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.