Jessica's Journey: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!!!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!!!

ME & MY DAUGHTERS-1998

A Special Message For All The Moms,

Don't ever stop loving the people that surround you each and everyday that have changed your life tremendously and have given you the strength to hold on. Don't ever think you can't tell them how much they mean to you and if it wasn't for them, you don't know where you would be. Because, one day, they could be gone, and you didn't get to tell them how much they changed you as a person, or how much of an impact they had in your life. Don't ever miss the chance to tell them thank you and how much you love them.

What is a Mother?

What is a Mother?-
She's someone who shares
In all of your problems,
Your joys and your cares-

Someone who gives you
Right from the start
The warmth and the loves
Of her motherly heart * * *

Someone who's loyal
And helpful and dear
And seems to grow more so
As year follows year * * *

Life is much brighter And happier, too

Because there are Mothers-

Mothers like you.

I couldn't let Mother's Day go by without thanking ALL of the special women in our lives: mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, friends, strangers - all of you that have come to mean so much to us these past years. It goes without saying that we would not be here if not for ALL of you! Your prayers, your love, your compassion, your strength --- all of these things have been what has sustained us during this journey and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Our wish and prayer for you today is to have a day filled with all of the above and may all the memories you make today - be only "sweet and cherished ones". God bless you one and all!

And a special thank you with love to my Mom in Marco Island, Fl. who is 86 years young and still going strong - and still the best mother, chef, and friend that a daughter could have ever hoped or prayed for. Thank you for giving life to me "Mamasita". All that I am, and ever hope to be, I owe to you. I LOVE YOU!!!

Also, I want to praise God and thank him for blessing my husband and I with our three beautiful daughters - Jessica, Katherine, & Michelle. It has been an honor and a privilege to be their Mother. The sweetest sound that you can ever hear is the word "MOM".......

PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO - A SPECIAL GIFT TO ALL MOTHERS: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

With love and praise,
Sarah Gina (Mom to Jessica, Katherine & Michelle)***

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

8 comments:

Anonymous said...: Sarah, you are a wonderful example of what a Mother should be! Your three beautiful girls are truly blessed to have you as their Mom!

We hope and pray that one day, that all your girls will have the priviledge to become Moms as well.

With love & prayers,
The Turners; May 8, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; May 9, 2010 at 2:31 AM
Anonymous said...: Happy Mothers Day Gina. Hope u and Jessica r having a good day 2gether. We miss u sooooo much. My husbands emergency back surgery has kept me busy and stressed. Hes getting better each day. Hugs and kisses Bonnie; May 9, 2010 at 10:56 AM
Fern said...: May you feel God's kiss today. Your words were perfect, couldn't have said it better myself. I know it must be hard to be so far from your other children and your own mom today. So may God give you a kiss and may He pass along yours to those you love as well.

Jessica, you sure do a great job of planting those you tube videos. Maybe one day you couod teach me some of this techno stuff! I know you know how blessed you are to have Sarah as your mother.

Sarah, may today be a special day. May you feel God's loving embrace and His support that you are doing a great job! I hope you get a chance to skype with your family today and I look forward to touching base with you today as well.

Have a great day, my friends!; May 9, 2010 at 11:59 AM
katherine said...: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM!!!

when i really think about what a mom is i realize that a mom is so much more than just a regular person. Mom's are the only reason that the world goes round, literally!

A mom is someone who puts her children and her family before herself in everything that she does. She takes care of everything in the home and she is always the one i that you can go and talk to about anything!(i know that for sure!)

