge Florida Gators football fan, and the Gators lost to Tennessee.

"I went down the step at my front door and my ankle hurt a little," Patrick said.

He didn't think about it again until the next morning when he awoke to find his right ankle so swollen he couldn't walk.

"We thought at first it was a sprain," said his mother, Kelly Anne Bliven, a pediatric nurse at All Children's Hospital. "Five days later, when it still wasn't any better, we took him for an X-ray."

Thus began a series of blood tests, MRIs and doctor's visits culminating with a visit to a rheumatologist and the diagnosis of arthritis. Patrick was diagnosed with polyarticular arthritis, meaning affecting five or more joints. In Patrick's case, the pain runs mostly on his right side - his ankle, knee, elbow and both wrists.

Arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability, affecting 70-million Americans, or one out of three adults, and approximately 300,000 children. The juvenile forms of the disease can affect children as young as 2 years old.

Patrick's whole family will be participating in a fundraising Arthritis Walk this Saturday at Al Lopez Park near Raymond James Stadium. Participants can walk either the 1-mile or 5K (3.1 miles) course in honor of a friend or family member with arthritis.

Walkers are encouraged to form an Arthritis Walk team by recruiting friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers, church members or classmates. All walkers raise donations in advance for the walk.

Patrick will wear a special blue baseball cap, given to all walkers with arthritis, to signify their action in taking control of their condition. Anyone who raises $100 or more will be given a free Arthritis Walk T-shirt the day of the walk.

Money raised from the Arthritis Walk supports the Arthritis Foundation's mission by funding research, public health and public policy efforts to improve the lives of people with arthritis.

Patrick has been named special Tampa Walk Honoree by the Arthritis Foundation and he's hoping hundreds of walkers turn out to walk with him. But what if May 7 is one of his bad days? Patrick has it all planned out.

"I'm going to try my best," he said. "I have an electric scooter. If I can't walk, I'll ride."

Looking back, his father, Rick Bliven, believes there were some early signs. His older brother, Richard, 22, has always been a sports enthusiast and his sister, Katie, 16, is a varsity cheerleader.

"In comparison, Patrick never seemed to have much endurance," Rick said. "He would roller skate for maybe 30 minutes, tops, and then he was too tired to do any more. Sometimes he would wake up crying with pain in the back of his leg."

Patrick's disease has meant some major adjustments for the whole family. At times, he's been extremely sensitive to touch.

"Even when he was soaking in a hot bath, I had to be very careful not to put any pressure on a sensitive spot like his foot," his mother said.

For one six-week period, Patrick couldn't wear a shoe on his right foot. He wore a sandal instead and an air splint around his ankle. He used crutches to get around.

His school, Maniscalco Elementary, has made many accommodations for Patrick. He uses the elevator every day, writes with a pencil with a special grip and brings a heat pad to class. He also has a box he can prop his leg on whenever he needs to. Many times, his mother has gone to school at lunchtime to bring Patrick a Motrin so he could make it through the day.

"Early in the day he tries to play like a normal kid, but his poor little body can only take so much," his father said.

On particularly bad days or for a special activity that requires a lot of walking, Patrick uses a wheelchair.

"Because he looks fine and his symptoms can come and go, some people don't understand," his father said. "This past hurricane season was pretty tough, causing more aches and pains than usual."

How does Patrick describe kids like himself with JRA?

"They're just normal kids," he said, "but they hurt more."

Kelly Anne Bliven believes Patrick's battle with his own pain has given him special empathy for others. He volunteers at his school helping autistic children.

"I fix them food, play with them, or read them a story," said Patrick.

Rick Bliven says having a child with arthritis is a full-time job.

"The Arthritis Foundation has opened our eyes. We have a support group where we can learn more about the disease and compare notes with other parents," he said. "Patrick loves to go to Boggy Creek, a special camp for kids with arthritis."

"As a parent you just feel so helpless, because you want to take away the pain. There is no cure, but we hope there will be soon."

To participate in the Tampa Arthritis Walk, visit www.arthritis.org or call the Arthritis Walk hotline at 813 968-7000.

When: 8:30 a.m. Saturday (registration begins at 7:30)

Where: Al Lopez Park, 4810 N Himes Blvd., near Raymond James Stadium

How: Register online at www.arthritis.org or call the Arthritis Foundation at 813 968-7000, or register the day of the event

To donate online: Patrick's personal Arthritis Walk Web page at TampaArthritisWalk.kintera.org/patricksputters

[Last modified April 30, 2005, 04:00:06]