David and Bekah have a lovely family of four children, daughter 10, son 8, Jackie 6, and the youngest boy, born in January. In early February they started the cycle of passing a flu-like bug from sibling to sibling. When Jackie caught the bug, symptoms were the same as the other children’s.

On the third day of Jackie’s illness, things changed. Her head hurt so badly she could not lift her head and had trouble walking and talking. An immediate trip to the family physician, then on to the emergency room at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, revealed that a virus had gone to her brain. The swelling the virus was causing was preventing the fluid on her brain from circulating and draining as it should. This fluid was creating pressure in various parts of her brain resulting in an inability to walk, talk, and the loss of most other motor skills. Her heart rate and blood pressure were both dropping dangerously low.

Jackie was in intensive care for 7 days, with her dad constantly at her side. David’s work made arrangements for him to be able to work remotely from the hospital as much as possible.

Mom, Bekah, had to be with the baby most of the time, but family and friends chipped in to care for the baby and the other children, to allow her time with Jackie. (The baby was not allowed to be in the medical center due to his young age.) Their church family and friends made sure that hot meals were available every evening during the hospital stay.

The 7 days of intensive care were followed by 21 days of inpatient care, then 2 weeks of inpatient therapy. The effects of the virus on her brain were the worst these physicians, neurologists, and other specialists, had ever seen. While the swelling of her brain is still present, and the fluid is still creating pressure, Jackie continues to improve and all medications have been stopped. Even her physicians have attributed her progress to prayer.

Jackie was covered with prayer from all over the United States during this time as family and friends lifted her up. She has indeed been blessed. She entered the hospital on February 10, and came home March 25, 2016, just in time to spend Easter at home with her family!

She has approximately a year of outpatient therapy ahead of her to regain all her motor and cognitive skills, including improvement with her speech. But she is a strong, determined six-year-old and we expect a full recovery for her.

Due to the extended time in the hospital, the multitude of tests and procedures that she endured, the medical bills are mounting. They do have insurance, but we all know that does not cover everything. Now that Jackie is home, the bills will be arriving in full force!

I am Gena, Jackie’s Great- Aunt. I am posting this gofundme page to ask family and friends to help her family through this stressful time. They have ever increasing medical expenses, that will continue to grow through this next year while Jackie has out-patient therapy. Please give prayerful consideration to assisting them financially now.

Jackie’s family is extremely grateful to the Cook Medical Center facility and staff. Jackie’s care was not only provided skillfully, it was extended with great compassion and caring. If they receive any funds beyond what are needed to cover medical expenses, David and Bekah hope to donate them to the Cook Medical Center.

Please continue to pray for Jackie’s miraculous healing, strength and patience for her family, and for God to be visibly present to them as they continue to seek and serve Him. Thank you.