- Hey boys and girls.
It's so good to see you.
Paxton and I wanna share some things with you today
and we hope that you'll really, really like this,
but say hey to Paxton.
Hey, Paxton.
We are so glad to be here.
So we're gonna talk today about dreams,
not the kind of sleepy dreams,
but the dreams of things you'd like to be when you grow up.
So what kinds of things would you like to do
when you grow up?
Hmm, maybe a little girls or even maybe some guys
wanna be a dancer, like a ballerina
or an actor, ever wanna be an actor?
That might be kind of fun.
What about race car drivers?
We have both guys and girls being race car drivers
these days.
That might be fun.
A teacher, I remember wanting to be a teacher
when I was little.
A scientist, ever think about being a scientist?
That's kind of cool or an athlete.
Now, when you're thinking about all these kinds
of different ideas,
you realize that every one of those ideas require training
and being in the right kind of physical shape.
Well, maybe not for the teacher so much
but training for a teacher, but to be an athlete,
you have to do lots of work on your body
to make sure your body's right.
Even for a race car driver, even for a dancer,
so there's a lot of things to think about
when you're dreaming about what you wanna be
when you grow up.
Well, Miss Opal has some problems with her dream.
So I've written a book about, believe it or not, arthritis.
Now, when you think of arthritis,
a lot of times you think about maybe grandma and grandpa
who say, "My arthritis' hurting today.
I know it's gonna rain."
Believe it or not, children can have arthritis too.
So that said, let's find out about Opal's dream
and what happens.
Again, this is called "Opal's New Dream".
What do you think that means?
I think maybe she has to rethink what she wants to do
when she grows up.
Let's see what happens.
"It's no use," said Opal Opossum, frustrated.
"My fingers just aren't hitting the keys right.
I don't know what's wrong with me."
"What are you talking about?" asked Mama Olive Opossum.
"You play the piano beautifully."
"Today it's hard.
My fingers won't move right
and when they do it hurts.
They feel fat and stiff.
Mom, what am I gonna do?
How am I ever went to be a famous concert pianist
if I can't even hit the keys right
cause my fingers are being dumb."
"I thought you wanted to be a famous tennis player."
"Well, I guess I always did want to do that,
but my knees and my feet hurt so bad after I play,
I'm not sure I'll do that after all."
"Really?
Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Cause I didn't wanna whine.
I'm not a baby."
"No, you're not a baby,
but maybe we should see Dr. Avery.
I've noticed you had some other issues too.
You've mentioned several times that it hurts to eat.
You seem to have some jaw pain.
That doesn't make sense to me.
I can't imagine some kind of connection.
Maybe we can ask him about it."
Later, Opal was sitting on the ground
between the basil and the chamomile
while pulling the tiny weeds from around the plants.
Deep in thought she didn't hear her friend approach
who startled her when she spoke.
"Hi, Opal, wanna play a game of tennis?"
asked Farrah Ferret.
Opal jumped, then answered glumly,
"I really don't feel like it, not today,
maybe never again."
"Why?
Are you okay?"
"I don't know."
"I don't understand.
You're the best player I know.
You love tennis.
You always said you'd be a famous tennis player someday."
"I know what I said," she snapped,
"and I don't understand either."
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know.
We've been to see Dr. Avery
and he says I need to see a specialist."
"Then will you be able to play?"
"I don't know that either.
I have been hurting for a while now."
"I didn't know that.
What hurts?" Farrah pressed.
"My hands, my knees, my joints in general.
Look, they're red and feel them, they're hot."
"That's awful.
I hope you feel better."
As the weeks passed,
Opal visited the specialist several times.
She was glad when this last one was over.
"I know all this stuff
about Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis now,
but I don't feel any better," Opal reflected
more to herself than her mother.
"I guess this means no more tennis for sure,
but he did say swimming and gardening are good for me
at least when I feel like doing it."
"That's true," said Mama Olive,
"JRA is going to slow you down,
but it isn't gonna stop you.
We have to work on your diet to keep your jaw
from being so sore."
"Yuck, I hate mushy foods."
"Now it doesn't mean your food has to be mushy,
but at least on the softer side when it's bothering you."
"What about playing the piano?" asks Opal.
"Do you think if I keep at it,
I'll be able to be a concert pianist when I grow up?"
"I don't see why not.
You just have to practice.
Practice maybe even if it hurts a little."
"Hey, Opal," said Paxton Prairie dog a week later
after they finished a project at Pearl River Library.
"The Prairie Band is playing tonight
at the Buffalo Creek Barn Dance.
