WELCOME TO THE OWL'S NEST
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MY HEART HAS BEEN BROKEN THIS PAST WEEK, AS WE HAVE ALL WITNESSED THE HORRIBLE DEVASTATION THAT HURRICANE HELENE HAMMERED UPON OUR BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY!
PRAYERS & LOVE TO ALL MY WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAIN FAMILY!!!
ONE THING I KNOW IS THAT MOUNTAIN PEOPLE ARE HANDS DOWN A WHOLE 'NOTHER ENTIRE BREED OF FOLKS- ON THEIR WEAKEST DAY, APPALACHIAN FOLK ARE THE MOST RESILIENT PEOPLE THERE ARE.
WE ARE TOUGH AND WE ARE SURVIVORS.
IT WILL BE A GOOD WAYS OUT, BUT, OUR MOUNTAIN NEIGHBORS UP THE ROAD WILL GET THROUGH... COME HELL OR HIGHWATER...
ALTHOUGH THE CREEK, THIS TIME, DID INDEED RISE-
SO WILL THESE MOUNTAIN PEOPLE;
AND THEY WILL RISE HIGHER
AND THEY WILL RISE STRONGER.
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO A DISASTER RELIEF ORGANIZATION. PLEASE CONSIDER OUR DISPLACED FOLKS AND LOVING PETS.
PLEASE CONSIDER THE MONTHS AHEAD AND HELPING TO SUPPORT THE REBUILDING AND RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR WNC COMMUNITY.
PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE INFORMATION
ON SOME GREAT INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS
TO GET INVOLVED WITH OR IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION.
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Welcome to My Nest! Here, we raise awareness, share our story, create, educate and advocate. Join us as we create a community dedicated to making a difference together- I'm so humbled to share this journey with you!
Come on in and sit a spell...
If you were flying by and landed here, I'm one of those kind of people that believe it wasn't by mistake, and that for whatever the reason, you were meant to be here...
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I invite you here into my Owl's nest to perch down beside me and take a look at the world from an Owl's eye view- from my perspective. I am not wise and full of wisdom like the owl, but I am full of life experiences and lessons- and a tremendous amount of hope and spirit. I have a passion for learning and advocating and an obligation to share any knowledge I gain.
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I am not a Physician, OR a professor, OR a therapist, OR an expert by any means on anything, but, I am a Mama. I am a Mama that has made it a priority to speak louder than the "grim diagnosis" we were handed. I speak louder than the doubt that sometimes tries to creep into the back of my mind. I speak louder than the stroke that caused the brain damage that my child lives with everyday; louder than the debilitating epilepsy that has attempted to steal his quality of life. I speak louder than the misinformation, louder than the judgements, louder than the dirty looks from those that just don't understand, louder than the doubt. In speaking loudly, I am taking back our power, I am fighting the good fight and manifesting and believing that WE WILL beat this beast that has become such a heavy burden in our lives. Epilepsy picked the wrong kid- and it damn well sure picked the wrong Mama...
My hope is that The Owl's Nest will be a space where you can hear me.
For all the parents who have been handed a shit-hand and given the diagnosis that your child "is going to require more"- YOU HAVE A SPACE RIGHT HERE BESIDE ME. For every Mom or Dad who has spent hours of your lives in doctor's office waiting rooms for way too long, or on uncomfortable pull out beds in hospital rooms, waiting for results, walking the floors consumed with worry, waiting for that next phone call or test result notification or appointment- YOU HAVE A SPACE BESIDE ME. For every parent or grandparent or caretaker who has been exhausted from pulling all-nighters caring for your medically fragile child, dealing with pharmacies and insurance authorizations and pill organizing and administering meds; for every parent attending IEP's and 504's and fighting and advocating for your special kids needs and accommodations and your rights as special needs parent- YOU HAVE A SPACE BESIDE ME. For every Mama that runs into the bathroom at the first opportunity because you're just so tired, so frustrated; because you just want to scream- I UNDERSTAND. For the Mama who turns on the shower and pulls the shower curtain closed- and finally allows herself to fall apart-it's okay- just cry, friend.
I've been there too. We all have.
YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A VERY SPECIAL SPACE RIGHT HERE BESIDE ME.
I send you all my strength and love and from the depths of my soul- YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
I HEAR YOU.
I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE.
♥♥♥
Our Passion is Our Purpose and Our Mission is spreading PERNIATAL STROKE and EPILEPSY awareness.
We are committed to advocating, educating and breaking down barriers about prenatal and neonatal brain injuries, early stroke and seizures
Our Passion is Our Purpose
When my second son, Rylan, was born in 2008, I had no idea that what lie ahead would take us down paths and trails with so many road blocks. I would never had dreamt that we would encounter so many challenges along the way. Having a child changes your life in so many ways, and being a mother is my greatest blessing, biggest contribution to the world and most important job. When we learned a few months after his birth that Rylan had suffered a perinatal stroke (a stroke in utero), I was shocked and in disbelief. His diagnosis was the beginning of so many life lessons, challenges, struggles and a few tears- but it has also brought the most inspiring, motivating, encouraging moments to myself and my family,..
THE MISUNDERSTOOD
DIAGNOSIS OF
EPILEPSY
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in the world, and concurrently, one of the most misunderstood.
As of May 2024, it is estimated that over 450,000 children in the United States have recurrent seizures and are living with epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring seizures. Seizures are sudden bursts of abnormal and excessive activity in your brain.
There are many different types of seizure activity and many different causes for seizures. Some common causes for seizure or epilepsy are:
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-a sudden infection or illness
-genetic or metabolic abnormality
-high fever
-stroke or TBI
-adverse reaction to a medication
-withdrawal from a substance
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Seizure type:
-Simple focal (partial) seizure
-Complex focal seizure
-Absence seizure
-"Drop" seizure or Atonic seizure
-"grand mal" or Tonic-Clonic seizure
-Myoclonic seizure
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Symptoms of seizure depend on the type of seizure and can present in many different ways:
-staring or absent gazing
-jerking of arms/legs
-stiffening of the body
-loss of consciousness
-breathing problems
-loss of bowel/bladder control
-falling or syncope
-confusion or loss of awareness
-nodding of head
-periods of rapid eye blinking and movement
-loss of verbal communication
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Early intervention is key. The goal always is to control, reduce or stop seizures completely. Many medications and treatment options are available and most people who suffer from epilepsy are able to continue independent and normal functioning lives when treated properly.
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We should be friends
Hi, my name is Jess- or Jessica- either is fine. I live in a wonderful little town in South Carolina, situated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am married to the legit sweetest man, JV, and I am a blessed Mom to my two boys- Logan, 22, and Rylan, 15. We also have a fur-baby- our beloved dog, Rudy. I work in the healthcare system, and as much as I love to care for and help others, I have a yearning in my bones- a rustling of my spirit- to do something... more. My family and I are huge Clemson Tiger fans, and lovers of nature and ALL the animals! My husband and my boys are my EVERYTHING and I'm truly so grateful to love and be so loved by them.
I am 1000% a proud, true-blue southern girl of Scotch-Irish heritage, from a long & strong legacy and line of remarkable Appalachian women- and men. My ancestry and my deep southern Appalachian roots and raising are imprinted heavily upon who I am, my personal beliefs and how I live my life. I am a self-proclaimed writer and a poet, I believe that music is like medicine to your soul, I could literally eat Mexican food everyday and never get tired of it, and I love to grow a small garden every season with tomatoes, squash, peppers and herbs- planted and harvested by the moon. I make my own hand crafted soaps and candles, and enjoy creating things. My all time favorite hobby is thrift store shopping- my husband corrects me- it's not my "hobby", he says, it's my "addiction", hahaha!- and he's not wrong- where's the lie? I guess you could say that I have a knack, or a special ability of bringing the old or discarded back to life; of uncovering hidden beauty and giving it purpose. I have a way of seeing passed the surface and finding the value and quality in what most average folks consider flaws. I love being on the river and we get up the mountain as much as we can. I love fall, and college football, mimosa's and margaritas- and I love experiences- I love engulfing all the senses. I love the smell of a wood fire burning in the winter and the scent of honeysuckles in the summer. I love the taste of chocolate and raspberry moonshine on my tongue in the evening, and that first sip of hot coffee in the morning. I love the vibrant colors of the leaves on the Blue Ridge Pkwy changing and turning in the fall and the blanket of camellia petals that cover my ground in the spring. I love the sound of an owl hooting at dusk. I love the sound of 80,000 Tiger fans when they play the song that shakes the southland- the Tiger Rag. But do you know what I love most of all, more than ANYTHING in this world???- I love hearing the sound of two humans in particular, calling out to me "Hey- mom!!!" I love the way it feels to hug and hold my boys- even if they are about grown. I love to hear them laugh and I love to see them smile and get excited. I love being my son's mom and I love being my husband's wife- and I thank God everyday for this life I've been given. This is me- and it's so nice to meet you...
