Jessica's Journey: 14 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!!

Friday, December 11, 2009

14 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!!

This picture was taken by Jessica the Christmas before she became ill. She is in the middle holding the camera in front of her - with her sisters Katherine (left), and Michelle (right) and of course, Molly (her #1 dog)!!!

To order Jessica's necklace, Click on NEW Link Below:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35743111.

To view Jessica on Fox TV, Click on Link Below:

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

Christmas Blessings to All,

This time of the year has always been my favorite. Not only for the religious significance of the birth of Christ with all of its magnificence and splendor, but also for the traditions of the Christmas season that have been passed down from generation to generation! From putting up the Christmas tree with all the special ornaments you have collected from all the places you have visited or the special ones you have chosen for each child to commemorate the milestones or events of their lives; to carefully putting on display that treasured nativity set and remembering to cover the baby Jesus until Christmas because "he hasn't been born yet"!?! For me, growing up in an Italian family, the holiday has always been about family, traditions, and let's not forget - food - and - alot of it!!!

It is this special time of the year that we remember Christmases past and all of the memories associated with them. In remembering those times it is sometimes hard not to look back and yearn for those happier or easier times. But, if you are a Christian, and you do believe in the "majesty" or "magic" that is Christmas, you realize first and foremost that this is the time of the year that we commemorate his birth and also his "rebirth" in our lives.

It is with this hope, this faith, that we remember to keep "Christ" in Christmas and we remember this one important thing, - that isn't faith believing that all power cannot be seen? It is with this "faith" that we have, in Jesus and his birth, that propels us forward to a new day, full of all things seen and unseen, all powers known and unknown, all dreams real and unreal! May you all find the majesty and beauty and renewal of Christmas this year and always!

UPDATE ON JESSICA:

Jessica has been having a rough patch of days these past two weeks. For her, the daily struggles can be difficult, and then if other issues or problems are added, it can sometimes become too much. Yesterday she had to be brought down again to put in another central catheter to replace the other one that wasn't functioning properly. The fevers are gone and so far the tests are negative for infection, but we are waiting on the cultures. Please pray for better days for her. Pray for her eyes and for the brain to "clear away" the static vision that has been plaguing her these past three months. As I said above, our hope comes from our faith in the knowledge of the power of Jesus and his birth and the power of the renewal of that faith that is always so "real" during this special time of the year!!!

In hope and faith,
Sarah Gina*
(Jessica, Katherine & Michelle's Mom)

"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God". Ephesians 3:17-19

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

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: I thought of Jessica this morning as I was reading my daily scripture.........The Lord has allowed all of these things to happen to you. He led you to Monterray and He is going to use it for good and the people in your world are going to know that He is Lord! The Lord will honor Himself in this place in your life. He is going to work a miracle and He is going to do something you never dreamed of.....Hold on Jessica! He has a plan! :) Crystal; December 11, 2009 at 9:28 AM
Anonymous said...: Heb 1:14

14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Acts 12:5-11

Acts 12:5
5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

8Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."; December 11, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Nancy said...: I love Crystal's comment and I second it!! I thank God for his mercy and blessings we are experiencing together!
May you have a healing JOYFUL Day in Monterrey Mexico today and always until you are home again with us.

Love and peace be with you...
Nancy; December 11, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Anonymous said...: We hope along with you!

So glad to hear that the fever is gone. Hang in there, Jessica!

You are making Christmas memories this year that i know will be forever etched in your memory. Both good and bad. May you treasure each special moment and time. God is faithful!

Last night, we went to a school Christmas concert. The theme was "He is the Light". The grade 10 drama class wrote and performed the radio show that walked us through the events and there were dancers, and singers and small skits. It was lovely! I watched my youngest son perform his drama piece and laughed along with everyone else as he was very funny. He also sang in the choir and I was very glad that this year,I could be there to see. The room was packed and it made me very nervous especially since my allodynia has returned to my legs. However, this was one of those times I was grateful to still be in a wheelchair. Seating was limited and many stood for the whole thing. I had my own seat! Small blessings to note! :)

You are all in my prayers. Be well

Fern; December 11, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Anonymous said...: May God continue to strengthen both you and your sweet Jessica as you wait on His perfect timing for her complete healing! We will pray that it is very, very, very soon!

With love & prayers,
The Turners; December 12, 2009 at 12:15 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.