*Originally published 7/10/14*
I met my best friends, the “chickens,” as we refer to ourselves, for the first time! 12 days ago Kerry and Abby flew to Maryland where Hannah and I were waiting for them. We spent 5 days together at Hannah’s house, and they were the best 5 days of my life. Normally, hanging out with someone for the first time is a little scary and awkward, but not with us. There is not a single thing that we don’t know about each other.
Having 4 chronically sick kids in one house was actually a lot of fun. When something got lost, it stayed there for a while due to the Lyme brain in all of us. The medicine cabinet was overflowing with all the pills and supplements that we all take. We would all have to remind each other to take our medicine even though we didn’t want to take it. The fun part about being together was having people there that actually understood when you say “time to take charcoal,” or “haven’t had a nose bleed today.”
Even though we are all sick, we were still able to do fun things! We went kayaking, which was a lot of work for us, but was still a great time. We painted pottery and went out on the boat and even made Build-A-Bears together. We couldn’t believe that we were finally together. The whole time we were together, none of us felt really terrible, which was great. Leaving each other was the hardest part, but we are already planning our next visit! Sadly, our 5th “chicken,” Jessica, was too sick to visit with the rest of us. Jess has been in and out of the hospital since April. She has not been able to eat for months and she is in extreme pain with no relief. Jessica is one of the strongest people I know. She has been through so much and is still fighting. I can’t wait for the day that Jess is healed and we can all finally be together! Here are some notes from the rest of the Chickens.
From Kerry- I miss talking to Jess everyday so much. I am constantly praying for her to make tremendous improvements. While Hannah, Abby, Cassidy, and I were together, Jess was a part of all of our conversations. Not only did we constantly talk about her well-being and how much we miss her, but we also knew she was there with us in spirit. We made shirts as souvenirs of our time in Annapolis and we all put a J in a heart over our hearts to show that she is always with us. I miss talking to her so much and I can't wait for the day my phone lights up with a text from Jess. Please keep Jess in your thoughts and prayers. I love you, Jess!
From Abby- I've known Jessica for over a year now. Since the first time I talked to her I knew she was going to be one of my best friends. And yes, I do consider her one of my best friends. Every time I talk to her she has such a positive attitude and encouraging heart. She is going through some really hard stuff right now, but even still she stays rooted in her faith and hopes for better days. Jessica encourages me. And her personal story inspires me to spread joy to the world even in the midst of pain, just as she had done for me. I miss being able to text Jess every day. However, I know healing is just around the corner for her. Jessica, I'll be here waiting to celebrate with you on that day you are able to tell us all of your healing process, from beginning to end. And so until that day, I will continue to pray for you. God is holding you in His healing hands. I love you Jess!
From Hannah- Three words to describe Jess: loving, strong, and relentless. I've known Jess for over a year now and I can say that she is one of my closest friends. As a fellow Lyme warrior, I know what it's like to fight. Jessica never stops and I'm so blessed to know her. Not being able to talk everyday has been rough, I can't wait to hear her laugh again and see her beautiful smile. Her faith in The Lord is one that I am encouraged by and I am inspired by her optimism through her trials. I know God's healing comes at the perfect time. I will never stop loving my Jess.
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