Home sweet home!

Kerissa • April 26, 2013

We’ve been back in Oregon for 5 days now.  Can’t believe how fast the time has gone!  What an incredible trip it was!!  I’m already missing Cincinnati.  It really is a nice city!  And Cincinnati Children’s Hospital…wow.  The doctors I saw were so helpful and knowledgeable.  I thank God continually for these doctors who are exploring even further what’s causing all my symptoms.  When they told that they think I have a mitochondrial disease, all I experienced…was…relief.  I know it’s a pretty scary diagnosis (feel free to google it… www.umdf.org is a great siteand I don’t know what’s ahead at all, but finally having some answers after waiting more than 7 months makes me glad!

Since Monday, my right eyelid has been starting to droop just like my left.  Don’t like how they feel!  I guess going to Ohio was a little too much for my eye muscles. haha

Yesterday, I started physical therapy again.  I have to try and walk up and down our long flight of stairs once a day, using both feet and not just my right.  My left leg shakes terribly!  These past few days, I’ve also been researching inpatient rehab programs (not necessarily “pain rehabilitation” but more of a program that can address all my symptoms).  We’re looking for one closer to home, and I found one at Seattle Children’s Hospital which is the sixth best children’s hospital in the nation!  I emailed them, and the attending physician who directs the rehab program wants to have a phone conversation with me next week!

Here are some pictures of our visit to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.  It is a really nice memorial!

Up next: pictures of our visit to the Creation Museum!

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