On November 17, 2008, I woke up with an intense feeling as if someone was stabbing my head with a knife. I was admitted into the hospital in Costa Rica, and many things were told to us during that time. From a bleeding vein in my head-to a stroke we heard it all. The left side of my face twitched uncontrollably and dropped during this time. I was experiencing severe weakness , and had to do physical therapy after being released from the hospital. We spent Thanksgiving in Costa Rica, but instead of getting better, I was getting worse.
Bro. Howell and Bro. Hopkins expressed their concern, and asked us to return home for medical attention. Upon arrival to the states, intense medical exams began. My doctor told me that the medicine given to me in Costa Rica was causing different reactions in my body, and 2 of them were not approved in the United States, due to the adverse side affects, which I was experiencing.
In January, I began to have seizures. We did not know what was going on. A preliminary EEG showed abnormalities, something that had been also noticed in Costa Rica. I was put on 1000 mg of Depakote a day. The seizures continued to worsen. My neurologist changed my medicine from 1000 mg of Depakote to 200 mg of Topamax. I then had my first gran mal seizure. The Topamax was upped to 500 mg. On February 9, I had 3 seizures. the Topomax was upped to 850. On February 10th, I had 4 more consecutive seizures, and my neurologist had me go into the ER. I was admitted. During my CT scan I had another seizure while the exam was being done. On that day I had 7 seizures in all.
They started testing me. I didn't know then, but later my neurologist told me that because of all of the consecutive seizures, and since my white blood cell count was so low, they thought I had a tumor in my brain.
THANK God-He is an ever present, all powerful God, and has His hand upon me at all times!
After the testing no signs of tumors were found!
After having a 72 hour EEG, the doctors switched my medicine all over again, and I was released on Valentine's Day from Baylor hospital.
The seizures did not stop, but were more controlled due to the medicine.
Then on February 27th, we were in Lake Charles, La, with our good friends, Rigo and Lettie Martinez (retired missionaries to Mexico). That day I had 2 seizures, one that left me unconscious on the floor. The next day was Sunday, and we ministered in their service, and then went on to Sunday night service with Pastor and Sis. Glen and Madonna Massey, where Bro. Jason Sciscoe was preaching. There was a tremendous move of God.
How many of us go to a service, hear the last song, see the lights being turned off, and think that God is done for the night? Well, that is EXACTLY what I thought. I had put my energy into the services, and I was feeling not so great by then. We went to shake Bro. Sciscoe's hand. My husband conversed with him, and he asked if we were on deputation. My husband said, "No, my wife has been quite ill. Bro. Sciscoe turned to me, and asked me to place my hands in his. I did. He started rebuking the spirit of illness. When he did that, I felt as if I was going to have a seizure right there on the platform. He grabbed my hands tighter, and said, "spirit of illness, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus, leave her body NOW." This second time, I felt as if a hand reached into my chest, and pulled the illness out of my body.
When I went into see my neurologist 4 months ago, he said, "Jessica, how are you?" I told him, "the Lord healed me." He said, "oh, really how many seizures have you had in the last few weeks? (I had had 12 in the two weeks prior to my healing) Dr. Salmon then said, "well, we'll see in a month, if still no seizures, I'll believe that God has healed you."
In that month I had NOT ONE seizure. PRAISE BE TO HIM! I walked into my doctor's office again. He asked if I had any seizures during that month. I told him no. He said, "Well, Jessica, since you had been having so many seizures, and you have not had any whatsoever in the past month, I also believe that God has healed you...."
I have been seizure free for 4 months now, and my neurologist has signed my medical release form to return back to the field....
I can say with all assurance..."We serve an ALL POWERFUL, ALL HEALING, ALL Glorious God!"
