Our sweet, spicy, talking-your-ear-off, singing-as-loud-as-she-can, dancing little girl, Zaylee Jade, has been in PICU Little Rock for 4 days now and prior to that, 3 days in NWA. It all started with thinking it was a tummy bug, constipation, and took her to Children’s. Then she did not get better for a week. We then took her back to Children’s and she tested positive for strep. Two days after a shot of antibiotics, with no improvement, she started having headaches, still throwing up, still constipated, still wanting to do nothing but sleep other than wake up in pain. During this time, our spicy 3-year-old continued to get more and more lethargic, a week of wanting to do nothing but sleep. I knew as a mother something was not right; she was not talking other than yes or no for days or screaming in pain. We took her back the the hospital demanding answers and we finally got admitted. For 3 days, we sat with no answers, only an IV for fluids. I kept saying this is not normal; she should not be this tired. Only to be asked the same questions over and over again with no real treatment or diagnosis.

Day four, our baby becomes unresponsive and starts having seizures. We were sent to Little Rock. She has been on a ventilator for 4 days. MRI shows swelling in the brain and spine. All labs are coming back negative, to understand where this is coming from to understand a treatment to help our girl. The swelling is inside the brain. The doctors have ruled out bacterial or active viral infection. They are saying ADEM and this is better news, better than a meningitis fed from bacteria. Her swelling is severe. We have started PLEX and steroids and are on our third treatment. She should be responding to treatment in the next few days. So far, her eyes open with no real intent; she does not look. She is still unresponsive. Her movements are involuntary and the same patterns every time. If there is no response to this treatment, we will start immune therapy in the next 6 days. The doctors do not know how long it will take for her to recover or how severe her status will be neurologically. This will be a long road ahead.

I am working to see my options with possible remote work to continue an income. We have 4 other children at home, two starting school in a few weeks. The reality is we still have bills and needs that will need to be met. I am the main source of income for our family. And I am stressed about what the future holds. We are praying on hands and knees for our sweet girl.

I am humbly asking for help as I am already falling apart from seeing our sweet baby be a normal, beautiful, fun little girl to laying on a bed fighting to regain consciousness and regain being herself again. With the stress of providing for my family as well, it is becoming overwhelming.

We pray, oh Lord, bring us knowledge and strength to bring our baby back to us. Give Zaylee strength to find her way back and to fight this off.