Little lessons learned on this journey!

I learned little lessons every day about hospital life and how to endure and try to make it more pleasant or at least easier to endure.

1) Always be nice to your nurses, even if they aren't the most pleasant to you, you are in a lot of pain and really feel like telling them to do some place not so nice, or they are looking at you with a very long needle wondering "where are they going to stick me now" :)  Kindness can get you a lot of places in the hospital.  Especially the midnight and 4am ice chip runs the nurses would make for me because that could be the only thing that sounded good to me many days.  Ice chips are the one thing that got me through my hospital stays and the only thing I miss about the hospital.  I love Sonic's ice, but it isn't nearly as good as the hospital ice chips.   

** In all honesty, I have a true and humble respect for nurses!!  I could NOT do what they do!  I adored every nurse I had during my transplant period, minus one creepy male nurse:)** 

2) You will love the hospital if you like Ensure, Mighty Milk, and Boost!!  I was basically force fed and threatened with it by my doctors, nurses, and some family members :)  Needless to say, I was not so pleasant when it came to trying to consume those.  I never finished one, and I am fairly sure I dumped some down the sink so I wouldn't have to finish them.  I will forever be haunted by those drinks.

3) I never would have seen the launch of Oprah's TV network OWN.  After a month in the hospital, anything different on television is a blessing!  I am fairly sure it was in the middle of the night, when I was always awake, but who am I kidding...  You never get rest in a hospital :)

4) Never think you will get rest in a hospital!  You can become so backwards that you do not remember whether it is day or night, what time it is, or even sometimes, how long you have been in one pair of PJ's. Yes, I  know that is disgusting, but some days it was true for me :)  I generally regulated with my 5am wake up call to have blood drawn!  What a way to start the day/end the night when you never really slept to begin with.

"Sleep, riches, and health to be truly enjoyed must be interrupted."  ~Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, Flower, Fruit, and Thorn

** More to come, of course in no particular order.  I apologize in advance for my story telling skills.  I can be challenged in this area, but they can still be funny :) **

Inspiring story

E:60 on ESPN made a tribute video about a boxer named Francisco "Paco" Rodriguez, who was pronounced brain dead after he was injured in a boxing match.  His family portrays and explains what organ donation is all about.  I reccomend you take 15 minutes and check it out.  It is awesome that ESPN made a tribute to a true hero during Donate Life month:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6390758&categoryid=3060647

Organ donation registrant numbers are climbing, which is great news!  Spreading the word and helping people discover what organ donation is all about seems to be reaching more and more people. 

Thank you to all regiestered donors!

APRIL is Donate Life Month!!!

Please tell all of your friends what a special gift it is to become an organ and tissue donor.  There are so many people's lives that can be saved and changed by this gift.  Visit: donatelifetn.org   for more information.

This week I had another checkup with the clinic where I meet with the surgeons.  I got a great report and my bilirubin is down a little more, which is great news.  All of my liver enzymes are wonderful!!  The only "lecture" I got is to keep eating a high protein diet, which is difficult for me because I am a carb junkie :)  I am able to drop one one of my immunosuppresant medications, which is great!  One less pill to swallow four times a day is a nice change :)  Overall, I couldn't be more pleased and thankful!! 

I don't have to have another "big checkup" for another three months :) 

Hope everyone is having a great week, and I will do my best to get around to stories soon!  I have been in the midst of finishing the classes I was taking when I got sick.  I am very thankful that I am able to finish them so my Master's degree is not delayed too much.  So, it is back in the saddle to study, study, study... 

Hello!

Hello everyone!!  It is Ashlie!  I am taking over the blog to share different stories, moments, updates and little life lessons I have learned along my journey.  I am so greatful to Whitney for sharing her words, stories, and keeping everyone updated.  She has done such a wonderful job!

I am now three months out from my transplant date.  Bertha (my new liver) and I seem to be getting along well!  Starting this week, I am only having to get blood work done every other week, which will be a nice break.  My bilirubin is a 0.5, which falls into the "normal" range!  So, I am extremely excited about this progress. 

Thankyou to everyone, near and far, for your prayers and support!  My family and I could not have made it through everything without each and every one of you.  I will never be able to express my gratitude and how much it has meant to us.  

"Gratitude is one of the least articulate of the emotions, especially when it is deep."
~ Felix Frankfurter