Just HAD to share! :)

Kerissa • November 13, 2013

Wonderful news—my Cincinnati trip this December is a go!!  Thanks be to God, the GI motility disorders team has fit me in on their schedule!  I’m SO happy. =)  Originally, this was thought to be impossible because they are booked out till mid-January and they could only see me if my GI dr. here did a hospital-to-hospital transfer.  But, 4 days ago I spent an unexpected weekend in the ER for severe esophagus pain and swallowing issues, and I lost another 2 pounds….  So my GI specialist here in Portland spoke to the Motility disorders medical director at Cincinnati Children’s regarding these worsening issues, and by the grace of God, Dr. K is squeezing me in on his schedule, and he already booked the OR for all the testing he wants to do.  Before I leave for Ohio, Dr. K wants me to have 4 or so additional GI tests done here before Thanksgiving.  This is gonna be a super busy 2 and a 1/2 weeks!!

This is the plan:

On Dec. 3, I first see Pulmonary Medicine.  After that appointment is the consult with Anesthesia (for the GI procedures), and then I see Neurology.

Wednesday through Friday (and possibly Saturday), Dr. K will do his extensive GI procedures, and I think they’re admitting me to the hospital for all of this.

Saturday evening (Dec. 7th) is my tentative 2nd sleep study.  Last night, I started CPAP for my sleep-disordered breathing, and if I don’t notice any benefit with CPAP, then the doctors at CCHMC will have me try BiPAP at this 2nd sleep study.

On Monday the 9th, I see Cardiology (consult for dysautonomia), and afterwards, I have an Orthopaedics appt. with the Spine Center for the chronic spine pain I’ve been dealing with.

Wednesday is my appointment with Human Genetics—I’ll be seeing their genetic counselor and mitochondrial disease specialist.

Thursday through Friday is left blank in case any of these doctors want additional testing..

And on Saturday, the plan is to head home!

Thanking the Lord for His goodness,

kerissa

October prayer request

By Kerissa Lee • October 19, 2025
Dear friends, At the beginning of October, I started taking a new medication for the autoimmune disease. I thought I was tolerating it just fine, but after several days passed, I began experiencing nausea, loss of appetite, weakness all over, and increased pain. 🙁 It’s like I’m experiencing another “mito crash.” I found out that this specific lupus medication affects mitochondria. That is, it causes an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This, in turn, causes cell damage and oxidative stress. I sure wish the rheumatologists would have known about this before prescribing. But I have to remember that Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome is rare, and they’re not “mito experts.” Anyways, the last time I felt like this was back in May.. I’m so grateful to God that I haven’t needed to be hospitalized from this, but at the same time, I’m also sad that this happened at all, especially because I had such a nice stretch of stable health. I’d really appreciate your prayers, that this muscle weakness can resolve soon, and that this increased pain all over will get back to my baseline. Every time I have a “mito crash,” it feels like I’m fighting the flu which always sucks. The pain has been hard to bear. And whenever I’m in the thick of it, it’s difficult to remember that this too will eventually pass. 😢 Pray that I will endure and follow Jesus’ example like this passage from Hebrews 12:1-2– “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...” Thank you all so much for praying for me. ❤️

Thank you! (+ a prayer request)

By Kerissa Lee • October 4, 2025
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." James 1:2-3

Praises & Prayer Requests

By Kerissa Lee • September 3, 2025
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23