Could I ask you to pray?

Hello blog friends,

This week has been a challenging week for my 18-year-old daughter, Erica. Late Saturday night her body began twitching uncontrollably.

Initially the doctors thought that she was having a reaction to a new medication she had started. She stopped taking the medication, but the twitching turned into all out jerks in her body. They happen about every 5 seconds.

If you are familiar with Tourette’s syndrome, what she is experiencing is like Tourette’s without the noises that those with Tourette’s also deal with.

Yesterday we spent hours in doctor’s offices and finally ended the day in the neurologists office. He said these are called myoclonic jerks and she has an extreme presentation of these. They have no idea why they are happening.

She had an EEG this morning and then started on some new medicine that can hopefully slow or stop the jerks enough for them to be able to do an MRI (you have to lay very still for an MRI). However, this medication is a tranquilizer so we’re praying that it won’t affect her ability to function.

She’s a freshman in college and has had to miss classes all week. She’s unable to work as well.

As a mother, this has just broken my heart. There’s absolutely nothing I can do to stop this experience for my daughter. I can only support her, love her, pray for her, and advocate for her in the medical process.

Will you pray for her? Pray that the involuntary jerks will stop and that the doctors will have the wisdom to figure out what is going on.

What are you facing that you can do absolutely nothing about? Is there any way I can pray for you?

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16 Comments

Stephenie on March 20, 2009 at 12:26 pm

I prayed!

Hillcrest Cottage on March 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm

Yes…I will pray for her…just did. Please keep us updated!

Sandra Joseph on March 20, 2009 at 1:21 pm

Father – You love our children more than we can fathom and yet in this fallen world our children experience struggles and it hurts us as mothers as well. We know that you are holding Erica close as her body struggles with myoclonic jerks – assure her of your presence and your care. Please be with Jill as she watches over Erica – assure her of your sovereign care over her precious daughter.
Lord, this family is tired and weary from ministering at Hearts at Home. Provide for them a community of care.
We do trust you Father – yet help us as our situations make us doubt. We believe – help us in our unbelief. Trusting in you…Amen

April on March 20, 2009 at 1:31 pm

Praying all day Jill! Keep us updated.

MOM-NOS on March 20, 2009 at 1:42 pm

I’ll be praying.

KimAmburn on March 20, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Praying constantly for Erica and your family. Please keep us posted.

heresthediehl on March 20, 2009 at 2:26 pm

Praying for you and for Erica…I can’t imagine how scary this is for all of you.

bp on March 20, 2009 at 3:54 pm

I’ll be praying for your family, you, and Erica. Keep us posted as you can. God is in control.

Tricia on March 20, 2009 at 4:15 pm

Erica, you are in my prayers. I pray that God wraps his healing arms around you and performs a medical miracle. Your family is also surrounded with my prayers. I am all too familiar with neurological events. Hold tight to Jesus, the master healer!! God bless

Jennifer on March 21, 2009 at 1:55 am

Keeping Erica and the family in my prayers. Hugs to you all.

Connie on March 21, 2009 at 2:03 pm

Our family will keep Erica and your family in our prayers. God has never let us down in the 25 years we have dealt with our son, John Mark’s medical issues…I believe that He will do the same for you.
Connie Hughey

Amanda on March 23, 2009 at 10:44 pm

I just wondered, did she recently get the Gardasil vaccination?

email me if you have time [email protected]

I will keep her in my prayers..

God bless-
Amanda

Michele Williams on March 24, 2009 at 4:58 am

We will pray for your daughter. Keep us posted…. blessings…

Val on April 2, 2009 at 8:09 pm

I’m very late seeing this, but add me to the army of pray-ers.

Deborah Raney on May 20, 2009 at 2:10 pm

Jill, I’m praying. So very sorry you’re going through this! Praying for a quick and definitive answer from the doctors. And praying for the rest of the family, too, as I know stuff like this affects everyone.

Jenna on May 28, 2010 at 5:34 pm

I just found your site and so I am reading this post a little over a year later. I hope your daughter is doing better and I just wanted you to know I understand how you feel as I have a son with a seizure disorder and believe me after witnessing him have a 45 minute grand mal seizure where paramedics had to be called etc. I know how awful it is to feel so out of control and not be able to help your child no matter how badly you want to. I hope everything has worked itself out and I will add your sweet family to my prayers. 🙂

Stephenie on March 20, 2009 at 12:26 pm

I prayed!
Hillcrest Cottage on March 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm

Yes…I will pray for her…just did. Please keep us updated!
Sandra Joseph on March 20, 2009 at 1:21 pm

Father – You love our children more than we can fathom and yet in this fallen world our children experience struggles and it hurts us as mothers as well. We know that you are holding Erica close as her body struggles with myoclonic jerks – assure her of your presence and your care. Please be with Jill as she watches over Erica – assure her of your sovereign care over her precious daughter.
Lord, this family is tired and weary from ministering at Hearts at Home. Provide for them a community of care.
We do trust you Father – yet help us as our situations make us doubt. We believe – help us in our unbelief. Trusting in you…Amen
April on March 20, 2009 at 1:31 pm

Praying all day Jill! Keep us updated.
MOM-NOS on March 20, 2009 at 1:42 pm

I’ll be praying.
KimAmburn on March 20, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Praying constantly for Erica and your family. Please keep us posted.
heresthediehl on March 20, 2009 at 2:26 pm

Praying for you and for Erica…I can’t imagine how scary this is for all of you.
bp on March 20, 2009 at 3:54 pm

I’ll be praying for your family, you, and Erica. Keep us posted as you can. God is in control.
Tricia on March 20, 2009 at 4:15 pm

Erica, you are in my prayers. I pray that God wraps his healing arms around you and performs a medical miracle. Your family is also surrounded with my prayers. I am all too familiar with neurological events. Hold tight to Jesus, the master healer!! God bless
Jennifer on March 21, 2009 at 1:55 am

Keeping Erica and the family in my prayers. Hugs to you all.
Connie on March 21, 2009 at 2:03 pm

Our family will keep Erica and your family in our prayers. God has never let us down in the 25 years we have dealt with our son, John Mark’s medical issues…I believe that He will do the same for you.
Connie Hughey
Amanda on March 23, 2009 at 10:44 pm

I just wondered, did she recently get the Gardasil vaccination?

email me if you have time [email protected]

I will keep her in my prayers..

God bless-
Amanda
Michele Williams on March 24, 2009 at 4:58 am

We will pray for your daughter. Keep us posted…. blessings…
Val on April 2, 2009 at 8:09 pm

I’m very late seeing this, but add me to the army of pray-ers.
Deborah Raney on May 20, 2009 at 2:10 pm

Jill, I’m praying. So very sorry you’re going through this! Praying for a quick and definitive answer from the doctors. And praying for the rest of the family, too, as I know stuff like this affects everyone.
Jenna on May 28, 2010 at 5:34 pm

I just found your site and so I am reading this post a little over a year later. I hope your daughter is doing better and I just wanted you to know I understand how you feel as I have a son with a seizure disorder and believe me after witnessing him have a 45 minute grand mal seizure where paramedics had to be called etc. I know how awful it is to feel so out of control and not be able to help your child no matter how badly you want to. I hope everything has worked itself out and I will add your sweet family to my prayers. 🙂