"Bertha" explanation & update

Hello faithful readers! I wanted to provide a bit more information about the naming of Ashlie's new liver per her request! She knows that her friends will understand since they get her sense of humor, but that a little more of an explanation would be good for the rest of you so that you don't think she has lost her sanity when she got rid of her old liver!

Ashlie & Natalie were a little slap-happy after their quick trip to Jackson a few weekends ago and quick return to Memphis because of the flu exposure. The idea of naming Ash's new liver was brought up and "Bertha" became the winner because of the new "birth" idea behind it. Ashlie has definitely been reborn into her healthy self again! It also doesn't hurt that Bertha is a funny name that gives a laugh on a daily basis when Ashlie (and the rest of us, too) needs one!

Ashlie returned to Memphis for bloodwork on Monday and has to make a return trip for more bloodwork on Thursday morning. All of her numbers are looking good including her bilirubin which is still decreasing, but she does not have enough of the anti-rejection medicine in her system. They have upped her dose and will recheck the levels on Thursday.

Thank you so much for the continued thoughts and prayers! I will ask that you continue to pray for Ash's recovery and medicine levels normalizing, but also that she can stay illness-free with so much going around these days!

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

Friday Update

Ashlie continues to do well and thankfully did not get the flu! She did make the decision to try to keep a mask on while she is around my germy kids just to be safe!

Ashlie saw her doctor on Tuesday and had bloodwork done. Her bilirubin had gone down to 2.2 which is a huge praise! She had her staples out as well. They are still trying to find the right dose of the anti-rejection medicine for her. She will continue to have bloodwork done once or twice a week over the next month or so.

"Bertha" is what Ashlie has decided to name her new liver! She uses "Bertha" in conversation to talk about how her new liver is treating her. She is definitely more mobile and continues to improve everyday! Please continue to pray for her recovery and for the right balance of medicine!

Weekend Update

Ashlie is feeling pretty well! My mom made it back to Jackson on Thursday night in an effort to catch her breath and prepare for the Edwards family Christmas celebration that was supposed to happen today. Ashlie & Natalie came to Jackson last night, and we were able to share a meal while staying toasty by the fire. Ashlie was home long enough to be able to play with her niece and nephew and to be exposed to the flu! Cooper was perfectly fine until about 8 last night when he started crashing fast. He was diagnosed this morning with flu A which ended the Edwards family Christmas celebration. Ashlie and Natalie decided to head back to Memphis to get out of the germy house, and Ashlie has been prescribed Tamiflu as a precaution because of the condition of her immune system after a transplant. More than likely, she will settle back into mom & dad's house in Jackson after her appointment on Tuesday in Memphis.

My mom stayed here, and decided that since it is not in the cards for us to all have a Christmas celebration this year that she would take down her dead Christmas tree and try to get her life reorganized until Ashlie's appointments in Memphis. My dad suggested a thorough inventory of the presents followed by storage in the attic for next Christmas- I don't think this idea will fly especially with a sick four-year-old who wants the rest of his presents that he's been promised for the last three weeks!

A couple of things to pray for specifically for Ashlie:
-That she does not get the flu. She did not have any direct contact with Cooper, but she's still at risk for sure.
-Her bilirubin has been going down consistently since her transplant, but at her bloodwork Thursday it increased a little- from 2.4 to 2.7. To put it in perspective, her bilirubin at the highest level we have recorded before her transplant was 32, and normal levels are around 1, so she has improved dramatically, but the doctors want to see it continue to decrease.
-She is still trying to find the right dosage & combination of anti-rejection medicines for her body. She has done well with them this week, but it is definitely a work in progress that will continue for a while, so please pray for that process.

Thanks again for the support and prayers! Ashlie looks great! Cooper said she looks like the "normal" Sis-sis which is an enormous compliment from a very honest four-year-old! I will update again after her appointment on Tuesday.

Home Again

Ashlie has finally made it back out of the hospital. She and my mom are thrilled to be back at Natalie and Eric's house. They are planning to stay there a few more days before heading back to Jackson. Thanks for all of the prayers for her during this recent hospital stay. Please continue to pray for her muscle pain in her stomach and for her total healing. War Eagle!

War Eagle from Memphis!

