Under the weather

Kerissa • December 8, 2016

Hey friends,

Just a short update.  Since the day after Thanksgiving, I’ve been sick with low-grade fevers, a painful sore throat, swollen glands, a barking cough day and night, and terrible fatigue.  The doctor thought at first that it was a bad virus, but now he believes I have a bacterial infection in my throat (basically “strep,” but caused by a different bacteria…not the streptococcal bacteria).  He said I’m immunocompromised….this is because of mito. So he prescribed a week’s worth of antibiotics and codeine cough syrup.  Still not feeling any better yet, but it might take several more days..  I’ve been completely exhausted.  I just don’t have enough energy in the first place to fight these types of things.

I had a follow-up with my GI specialist last week.  The end of this month marks 2 whole years of being on TPN (IV nutrition).  So hard to believe.  We talked about taking a TPN break, but after much discussion, it’s just not really possible at this point because of my bad hypomagnesemia (he said “I’m the black hole of Magnesium….”), low blood sugars, continued GI dysmotility, and other problems from mito. I’m disappointed but will keep persevering and trusting in God’s sovereignty.

I’m really trying to increase my tube-feeding and not just do it one time a week…  If I can eventually receive a large enough volume total each day, then we can maybe talk about a TPN break!

I had a bilateral lumbar sympathetic nerve block scheduled this afternoon, but I had to cancel it because I’m coughing way too much. God in His providence worked things out, tho!  My pain dr. had to reschedule anyways, and it got moved to next week.  So thankful I don’t have to wait many more weeks for it to happen.

In addition to the nerve block, I have a lot of appointments coming up with Palliative Care, Neuro-otology, Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Physical Therapy.  I’ve had to cancel PT for 2 weeks now.  My hip and muscles are all super weak from being sick…progress keeps getting set back.  But I’m so grateful for my therapists who continue to work with me, despite my complex medical case!

Until next time!  Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas, friends.

 

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