Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Ketamine Booster #5!!!


Hi everyone,

TO VIEW JESSICA ON FOX TV - CLICK ON LINK:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_vstm0bS8

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*****UPCOMING FUNDRAISER FOR JESSICA*****

Princess House Fundraiser For Jessica's Journey
This Saturday - October 24th - 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Indigo Lakes Clubhouse - Naples, Fl. 34119
RSVP - Carol Biron - (239)304-7589
or e-mail: cbiron123@aol.com

***Great opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping and have a Fun afternoon - winning prizes as well!!!***
***All proceeds will be donated to Jessica's Journey Savings Club***
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Just wanted everyone to know that Jessica's fevers are finally gone, but she continues to stay on the antibiotics and the anti-fungal medication for the infections. Because the fevers had finally broken, Dr. Cantu made her day yesterday and surprised her with a ketamine booster. (her last one was over 11 days ago due to complications) This is ketamine booster #5 for Jessica and with each one you can see little signs of improvements, those little positive things that encourage her and me and the doctors as well, to keep moving forward - as we must and as we will!!! One of my best friends, Angel D'Antonio, from N.Y. wrote this yesterday in the comments on the blog:

" It is like you are in a car and God is the driver. He is taking you on a trip where only He knows the road. He is taking you up steep mountain roads and into dark valleys and around some hairpin turns. Keep hanging on! You know with your heart and soul that God knows the road and will keep you safe. Yours is the kind of faith that moves mountains and invites miracles".


How true these words are for this journey that Jessica, and that we, as a family, have been taking with her. God is the driver, she is the passenger! God is the pilot, she is the co-pilot! If we can all remember that in our everyday lives, how much easier it could be for us. But, somehow, life and all of its' problems can sometimes get in the way, and we lose sight of the road; we sometimes want to take a different path - we are human and we make mistakes! It is at those times, we have to remember Jesus and the path that he Had to take for Us, and how thankful we are to HIM for taking that road!!! Amen.

In God's path, always,
Jessica's Mom

***To post a comment, CLICK on Comments below***

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to always have to control things, it is still a daily struggle for me. However, God is ALWAYS in control. "Not a sparrow hits the ground without God's hand in it." I try to reflect on this verse when I am wanting to control certain situations in my life:) Crystal

Anonymous said...

with love and prayers
Linda in Saratoga

Anonymous said...

If we believe with all our hearts, then maybe the bumps in the road will smooth out like a piece of glass.Remember, in Peter Pan, when Wendy was so sick, Peter kept saying.... I do believe... I do I do I do believe in fairies...and Tinker Bell got better!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Boy I must have left my brain in bed.... I meant to say, when Tinkerbell was sick that Peter willed her to get better by saying.... I do believe, I do I do I do believe in fairies and he said clap your hands three times and tink will get well. I'm clapping -are you?

Anonymous said...

Jessica and Gina,

You both are an inspiration! All of your friends at church(Garden City) are asking about you and praying for you. We are spreading the word about Jessica's story, your blog and the Youtube clip. You can't imagine the numbers of your friends-those who know you and those you have never met- who are praying for your healing. Have courage and know that God is at your side.
Love,
Cindy

Anonymous said...

Hi Jessica and Gina,
I came across this little poem today and thought of both of you.
"Faith looks across the storm - it does not doubt
Or stop to look at clouds and things without.
Faith does not question why when all His ways
Are hard to understand, but trusts and prays."
Praying for you both,
Linda Wardley

Nancy said...

Jessica....I believe, I do, I do, I do...and I'm clapping!!! Be well little sweetie!

Nancy

Anonymous said...

Hi again....guess what?? We are going to make a special
"Monterrey Ketamine Cocktail" for the fundraiser. Maybe we'll sell it for 10K ea. to pay for the flight home...:):)

It will be...
Verve-for energy~
Coconut Rum-for fun~
Grenadine for the color of RSD.

When we drink it we are putting the fire out for you!!

Cheers....Team Jessica

Anonymous said...

LET THE MIRACLE BEGIN!!!!

PRAYING!!

Jodi XOX


Jessica's Journey to Getting Her Life Back

By Sarah Gina (Jessica's Mom)


As we begin this journey toward renewed health we would like to express our sincere heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick and all the work he has done and continues to do in order to bring patients like my daughter Jessica back to a more meaningful life and restored from this devastating illness. Also, special thanks to Dr. Fernando Cantu and his team of doctors in Mexico for taking on a difficult case like my daughters, Words cannot express the renewed sense of hope that we have that one day, our Jessica, can regain her life that has been taken away from her – God Bless you all!

Jessica’s Story

Once an A+ student who loved school, was involved in many extracurricular activities, played varsity tennis, lacrosse and gymnastics and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, our daughter Jessica has spent the last 3 years incapacitated, paralyzed, unable to sit or walk and eat. She spends her days confined to a hospital bed, wearing sunglasses and noise-canceling headphones, due to severe light and sound sensitivity.