You wanna go?"
"I'd love to," she replied.
That night, Paxton, Opal, Farrah, Buffy,
and Boaz Buffalo took their seats and waited
for the music to start.
"Paxton, do you think," she paused.
"What?" Paxton asked, waiting for her to finish.
"Well, I need to keep practicing my music.
I was just wondering if maybe I could play
with the Prairie Bluegrass Band.
They play pretty often, don't they?"
"Well, I know they play at fairs at the park sometimes
and have played at the Marble River Ballroom.
I don't know if they've ever used a piano player before.
You want to talk to them after the dance?"
"I'd love to.
Would you introduce me?
I really don't know any of them."
"Sure, the worst they can do is say no.
You know, Piper Prairie dog is my cousin."
Opal could hardly contain her excitement
even as she enjoyed the music.
Immediately after the last selection the friends went
to talk with the band.
"Hi, Paxton," said Piper when he saw the group coming
toward them.
"Did you enjoy the dance?"
"Hey," Paxton replied.
"Sure did.
Thanks.
This is Opal Opossum and she has a question for you."
"Hi, Opal.
Nice to meet you," said Piper.
"What would you like to know?"
"I would like to know if I could audition for your band."
"What do you play?"
"Piano."
"But we don't use a piano," said Whitney Wolf,
who was standing nearby.
"Not ever?" asked Opal, immediately downcast.
"Well, we never have," said Bubba Bobcat,
offering a twinge of hope.
"What about keyboard?" asked Paxton.
"That might add a nice sound."
"That might work," said Roscoe Raccoon.
"How long have you been then playing?
"I think all my life," laughed Opal,
"but I will tell you I have JRA
and sometimes it's hard to play,
but if I have something solid to work toward
and someone to share it with,
it will give me a reason to push myself."
"What's JRA?" asked Boaz.
"Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
It's an auto-immune arthritis.
It means my immune system kind of turns on itself.
It really affects the small bones in the wrist and joints,
but the doctor says we caught this early enough
and with some medications that controls the joint pain
and swelling along with exercise,
I should be okay in the long-term."
"Well, I'm good with giving you a shot
if the rest of the group wants to add a keyboard."
"We play at least twice a month and more
in the summer at fairs and festivals," said Piper.
"I like the idea," said Whitney.
"Me too," said Bubba and Roscoe in unison.
"Let's have a try out then."
"Awesome," said Opal, "thank you."
A month later Opal found herself onstage
in Little Feather Park
with the Prairie Bluegrass Band
facing the largest crowd she had ever seen before.
"I'm nervous," said Opal.
"It's fine," said Whitney, trying to calm her friend.
"Your hands feeling okay?"
"They're a little stiff and even a little sore.
I've been practicing like crazy,
but if I ever wanna be a concert pianist,
I've got to grin and bear it."
"You'll do fine.
Here we go."
"Ladies and gentlemen," said the MC Edgar Elk.
"I'm happy to present the Prairie Bluegrass Band."
The music started and Opal started tapping the keys.
She put everything else out of her mind, including the pain.
She heard only the sounds that made her heart sore.
In that instant she knew,
as long as she followed the advice of her doctors,
she would be the concert pianist she longed to be.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis was not going
to keep her down.
So tell me, what did you think?
It would be pretty hard to exercise
and do things that you really don't wanna do,
especially if you hurt and arthritis,
from a person who knows, can really be painful
and if you're playing the piano, kind of like typing
on a keyboard, your joints, which are the areas,
your knuckles, in here,
they do, they get red, they get sore.
They swell up and they definitely hurt.
But with the right medication, Opal was gonna be okay.
So the next time you're dreaming
about what you wanna be
when you grow up, no matter what it is, keep dreaming.
Don't give up on your dreams.
Now that doesn't mean something might not come along
to help you change your mind
and you maybe have to alter your course a little bit,
but dream just the same.
Don't give up on your dreams no matter what you're facing.
And remember arthritis is real.
And it doesn't just affect older folks.
It affects smaller people too,
but if you eat right and you do what you're supposed to do
in the way of exercises and follow the doctor's advice,
you can beat it.
You can get through it and you can,
even if you have to work through the pain,
you can follow your dreams.
Don't give up on those dreams.
Paxton and I have enjoyed being with you today
and we hope that you enjoy talking with us
and just being with us.
So that's it, we're gonna say bye now,
but we will be back again.
So let's say bye to Paxton, bye, Paxton.
You guys have a nice day.
Thank you for being with us
We'll talk to you later, bye.