Managing motherhood and rheumatoid arthritis with help from VA

Army Veteran Jennifer Frisone knows that finishing the mission is what matters. Her mission is being a mother of three young children. That can sometimes feel like the mission never ends, especially when dealing with a chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis. But Frisone isn’t doing it alone.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of systemic autoimmune disease that affects the skin, blood vessels and other organs, primarily joints and their surrounding structures. The causes of rheumatoid arthritis is often multifactorial. It can involve genetics, environmental exposure, infections, malignancies or a combination of these factors. While there is no cure, Veterans with these diseases can maintain their quality of life and prevent future adverse complications by treating it by taking medications and monitoring it.

“I stay active, I work out, I prioritize sleep. I try to do what I can to maintain my health. When I had questions during the holidays, I didn’t expect to get an answer so quick from VA. But that’s what happened when I reached out. They were there for me,” she said.

Frisone spent six years in the Army Reserve, including a year in Iraq as a chaplain’s assistant. Not long after her last post in Germany, she noticed pain in her wrists that eventually led her to seek medical attention for a diagnosis.

“It came and went, but then one day there was a flip of the switch and everything hurt. I knew I had something wrong, but at first I didn’t feel I was at the point where I needed medication,” she said.

Treatment is available through VA

Initially, she used her private insurance but eventually decided to use her VA health care benefits where she was assigned to Dr. Sooyeon Kwon, a clinical pharmacy practitioner for rheumatology at Stratton VA in Albany, New York.

“When I first met her, I promised I would do anything I could to help her,” said Kwon. “I have so much respect for her. She has three children and she is so strong and committed. In Jennifer’s case, her immune system thinks something in her joint is wrong and attacks it,” said Kwon. “Once we have a diagnosis, we can begin treatment. This is a chronic disease for most people and they will manage it for the rest of their life. But we do have medication to keep their symptoms at bay.”

With her three young children, including one who is still breastfeeding, medication management and coordination between pediatricians and VA providers is a key part of ensuring mother and the infant are safe while also getting the treatments needed. This was particularly important during her pregnancy where coordinating Frisone’s treatment was a priority for her VA care team.

“VA appointments are longer and I’m not rushed.”

“Anyone with this, if they get pregnant, should be seen by and follow-up with an obstetrician-gynecologist who specializes in high-risk patients,” said Frisone.

With VA offering maternity care as part of its benefits package, Frisone’s VA care team was able to closely monitor and work with both her OB-GYN and her child’s pediatrician.

“I get my own medical care through VA, but I also had my maternity care coordinated through VA. I was very happy with that as they covered everything and made sure everything was done correctly. One thing I like about VA is the appointments are longer. I’m not rushed and there is time to talk through things. I tried a private doctor and a couple VA hospitals before we moved. But this team has been great, very responsive,” Frisone said.

Despite the joint pain, fatigue and loss of range of motion in her hands—all symptoms of her rheumatoid arthritis—Frisone remains optimistic she can manage the hard times while focusing on raising her children and staying active.

“When hard times come, you deal with them and then the memory kind of fades away while you focus on what matters. I’m an optimist, and I choose to focus on my health and my family,” she said.