A mom is someone who will ALWAYS be there, no matter what! So far, in my life there have been many times that i have been unsure about things and that i have been lost or afraid; and out of everyone i know the one persons advice that never fails and the one person that i can always go to is my mom!!

mom, you are all of the things that i said above and SOOO much more, youre amazing and right now in mexico you are showing everyone what being a mother really does mean!

i love you sooooooo much always and forever! <3

love your #1 daughter haha,

Katherine; May 9, 2010 at 12:03 PM
MICHELLE said...: dear mommy,
Happy mothers dayy! thankyou for everything you have done for me. September 20,1996 you had me and you were very sick. I am so grateful because without you i wouldnt be here today! you gave birth to me, fed me, dressed me, took care of me when i was sick, and was patient with me when i was a pain in the you know what hahah. And now you are taking care of jessica like a wonderful mother would do. One day when i am a mother i hope i can be half as good of a mom as you, because if i am thats pretty good. Thats how much of a good mother you are. I know sometimes i can be a pain and yell at you and be mad at you, but at the end of the day i can say that i have the best mother in the world! I Love you mommy! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOTHER DEAREST!!!!!

Love your favorite daughter(even more than katherine hehe),
Michelle<3 i love you mommyyyyyy; May 9, 2010 at 3:28 PM
Jane said...: Happy Mother's Day, Gina! May your day be as special as you are. You, more than any mother I know, deserve a wonderful day!
Love, Jane; May 9, 2010 at 6:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Some Verses from:

Psalm 103
Of David.

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not ALL his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-

18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding,who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.; May 10, 2010 at 2:31 PM

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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!

What is RSD?

Imagine what it would be like to endure a burning sensation so intense that the most potent pain relievers are completely ineffective, leaving you with the feeling that your body is actually on fire...

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) is a painful & debilitating chronic neurological disorder that occurs when the nervous system malfunctions in response to a injury or illness- in Jessica's case- Lyme disease.

RSD is characterized by: Continuous sharp, stabbing & burning pain; Extreme sensitivity to touch; Severe headaches; Painful skin ulcers; Intense muscle spams; Softening of bones; Dystonia; Skin temperature & color changes; Hair/nail growth changes; Muscle atrophy; Vascular & Autonomic dysfunction; Sensitivity to lights & sounds and Paralysis.

This rare condition is a mystery to scientists & often is misdiagnosed. Much more research is needed to find the cause of RSD and ways to treat and prevent it.

Ketamine Coma Study

The Ketamine Coma Study is a clinical trial procedure being conducted in both Germany and Mexico, that is considered for patients with the most severe, intractable cases, who have exhausted all other reasonable treatment options.

During this procedure, patients are put into a ketamine-induced coma-- essentially shutting the body down & giving it time to "reset" the nerves, brain and spinal cord. Patients are supported by a ventilator and monitored in the ICU.

So far, only about 100 patients have taken part in the study. For many, it has been miraculous!
However, like any treatment, there are no guarantees. There are also significant risks, especially in Jessica's fragile condition.

The Ketamine Coma shows great promise as a treatment for severe RSD- the key is going to be more research.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a central nervous system depressant that produces a rapid-acting dissociative effect, blocking signals to the conscious mind from other parts of the brain. It was developed in the 1970s as a medical anesthetic for both humans and animals.

There are currently three kinds of ketamine treatments: The Awake technique (continuous low dosage for 4-5 days), the Outpatient low-dose infusion (4-5 hours a day for two weeks, then gradually-lower doses), and the Coma technique (continuous high dosage for about a week).

The hypothesis is that ketamine blocks the neurons and manipulates NMDA receptors which might reboot aberrant brain activity, the coma shuts down the nervous system, allowing damaged nerves cells to heal and "reboots" the patient's brain, much like a computer.

Ketamine can have some nasty side effects. Especially when emerging from the coma, patients may experience hallucinations, lack of body awareness, visual distortions, confusion, and weakness.

Why Mexico?

There is a popular misconception that medical care in Mexico is of inferior quality. However, this is not (always) the case. In fact, many facilities in Mexico are state of the art, with top notch care.

Because Ketamine is considered a schedule 3 drug in the U.S., only a small amount of ketamine is legally allowed for medical treatment according to federal law. The high doses required for the Ketamine coma are currently only legally available in other countries.

Jessica's doctor, Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick, is one of only a few specialists involved with this study in the U.S. He has teamed up with Dr. Fernando Cantu and his team in Mexico to perform the Ketamine Coma.