Jari
It was hard for Jari to accept that he'd have to take a growth hormone.
He understood the purpose: that he needed it to get bigger. That it was important. For his interaction with other people when he's older, but also to stop other kids from bullying him. But administering the hormones through the skin was very hard on him in the beginning. It was always a battle. He would try to get out of it, and make things up. All to try and not have it happen.
Jari's mother: There was a point where we just didn't know what to do. Early on in the course of his treatment. At the hospital, he'd been very good about it and it went fine. Even to us, he said that he thought we wouldn't have any problems. But once we got home, he confessed to us, his parents, that in the face of strangers, he'd put up a front and said he didn't mind. Now he didn't want to do it.
So it turned into a daily battle. He'd run around the room, run upstairs, find ways to get out of it. We felt powerless. It was hard to stay calm and not get angry. Of course, anger wouldn't help him get rid of his fear of the administration.
We started out talking to him at length, explaining why it mattered. That would work, but it would only stick for one day. When we had to inject the next evening it was all back to normal. As parents, we scrambled for rewards we could offer him. One thing we considered, was if we got to give him the stamp in a calm and peaceful way that we would get 50 eurocents in his piggy bank. That worked for one night too. After that we were back in a hopeless situation. Eventually it was him who came up with the idea of administering at night. So that's what we did. That calmed things down a little.
To Jari it's very important we know why we're doing this. And why it's important to have some continuity in doing it. And he's set some goals for himself. He knows what the growth hormone will do to him. That it will make him taller. He has a clear picture of his future: growing taller, and being able to do the things he wants to do so badly.
You came up with the idea for your dad to do it, because your Mom was out that night. You said, I'll surprise Mommy and have you do it. And I won't cry.
Jari: And I didn't
Jari's mother: Yes, you did very well.
Jari: Max (doll) sets it on his leg and then he does the same thing that's done to me tonight. You push it down until it makes a little dent, in your leg or in your tummy. And then you push.
Jari's mother: Are you ready Jari. Ok where do I put it today? Where did we do it yesterday? This side? So now we put it on the other side. Here. Not too close to the belly button. There? Breathe out, okay? Was it alright?
Jari: Yes. But I can't see the indent.
Jari's mother: Don't touch it. Sometimes you don't see it.
It was about six months ago that I got in touch with the paediatrician in Hoorn. It started out as a routine check-up, but it turned out that his height was definitely below the curve. There was no clear reason why, we we were referred to an endocrinologist at AMC hospital. They did some tests and it turned out his pituitary gland didn't work well. That made everything much clearer, and he was started on growth hormone.
It was important to us to know which injection system we would be using. We knew Jari's background, so we knew injections with needles frustrate him and hurt him a lot. It turned out there was a needle free injection system. That was perfect for us.
I'm very optimistic about Jari's future. I think if the hormone helps him to grow taller he'll be more self confident and more resilient. He'll be happier when he'll be able to do more of the things he wants.
Disclaimer: NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL ADVICE These patient stories are for informational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for medical professional help, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult with your doctor before making any decisions regarding your health.