Jess ♥
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RYLAN.
THIS IS HIS STORY.
Part I: Once Upon A Time A Sweet Little Boy Was Born...
Have you ever looked at someone in awe? In true amazement at their resilience and determination? In complete, unconditional, unwavering loyalty and incomprehensible, irrevocable love...???
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That is how I look at my son everyday.
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Rylan was born at 37 weeks and 6 days on November 22, 2008 around 1:30 am. I went into labor with Rylan on a Friday afternoon. I actually drove myself to the hospital while I was in labor. I didn't really know if I was actually in labor or not- something just felt different and slightly uncomfortable. Once I arrived at the hospital, I felt like such a drama queen, and considered not even going in, but I thought "Well, you're already here, you may as well go in and let them check you." I remember profusely apologizing to the nursing staff for wasting their time, and explaining to them "it's probably false labor or just those Braxton Hicks contractions... my water hasn't even broke... I'm sorry y'all..." I guess it must have been around 6 pm by the time I had arrived at the hospital, and it was probably about 6:30 at the point when the nurse and dr. came in and asked to check my cervix. It only took about a minute for the doctor to tell his nurse to let them know they needed to go ahead and start to process of getting me admitted and upstairs. I was shocked when he told me I was 4 cm dilated and full speed ahead. Rylan was on his way 2 weeks early.
By the time I got in a room, Rylan's dad (he and I were married for 13 years, but are happily divorced now, both remarried and co-parenting pro's) arrived and went down to get my bags out of my car. When he walked back in the hospital room, my doctor was breaking my water and we were getting this thing rolling.
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Rylan came into the world about 5 hours later around 1:30 am, after 3 pushes. He was 6 lbs, 4 oz. He had a full head of dark hair. He was precious! I was in love long before he was placed in my arms, but now I was smitten. Giddy. Over the moon.
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I had a pretty typical pregnancy and pretty typical birthing experience and all the months of going to my OB appointments didn't result in any cause for concern. All the ultrasounds, bloodwork- everything was normal. My OB wasn't concerned over anything. I was 27 years old when I gave birth to Rylan. Healthy and no medical issues or problems. I had my first son in 2002 at 20 years old. No problems there. So, I brought my baby home from the hospital right before Thanksgiving. Rylan was and still is a blessing and so much to be thankful for.
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As he grew longer and bigger and started putting on weight and filling out, he also began becoming more aware of the world around him, like a lot of babies do at that 3-4 month age. I began to notice that he seemed to keep his right hand fisted with his thumb tucked in. I noticed he didn't reach out much with his right arm or kick out much with his right leg. A few other odd things were coming to mind as well, and I was also noticing how he seemed to get choked quite often while nursing. I decided to take him in to see his general pediatrician, just so she could look him over and give me some peace of mind. I was hoping she would say "Oh, he's fine! That's normal! You're being paranoid". She, however, was unable to give me what I was hoping for- instead she referred us to a pediatric neurologist about 45 minutes away.
This was the beginning of our story- of Rylan's medical journey. The next few weeks would come and go and we would eventually find what we were in search of- answers. Part II- "The diagnosis we never expected" to follow and can be found by clicking the BLOG tab in the Menu.
Contact
I'm always looking for opportunities to help other's. Please reach out and let's connect if you need help organizing a fundraising event or volunteers or information/resources.
(864) 614-2448