Thursday, February 25, 2010

Special Message to My Sister!



Hi To All from Mexico,

Today is my sister Carol's birthday. She is also Jessica's aunt and godmother. Since I can't be with her today I would like to send this present - a special message to her - via the blog, to wish her a very special Happy Birthday from Monterrey, Mexico.

"FELIZ CUMPLEANOS" OR "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TO MY SISTER CAROL:

Dear Carol,

A sister has a special perception. When you hurt, she feels your pain. When you're happy, she shares your joy. When you're frightened, she understands.

And, when a dark day comes, a sister is not afraid to enter into the darkness with you. She walks in - invited or not - it doesn't matter - and she brings with her the comfort of God!

Even when you try to hide your worry or your pain, a sister can see through you, right down to the truth. A sister is like a "ministering angel" (Hebrews 1:14), sent straight from heaven to you!

Happy Birthday to my "strong" big sister Carol - who has battled with cancer these past two years - and has made it through!

Remember this Carol - next year we will celebrate your birthday on the beach in Marco Island - collecting seashells - arm in arm - once again!!!

Love you always, your "baby" sister, Sarah
Con mucho amor de Mexico...............
xoxoxo

JESSICA SAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TOO!!!

***To Post A Comment, CLICK on Comments Below***

6 comments:

Fern said...

If I received that message from my sister, I would weep happy tears. What a treasure she must be to you and what a great sister you are to put into words your thoughts. I will wait to hear from you that you did in fact go to the beach and collect shells with her next year!

Hope today is a good day. That God shines warmly on your face, that the breath of Him passes over your body and through your heart and mind strengthening you for what lies ahead and restoring you through what has already come to pass. May you know and feel His presence intimately in all that you do, hear and see today.

Be well

Anonymous said...

A sister's bond is a gift and not a given. I lost one sister to cancer and for some unknown reason do not have a special bond with the younger.
Enjoy your day Carol.
Linda in Saratoga

Anonymous said...

Dear Jessica,

I am thinking of you. I love you and your strength. I have high hopes for this year for you and your family. I will drag my bottom down to Florida to meet you if you'll be able to see me.

Love Michelle Mah

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR OLDER SISTER said...

TO MY BABY SISTER SARA....YOU HAVE BRIGHTENED MY LIFE AND MY BIRTHDAY WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE TO ME.. I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A SISTER LIKE YOU. NO ONE CAN BE AS LUCKY AS I AM TO BE BLESSED WITH SUCH A STRONG, COURAGEOUS, LOVING AND BEAUTIFUL (OF COURSE) SISTER. YOU MAY BE MY BABY SISTER, YET YOUR INSIGHT IS FAR BEYOND YOUR YEARS. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND LOOK FOWARD TO SPENDING MANY BIRTHDAYS TOGETHER. ALONG WITH JESSICA WHO IS SO MUCH LIKE YOU...SHE IS TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE YOU FOR A MOM....LOVE YOU...YOUR OLDER AND WISER SISTER...CAROL

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Jessica's aunt Carol! Faithful In Prayer, Crystal

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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!