Hola to All,
To view Jessica on Fox TV, Click on Link Below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_vstm0bS8
Yesterday was a rainy day in Monterrey. For Jessica it seemed she was having a day filled with more pain. Dr. Cantu came by late last night to give her a booster to help to alleviate some of that increasing pain. She did seem to rest a little better afterwards. The hope is for her to have a somewhat better day today.
I guess we have to remember that no matter how dark the clouds may be and how heavy the rain may fall, the sun will eventually pierce the darkness of the sky, and the sun will ultimately prevail and with that a rainbow will appear in the sky. Our faith in God above will chase away the clouds that hover around us and our faith will prevail over the disheartening trials that try to drench our lives.
Today is a sunny day in Monterrey! Praise the Lord!
Please pray for less pain for Jessica today and praise him always for the continued improvements she is achieving each day!
Till tomorrow,
Jessica's Mom*
Please watch the following music video called:
"Praise You In the Storm" by Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJzIYQvzyow
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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 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!
9 comments:
Sorry to hear Jessica had increased pain (that is difficult). We are glad to hear she got some relief from the ketamine and today is a sunny day in Monterrey. There is just something about a sunny day that seems to encourage us!
Love that song from Casting Crowns especially that line "you are who you are, no matter where I am"! We can always find joy in who God is even in our most difficult of circumstances.
We will continue to pray for your sweet Jessica that with each day she will continue to see improvements and that the pain will melt away. And for strength and courage for you both as you continue on this journey.
With love & prayers,
The Turners
Food for thought:
From: The Passion of Jesus Christ
By: John Piper
“Being sanctified means that we are imperfect and in the process. We are becoming holy – but are not yet fully holy … The joyful encouragement here is that the evidence of our perfection before God is not our experienced perfection, but our experienced progress. The good news is that being on the way is proof that we have arrived.”
Sarah and Jessica,
Prayers are being offered to our great and mighty God that He will provide you with His strength in another day of ups and downs- pain and hopefully some relief. May you both cling to the promises of God that are always sure and always true.
Kathy Roosma
Hi Ladies!! Praying for sunny days and less pain each day!
Marco Island is planning a new High School called Discovery Academy and it will be by the YMCA. Very exciting time for tht island. It will have special classes and tonight there is a fundraiser called "City Under the Sea". Can't wait until Jessica is home and able to get around and who know...teach a health or motivaional class maybe!
love and hugs,
Nancy & Joe & Mr. Tinker
I do love that song! I have Casting Crowns on my MP3 player but have not played it in a while. I have been focused on learning some Spanish, though I am not getting very far. :) Last night I learned "Please repeat that more slowly" but today can only remember how to say "Please repeat more..." lol
I do hope that the booster helped Jessica to get some rest last night and that today's sunshine is just what the doctor ordered for a spirits brightener.
It has been sunny here all week and since we live in a rain forest, I am always grateful for the sky to be blue rather than grey! It does lift my spirits and I am in awe of the beauty God has bestowed upon our earth.
May today be a day that brings a smile to your face, if even for a fleeting moment. May you feel God's embrace and His reminder that no matter how you feel, no matter how hard the struggle, He is carrying you through it. This is a promise and one that we can depend on. The struggles are hard and often we begin to feel lost, but God knows it all and where it all will go. How wonderful that we don't have to figure it all out but rather can just keep plodding forward in hope and knowledge that we are loved and that He is in charge of the ship and its storms!
Sending you warm thoughts and gentle hugs.
Hi Jessica and Gina
We hope you have many sunny days ahead.
Lots of hugs,thoughts and prayers
Paula Ashley Ray and Kevin
Jessica,
I want you to know, from the time we left Monterrey, our prayers for you continue! We pray for the relief from pain, for the return of your smile, and most of all, that these things take place for you to continue on your path bringing Glory to our Lord. You and your mom will always be in our prayers!
Debbie (Emily's cousin)
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