Ashlie is still in the hospital. They canceled her GI tests because of the weather which is kind of frustrating, but my mom said that she guesses it's only fitting that they watch the National Championship game in the hospital since they have spent all of the holidays, Ashlie's birthday, and several other important days in the hospital. Hopefully they will have the tests done tomorrow and will be headed home soon! Until that happens, I will leave you with Natalie & Eric's snowman from today- War Eagle!

Mid-day Sunday Update

Ashlie is doing well today!  Her liver numbers are all exactly where they were supposed to be, and after some tests, the doctors think that her pain is mostly muscular in nature.  Her fever has stayed down since they stopped one of her anti-rejection medicines.  A GI doctor has started seeing Ashlie to try to resolve some of the issues she is having with eating.  She is going to have some tests run, and they seem to think that most of these issues are due to how sick she was before the transplant.  It is going to take a little while before her entire body starts functioning at 100%.  Hopefully these issues will be resolved fairly quickly (since nothing happens really quickly in a hospital!) and she will be headed home again soon.  Please be praying that the doctors will find some solutions to her GI issues, that they will be able to find the right dosage of her anti-rejection medicines, and that her pain will continue to get better.  Thanks so much for the prayers!

Saturday Update from Memphis

Ashlie is still in the hospital and is doing ok.  She is feeling better than yesterday but is still not feeling great.  Her doctor thinks that one of her anti-rejection medicines was causing her to feel bad and have a fever.  They are still running some tests to rule out anything else.  Everything looks great with her liver and liver function which is a praise for sure!  Please pray for relief of her pain and for the doctors to be able to determine the cause of the issues she is having.  I will update tomorrow when we know anything else.  Thanks for all of the prayers!

Please be praying...

Ashlie has been put in the hospital again.  She has had a low-grade fever the last couple of days and has not been feeling well, so she went back to the doctor this morning.  He thinks that more than likely the problem is not with her liver, but some kind of virus or infection.  They decided to admit her to run some tests and so that they could monitor her closely.  Please pray for her healing, that her body would be able to rid itself of the virus or infection, and that she would be headed on the road to recovery again very soon!  Thanks!

First Day Home Update

Ashlie is settled in at Natalie and Eric's house and is doing great!  She made a run back to the hospital for blood work and a mail this morning.  Know that if you mailed something to the hospital she will still get it- they will check two more times before the end of the week.  She is trying to establish normal sleep patterns after spending the better part of the month of December (with a few days thrown in from November and January) being woken up at 4:30-5ish for blood work and then again at 6 by a lowly resident checking in before morning rounds.  Although she is very happy not to have that early morning greeting, she woke up on cue waiting for her visitors this morning!  Hopefully she will sleep more soundly tonight!

My mom is doing well, too!  She is glad to be out of the hospital and is happy running all over the city of Memphis to get Ashlie medicine and food- just as long as her picky daughter eats!  I will probably not update until later in the week, but please continue to pray for rest for Ashlie and Mom as they adjust to what life holds this week and leave the hospital exhaustion behind.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to each of you for the amazing support & prayers!  The kids and I loved seeing people all over Jackson today and telling them about how amazing the Lord has been to Ashlie and our family.  She will always be a walking example of answered prayer!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Out of the Hospital!

Ashlie was released from the hospital this afternoon!  She and my mom are settling into sister Natalie & Eric's house in the Harbor Town area of Memphis until Friday.  Ashlie has to go to the clinic and have blood work done two times this week and then see the doctors on Friday, so they decided that it might be easier to stay local for a few more days.  She is extremely excited to be in the outside world and is looking forward to having an uninterrupted night of sleep free of nurses, vitals, and blood work! 

I have updated the mailing address to my parents' house in Jackson since she will be back there in a few days and will more than likely stay there for a few weeks.  I will update again in a few days with her post-hospital progress!  We are still amazed at the way the Lord has answered prayers on Ashlie's behalf and thankful for his mercy and grace.  Thanks to all of you who have prayed and supported Ashlie and all of us through these last few weeks.  She has come a long way in these two weeks of blogging!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all!  Ashlie continues to do extremely well today!  She is still in the hospital for the next day or two until the doctors are pleased with how she is eating.  She needs to be able to take in a good amount of protein for her body to heal, and much to her disgust, she is drinking Boost while still at the hospital.  Her spirits are great, and she is looking forward to what 2011 has in store for her with her new healthy liver!