Jennie Garth Says Lola is ‘Back To Her Old Self’
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In a new interview with WebMD magazine, actress Jennie Garth speaks at length about her 6-year-old daughter Lola Ray’s diagnosis of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. At the height of her battle, Lola even required hospitalization for nine days while doctors scrambled to figure out what was wrong. "Since they could not treat her because they were not sure what the illness was, we decided to take her home and monitor her because we felt being in the hospital was actually making her depressed and worsening her condition," Jennie, 36, explains. "We went home and researched it on our own, with help from friends and family in the medical profession until we found web sites for JRA, which seemed to match her symptoms."
At first, Jennie admits that she and husband Peter Facinelli chalked those symptoms up to "growing pains, and her fussiness as a typical, needy 5-year-old." Lola was "just not herself," Jennie says, complaining of fatigue and wanting to be carried everywhere because her joints ached. When she developed a persistent rash and a high, prolonged fever the couple knew that something bigger was to blame. After she was discharged from the hospital, Lola got the lucky break she needed when Jennie and Peter found an "incredible specialist" at UCLA who treated their daughter for a rare form of JRA known as Still’s Disease. Lola started a long-term course of the drug Naprosyn which stopped her fevers, and a short course of steroids knocked out the rash.
"She responded well to the treatment, and is now in remission…My husband and I have never been more thankful to God, that we were able to get her through this and that she is back to her old self, running and playing."
With Lola’s health back on track, Jennie says that there are other issues to be addressed in her home — which also includes daughters Luca Bella, 11, and Fiona Eve, 2. Helping the girls to maintain a positive body image is "a challenge" in today’s image-obsessed culture, she admits.
Click ‘More’ to read about what Jennie tells the girls to help them feel good about themselves.
Without naming names, Jennie says that one of her daughters is "really into soccer and sports," keeping her "lean no matter what she eats." As a result, Jennie and Peter don’t "really think a thought about her weight." Another daughter already frets that her "tummy is fluffy," however — the couple doesn’t use the word ‘fat’ when talking about their bodies, or anybody else’s — which worries Jennie.
"I tell her she is exactly the way she is supposed to be, and that she is beautiful. I make sure that they eat healthy and balanced and get adequate exercise."
The best piece of advice Jennie says she has received as a parent is to "get down on the floor and play with the kids." She notes that "they love when you let the sink fill up with dishes and don’t seem to care." She also cites reading a story to the girls each and every night as "very important" because "it really makes a difference in their love for reading later on." Noting that "balancing everything in a woman’s busy life is really hard," Jennie says that when she’s stretched too thin between her professional commitments and the demands of her private life, she has help to fall back on.
"We … are blessed to have a wonderful nanny who has been with us for 16 years. She is the only one we trust with our babies. She helps me so much. And Peter is incredibly helpful and such a wonderful father and husband."
Speaking of the latter, Jennie goes on to rave that Peter is a very "hands-on" dad who helps her "with every aspect of raising and caring for" their girls. "So, we both make doctor appointments, and take the kids to them," she adds.
Source: WebMD
- Posted on Nov 15, 08 at 9:00AM
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- 12 Comments
November 15th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Jennie seems to have such a great, positive attitude! I really like her. Also, I’m so relieved and happy that her daughter is in remission.
~Jennifer
November 15th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Somebody answer me please. Did i dream that i saw posted here that she was pregnant for the 4th time?
I do remember i read that here. Cause i even remember her husband said he wasn’t anxious to have boy because he “made only girls” or something like that.
I couldn’t possibly have dreamed all that. Or maybe i missed when they denied the news. Idk. :-/
November 15th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Bugs, I remember Jennie talking about how she wanted to have a fourth child but I’m almost positive she’s not pregnant. I think Jennie would love another one but she’s still trying to get Peter on board!
Anyway, I’m so happy to hear that Lola is doing better. That’s great news. I really love Jennie and Peter and their family.
November 15th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
They have had a nanny for 16 years, when their oldest in only 11? That doesn’t make sense… maybe it’s a typo?
November 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
What she said was that if she
can talk Peter into it..
November 15th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Ashley if I remember right their nanny has been Jenny’s housekeeper since her 90210 days. That’s why the numbers are kind of off.
Very scary about Still’s Disease! I’m glad Lola is doing better.
November 15th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
That is great Jennie is speaking out about Lola having JRA. If there is one good thing that comes out of being a celebrity it is bringing publicity to a whole slew of disabilities and medical conditions that otherwise languish in the dark. I am confused about something though, Jennie says the nanny has been with them for 16 years. However their oldest child is 11. Why would they need a nanny for 5 years if they didn’t have children then?
November 15th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Maybe she was employed by them for a different job then became a nanny?
November 15th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Like I said, I’m pretty sure she’s been Jennie’s housekeeper since the 90210 days, and just transitioned into nannying too once Jennie started having kids. Maybe a big 90210 fan will know better than me though!
November 15th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Lola should be tested for Lyme disease. Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis can de a direct effect from Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent in Lyme diesease.
November 15th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I am so sadenned that Lola has been diagnosed with JRA, unfortunately it is a permanent condition, and while kids may be in remission during long periods of time, the disease impedes normal growth and deteriorates the body as the child develops.. Hopefuly they’ll get the best possible treatment and information on this sickness and help their baby all they can, and also bring light on this terrible terrible disease
November 16th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Oh no! JRA is a horrible thing. Let’s just hope and pray Lola’s condition can be kept under control as much as possible.