HI TO EVERYONE,
I can't believe that today marks my *100th* post to Jessica's Journey Blog --- Amazing!!! I thought I would re-post my 1st post that I made to the blog back in August. This journey - Jessica's Journey - has been taken by Jessica & our family, and ALL of you as well. I would personally like to thank you ALL for always being there for us and for sharing with us this most incredible journey! Our hope is to one day bring Jessica home healthy and well and to reunite her with family and friends, and also, introduce her to the people she has never met that have rallied around her in her time of need, and will join us in welcoming her home! What a glorious day that will be!
Here is my 1st Post to Jessica's Journey Blog:
To all our family and friends,
In exactly ten days from now - on Aug. 20th - Jessica and I will begin the journey to Monterrey, Mexico. It is our hope that this treatment will restore renewed health and well-being to our Jessica! Please know that we will carry with us all of your hopes and prayers, and I know they will strengthen Jessica in the difficult days ahead. It is our hope that by updating this blog daily, you can take this next step with us too, just as you all have been with us these past 3 years! Till tomorrow and in God's love.....
Please pray for Jessica today as she is still having a rough patch of days and is not feeling very well. On this 100th posting, let me just say that as her Mom, I have found over 100 more ways to admire my daughter! She is an amazing person who has been through so much, but has persevered with such determination and courage that I am so blessed to be called her Mom!
To view Jessica on Fox TV, Click on Link Below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_vstm0bS8
To order Jessica's necklace, Click on NEW Link Below:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35743111.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT DURING THIS MOST DIFFICULT TIME. WE ARE HUMBLED TO HAVE YOU ALL TAKE THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY WITH JESSICA. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall softly upon your fields,
and until we meet again,
may God hold you
in the palm of His hands!!!
Till tomorrow and in God's love,
And with my 100th Post to all of you,
Sarah Gina (Jessica's Mom)
***To post a comment, Click on Comments Below***
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 illThe 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 lesionsJessica'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 campFour 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 rashDuring 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. KirkpatrickUpon 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!
8 comments:
How is Jessica feeling today? How is her vision? Faithful In Prayer, Crystal
Wow, I bet you have seen some wonderful improvements since then. Hopefully, it will not be too much longer now!
We are trusting in God for the healing of your sweet Jessica! It will be a joyous day when you both return home to your family!
With love & prayers,
The Turners
Hi Gals,
Want you to know I'm still here praying for you always.Checking in every day on your blog.THANK YOU for taking the time with all you are dealing with.You are both inspirational in so many ways!!
Peace be with you,
Jodi
Hi Jessica and Gina
100 posts - wow!! I'm sure you never expected to write so many. I want you to know that in each of those posts not only have you updated everyone on Jessica but you've inspired and taught all of us who read your blog...so, I personally want to say thank you.
I will pray that Jessica feels some relief to her pain and for continued courage for all of you.
God Bless,
Jenn
Just an aside: Jenn, I couldn't agree with you more! Gina has been an inspiration in my life and has taught me to embrace life and have faith through this blog.
Thank you Gina.
Gina and Jessica,
I pray that today is a better day for you both. I do wish that there was more that I could do, but I know that this is in God's hands and that praying and having faith for the healing of Jessica is doing something.
"In the hour of adversity, be not without hope
For crystal rain falls from black clouds."
God's blessings on you both!
Madelon
yes. interesting post!
yes. interesting post!
Nice post! I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. Thanks for sharing it. You can also come and visit me website at http://ketamine.com/
Post a Comment