Hi to Family & Friends,
To Order Jessica's Journey Necklace, Click On Link :
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41687962
To view Jessica on Fox TV, Click on Link Below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_vstm0bS8
Update on Jessica:
Jessica received her booster to help her with her pain. She continues to try to push herself each day to accomplish more "small steps". Yesterday she was able to lay on the couch for a few hours. She also tried kiwi and loved it. We borrowed a DVD of the Gilmore girls from a fellow coma patient, Kerri, who is here from Pennsylvania with her parents. Please pray for these two young ladies - Jessica and Kerri - as they try to take those "small steps" each day!
SPECIAL THANKS!!!
Special Thanks to Pastor Kevin and the Marco Lutheran Church for such a successful fundraiser luncheon for Jessica that was held yesterday!
Huge thanks go out to Dodie Meister, the Outreach Director at the church, as this fundraiser was her brainchild! I heard a delicious buffet was served with all the food donated by the church!
Also, special thanks to Valorie Morris of Jewels of Park Lane for bringing her wonderful "fashion jewelry" to the event! All proceeds from the sale of the jewelry will be donated directly to Jessica's Journey savings club! Thanks to the wonderful models: Joanne, Marjorie, Patty, Gail,Joan, Cea, Judy, Joyce and Donna. A fun time was had by all!
Over 70 ladies from the shores of Marco Island and Naples attended the fundraiser! Jessica's grandmother - Nanny Josie - brought 34 of her lady friends from the Marco Villas! WoW! Nanny also made a tray of her wonderful cookies for all the ladies to share. I understand another tray of delectables was made by Myrna and her husband Rinaldo! Thanks to all who brought goodies for everyone to enjoy!
Special thanks also to the leader of Team Jessica - Nancy - who is tireless in her efforts for fundraising events for Jessica. Nancy you are amazing! Also, thanks go out to my sister Carol and her friend Sue for all their help in setting up and for manning the entrance table!
Special thanks also to Bob Olson from the Marco Eagle for taking pictures for the local paper and to Elayna Fernandez for taking video flip pictures as well!
There are not enough words of thanks to adequately convey the way Jessica and our family feel for such an outpouring of love and support! May God bless each and every one of you for what you have done and continue to do for our sweet Jessica. Ultimately, God has a plan for her, and for all of us as well. We just have to be patient and wait for his timing and praise him for his grace each and every day!
All our love from Mexico,
Sarah Gina & Jessica* xoxoxo
"May the Lord reward you for your kindness". (Ruth 1:8)
"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus". (Colossians 3:17)
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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!
5 comments:
Good to hear your sweet Jessica was able to be out of bed for a few hours and is able to watch some TV. There are definitely some changes occuring in her body!
How wonderful that Jessica is able to eat a variety of foods now! The small steps are becoming HUGE advances! God is good and FAITHFUL!
Keep going, Jessica! Every day is getting you closer to your goal!
May God continue to bless you with healing and perseverence to get through each and every day.
With love & prayers,
The Turners
Hi Jessica,
Although you don't know us, we have been following your journey ever since you first went to Florida to meet Dr. Kirkpatrick. We live in Pennsylvania and are traveling back to Mexico for my boosters. We hope to meet you and your Mom very soon. Their are people all over the world who are gathering their strength from learning about all you have endured and overcome. By taking all those baby steps, you have been able to sit on the couch and soon, those baby steps will take you out the door! Our thoughts and prayers remain close by your side.
John Roach and Rosemary Di Giovanni
Psalm 119:170
May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
Wow Jessica..Laying on the couch again. That's Wonderful! Closer to getting out of there too!
You are such an inspiration to us of your faith and hope and trust. Thanks!
We had a superb time at the fundraiser. So many beautiful JEWELS, not only the ones Valorie brought to play with, but the wonderful ladies that came to help. Your Grandma and Aunt are such sweeties!
Get well little cutie!
Love Nancy
hello, sweet website
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