Jessica and her sisters, 2 mos. before becoming ill

The pain she feels is indescribable and all attempted treatments have not even come close to relieving her suffering.

She has seen many doctors, undergone numerous painful tests and procedures, has been prescribed various medications, and has been hospitalized frequently including being intubated and on a ventilator. She is severely debilitated and currently is only 92 pounds. This is certainly no life for a 21 year old young woman!


Jessica is suffering from neurologic Lyme disease and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), a severely debilitating and painful neuromuscular disorder. She suffers daily with constant sharp, stabbing, tingling and burning pain; throughout her body; severe headaches; paralysis; intense muscle spasms; gastroparesis; seizures; twisting of her limbs (dystonia); sensitivity to any touch (allodynia); extreme sensitivity to lights and sounds; excessive sweating; swelling; fevers; softening of bones; decreased hair growth; redness and discoloration of the limbs; and painful skin ulcers. The pain is constant and unrelenting, but despite her suffering, her faith in God remains and she still has hope for her future.

Jessica's painful skin lesions

Jessica's journey began in 1999, when she was only 11 years old. She became very ill with Mono and was bed bound for 3 months. She subsequently developed RSD (stage 1) of the lower right leg. She received early intervention and returned to playing sports and enjoying her life.

Jessica, age 15, at summer camp

Four years later, in 2003, while away at a sleep-away camp, she developed a rash behind her right knee, coincidentally in the same leg that previously had RSD!

At the time, the camps nurse & doctor told her that it was “duck rash” – a rash from swimming in the lake with duck feces. However, Jessica was able to obtain photos from camp from another camper which shows the classic “bulls-eye” rash from Lyme disease! It wasn’t until much later and only after developing symptoms and becoming very ill, was the diagnosis of Lyme disease and Babesiosis (another tick-borne infection) made.


Most people (and doctors!) have no idea how serious Lyme disease can become and no clue how to properly diagnose it. Unfortunately, if she would have been promptly diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease, the RSD would not have been triggered and she would not be suffering.

July 2003, Jessica's Lyme disease rash

If it wasn’t for her doctor, Dr. Liegner, and his expertise with complex cases of Lyme, and his determination to try any means in getting her well, by getting a “team” of doctors on her case, we wouldn’t be here today, still fighting. We owe him a deep sense of gratitude for all he does for Jessica!

During these past three years and with the pain becoming more intense and unbearable she has been seeing Dr. Finkelstein for pain management. He has even made house calls to spare her the pain of coming by ambulance to his office. Jessica has been treated with multiple pain medications, at the highest possible doses, as well as an implanted dilaudid pain pump, which delivers potent medication straight into her spine. Many doctors have told us that with the amount of medications Jessica was taking would be enough to “kill a horse”—yet they had little to no effect on her. If it wasn’t for Dr. Finkelstein trying to alleviate her constant, severe, unrelenting pain, I don’t know how she would have managed. He is very special to us as well.

Recently Jessica was transported by air ambulance to Tampa, Florida to see Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick, a world renowned RSD expert. Dr. Kirkpatrick told us that Jessica is one of the most debilitated patients he has ever seen.

Jessica getting into the air-ambulance to go see Dr. Kirkpatrick

Upon his testing and because Jessica's condition is so severe, Dr. Kirkpatrick is recommending the only treatment available that can possibly help relieve her suffering, and afford her some semblance of a “normal” life - the Ketamine Coma Procedure - a clinical trial that is being conducted in Monterrey, Mexico.

During this procedure Jessica will be put into a coma , with the hope that her nerves, brain and spinal cord will “reset” -so that her nervous system sends the correct signals to her brain.


Yes, this is a radical, scary treatment, however, for Jessica, "scary" is thinking that she could spend the rest of her life in this condition, unable to walk, eat, or take care of herself. Since all reasonable treatments have failed to help her, we feel we must try everything possible to help Jessica regain her life.

We understand that due to Jessica’s fragile condition, there is a high risk associated with this procedure. We are also aware that other patients with severe RSD like Jessica's have had success.

Jessica’s goal is to one day become a doctor. Our hope is that with this study she can have that chance. As her Mom, I know that she will be a great doctor because when a patient presents in her office and says “Doctor, I am in pain and words cannot express how bad it is” – my daughter –Dr. Jessica– will be able to say - :I know how you feel, I’ve been there too. So, take a seat and let me tell you a story”….

We are so thankful and feel so blessed to have been led to Dr. Kirkpatrick.

God is good and with his help guiding Dr. Cantu and Dr. Kirkpatrick, our hope is for Jessica to be able to return to us whole again and pain-free!