We Have the Test Results on Aubrey

We want to start by thanking you for your prayers and support during this time.  The Gallos have received so many emails, comments, texts, and phone calls, and though they couldn't respond, they have been greatly strengthened and encouraged your words.

We do have a big update today after long discussions between the Gallos and all the members of Aubrey's medical team, and the news is mostly encouraging.  Here's Andy.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your prayers.  We finally got an idea of where we stand with this illness and although we're not yet out of the woods, Aubrey's alive and recovering.

Andy and Ashleigh

First of all, the doctors think they know what happened to Aubrey.  They tested fluid from her brain yesterday, and it came back positive for West Nile, a mosquito-borne virus.  This is the most likely cause of the encephalitis, and the doctors will send another blood test to confirm.  There is no medical treatment for the symptoms, and in light of the fact that it can be lethal, we're simply grateful Aubrey survived.

The long term outcome of West Nile encephalitis is very hard to predict.  There are cases of permanent brain injury, which may include memory problems, learning disabilities, damage to vision, severe fatigue, behavioral and movement disorders, and many others.  It could be up to a year before we know what damage there may be, but we continue to be open to God's immediate intervention regardless. 

We are happy to report that the MRI is very encouraging and generally looks good.  There is one spot in her brain that still appears to be inflamed, but all other areas look normal.  We praise God for this.

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Functionally, Aubrey's having trouble swallowing liquids, but she's doing well with solid foods.  However, she only takes solid foods in small amounts right now, and this needs to increase in order to nourish her.  This will probably require physical therapy.

Aubrey still seems somewhat confused and doesn't always comprehend what's being said to her.  She is moving her arms and legs, but is too weak to support her neck and trunk.  She isn't speaking, and she's still having abnormal, involuntary movements of her mouth, tongue, arms, and legs (which could be some of the post-West Nile symptoms I mentioned above).  It is also possible that the medication could be causing this, but the neurologist doesn't think that's the case.

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We are trying our best to focus on the victories that have been happening daily.  One week ago, we didn't know if Aubrey would live to age three.  Yet by Tuesday, she came off the ventilator and was able to get all the machines removed from her body.  She hasn't had any more seizures. The MRI generally looks good.  She is alive and recognizes us - and today, she's leaving the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.  Thank You, Lord.

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Aubrey and Dad asleep last night

Aubrey potentially has a long road of recovery ahead of her, and the future is still uncertain. The past two days have been very, very difficult for Ashleigh and me, since Aubrey literally needs someone with her 24 hours a day.  When she is awake, she sometimes acts very agitated (Ashleigh had to hold her down for two hours yesterday), and it is very unnerving to see her constantly moving involuntarily.

Regardless, all our hopes, we set our hopes on the risen Christ.  He has come to our rescue and healed Aubrey in ways that the doctors couldn't.  At the same time, we are thankful for all that the medical staff has done.  God definitely used their hands, feet, and equipment to sustain Aubrey's life when it was dangling by a thread.

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We don't know how to adequately thank the hundreds of you from all over the world who have made it a priority to pray for Aubrey and our family.  You gathered around us in our darkest hour, picked up our mat, carried us to Jesus, and He has provided healing where there was hopelessness (Luke 5:17-26).

Aubrey and Lilly

For those of you who have carried us through this roller coaster week, we thank you for your prayers and speak a blessing over your life.  For those who want to keep up with Aubrey's progress as we take small steps toward healing, we will only update the blog when we have a specific request or reach a milestone.  If you want to keep up with that, it would be best for you to subscribe by email, and you can do that by subscribing in the upper right hand corner of the blog. 

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Aubrey has some ongoing needs for which you can pray, and here they are:

1. That she never have another seizure.
2. That she will have a healthy appetite.
3. That she will have a full recovery from any damage to her body.

Please also pray for continued strength for Ashleigh, Lilly, James, and me.  We know Aubrey's recovery will require a team effort as a family.  We're all going to need a lot of grace.  Although we've finally turned a major corner, we've discovered that around that corner is another long road.

So here we go.  Thanks for being here for us on the journey.