Meet Aubrey Gallo

Aubrey Gallo

Aubrey Gallo is a vivacious two-year-old who loves to dance.  Each Sunday at church, during the songs of praise, she raises her hands above her head and spins around, dancing in circles, not worried what anyone is thinking.  As recent as last week, Aubrey was playing with her older sister, running through the house squealing, and staying up as late as possible.

But last weekend, Aubrey got a headache and eventually started vomiting and having convulsive seizures.  Since then, she has been in the Pediatric ICU fighting a brain infection.  She is now laying in a hospital bed with several machines attached to her body and a respirator in her mouth.  Her lips are chapped, her body is limp, and she is in a semi-comatose state.

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She has been diagnosed with encephalitis, an infection of the brain that can, among other things, cause convulsive seizures.  These seizures cause the brain to swell, and when the brain swells, it is pushed up against the skull.  That pressure can cause damage to the brain.

At this point, Aubrey's parents, Ashleigh and Andy, do not know whether there has been any damage to Aubrey's brain.  They can't know the extent of it until she wakes up.  But they can't wake Aubrey because, if awake, she is certain to have seizures right now.  And those seizures will possibly cause serious injury to Aubrey's brain.  She's in a frustrating holding pattern.

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Without Jesus, we would only have hope in Aubrey's doctors.  We're thankful for those doctors, but our hope is in Christ.  We know He listens to our prayers and that He uses our faith as medicine when He heals other people (Mark 2:5).  So, as a community of Christians, we are coming together to believe for Aubrey's total recovery.

Aubrey in the PICU

We are asking you to join us in praying for her.  You can start by praying for three things:

1. All seizure activity will cease.
2. Aubrey's body will be free from any further infection.
3. Aubrey will wake up, recognize her mom and dad, and reach out for them, free from brain injury.

The scripture the Lord has put on my heart for Aubrey is one in which Jesus comes to the aid of another little girl in a desperate situation.

"Jesus took the little girl's hand and called out to her, 'Wake up, My child!' (Luke 8:54).  And so we say, "Wake up, Aubrey!"  We are believing for you in faith, knowing that Jesus is here to heal you. 

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