Prayer Request

I am blessed to have SO many prayer warriors! You all bring me to tears with your comments, prayers, emails, and support. I know you are always there for me and pray for me.

Today I come asking for prayers for one of my dear friends, Alisa, and her husband, Jaime.

I've been so blessed to get to know Alisa, even though it's been through our shared journey with Lyme. She is incredible and is such a light to everyone! Alisa was told that she most likely wouldn't be able to get pregnant (like many with Lyme), but earlier this year they found out that they were expecting!

But around their 12 or 13 week ultrasound, they found out that their baby boy would not survive long outside of her womb because of Anencephaly, and that God would take him home shortly after birth. The doctors said that most mothers terminate the pregnancy after this diagnosis, but Alisa and her husband, Jaime, put their trust in God to see them through this journey, however long they might have with their baby boy. Their strength is incredible. Here is what Alisa said,

"I decided we are going to carry this baby. That this beautiful handsome little boy deserved everything any other baby would get. The only difference is, im gonna have to cram all the memories with this child into the next few months while he's still inside. So my agenda is quite full. We've got soccer games to go to, swimming, video games, stories and bedtime songs to sing, teaching him to pray and who is

wonderful maker is. Telling him all the stories of who is his Parents are, and 

the wonderful extended amount of family and friends we are so blessed by and 

now He is so blessed to have. And what kid doesn't want to go to Disney 

World?!?!?! Like I said, we have to a lot to do and were going to make every

moment count with him."

They didn't know how long they would have with London, but he has kept fighting, and this friday, December 7th, sweet London will be born through c-section. 

Because of all the complications with Lyme, Alisa will have to be put under general anesthesia for the surgery, and because of this might not be awake in time to hold her sweet boy before he goes to be with Jesus. Please pray for her husband, Jaime as he holds their precious son and waits for Alisa to wake up. Please pray for peace and comfort that only God can give through this difficult time. Please pray that Alisa will get to hold her precious baby London before God calls him home. Please pray for Alisa's recovery from the surgery, as surgery is hard on anyone with Lyme,

but she needs to be strong to spend time with London, and then will have to continue to recover after he goes home to be with Jesus. Please just pray for peace for them. 

If you want to read more about their journey, you can read her note at this link  http://www.facebook.com/notes/alisa-turner/how-to-say-goodbye/10152031549650473

Thank you so much for always praying!

4 years

I had intended to have a bigger post ready for today, but I have been sick with bronchitis and a sinus and ear infection. I've never had an ear infection before, isn't that crazy?! I had all of this for about a week before I made it to the doctor, so it's taking a while to get over. I've been on antibiotics for about 3 days now, so I'm starting to feel better. However, I didn't realize the antibiotic they put me on (Zithromax) was also used to treat Lyme. It's making me a little sicker as it's killing off some of the Lyme. When the bacteria is killed, it causes a herx reaction. Here is a link if you want to know more about that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarisch-Herxheimer_reaction

Thankfully, the herxing isn't too bad right now. It's just causing more pain and fatigue, but thankfully my pain medicine is helping some. The pain is just really bad once the pain medicine wears off and when it's almost time for another dose. But I'm getting through it with lots of rest and meds. Finals are next week and I'm way behind on things so I need to get over all of this!

So back to today...here's a little bit about what I wanted to share today. I am working on a more detailed post like I usually do on diagnosis day every year, so hopefully I can get that done soon. 

4 years ago today I was diagnosed with late stage, neurological Lyme Disease, as well as at least 3 co-infections. I was finally diagnosed at a clinic in Reno, Nevada after being sick for 2 years and finding no answers here in Oklahoma. I've suffered brain problems, heart problems, and problems with literally every organ now. I have a port (permanent IV) in my chest that goes to my heart that allows me to receive IVs at home. I certainly didn't think that at age 19 I would have already spent 4 years traveling across the country to my doctor, missed 3 years (and more) of school, be on continuous morphine just to get out of bed each day, and most of all, I never thought that I would consider all of this as a blessing. I've grown closer to God in these 6 years that I've been sick than I ever have.

But this year, I've grown even more closer to God during the hardest time of my life. Last fall, I was able to take 2 classes in college and live in the dorms after missing 3 full years of high school! But this past spring, I got too sick again to go back to the dorms and take the classes I had planned to (I did take one class on campus). When I realized I couldn't go back, I was mad. So very mad. How could this be happening again? I was supposed to only be getting better from here on, but now I have another setback. I was very upset.

But a few days after I realized I couldn't go back to school, my family and I were called over to my best friend, Rebecca's, house. Rebecca was diagnosed with cancer a month after I was diagnosed with Lyme. We had been through everything together those past 3 years that we were sick. We had "parties" while everyone else was in school. Yes, we had so much fun, even when hooked up to countless IVs and monitors in the hospital. We were the only ones who really understood what each other was going through. Most of all, we were able to talk to each other about our faith in God and His plan through all of this. Neither of us were ever mad at God. I learned so much from her, and I hope she learned from me as well.

So on February 2 when my family went over to her house, they told us that the cancer was everywhere and that she would be going to Heaven soon. They said they would do everything they could to keep her comfortable until God called her home. I was speechless. Here I was, so mad that I couldn't go to school, and then I realized that God needed me for something SO much more important than what I had planned. So from February 2nd, until God called Rebecca home on March 10th, I was able to sit with her almost every day. God didn't need me to go to school this spring. He needed me to be with my best friend every day as He got ready to take her home. I feel so blessed to have been able to be with her until her final breath, when she was safe in the arms of Jesus. I felt God's presence like never before on March 10th when Rebecca went to be with Jesus in Heaven. God was there in that hospital room with us. He was there to take Rebecca HOME and give us peace and comfort.

God needs us for more than we can see right now. We might not see it until we see Him face to face when He calls us home. I may not understand a lot of what has happened, what is happening, and what is going to happen, but I do know that it will ALL be made right one day. God is so faithful and will never leave us.

Rebecca and I's favorite verse is Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion FOREVER."

I can't thank you enough for your prayers, support, cards, and words of encouragement these 6 years that I've been sick, and especially these past several months. Please don't stop. Please keep praying and encouraging me and my family as we continue to fight. We still have huge battles in front of us with my health. We will never be able to thank you enough for all you've done for us. Won't it be a glorious day when we are all whole and just how God made us to be, together in Heaven one day?! But until then, we must stand strong together as the body of Christ does. You have been doing that, and I can't thank you enough!

"Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand!"

I love you all so much!