Its Easy

She's so easy to love!!!

Many times over the course of Ash's life we have been asked, "How do you do it?" I always wonder what people mean when they ask us that question. How do we do what? My first thought is this,"How would could we not?" The real answer is this, "Its easy because we love her." Plain and simple. I wake up every morning and am greeted by what you see here in this photo. She makes it easy. She is easy to love! When you love someone you don't consider what it costs, you just love them.

It makes me think of Jesus. I often wonder, "How did He do that. How could He endure the cross?" The answer is this, "He loves us." Thats how He did it. Plain and simple. He did what He did because He loves me. The difference I find is that I am not alway easy to love. I don't make it easy, but yet He still went.


It's been a slow day for Ash, but a slow day is what she desperately needed. Not huge changes, but a few very slow and suddle ones. We have increased her pain medication. Its a little confusing, but when they are intubated they have three drips running continuously intol their central lines. One medication is for paralyzing them so that they can't move or open their eyes. This keeps her from fighting against the breathing tube and trying to remove it. The second medication is for sedation and removes all memory of what is happening to them. The third medication is for pain. The only indication you have that they may be uncomfortable or in pain is by watching the monitors. Ashley's heart rate and blood pressure have been climbing today and since she has no fever and her labs are stable then we know that she is telling us she feels pain. So tht is why we have had to increase her drip. Once she is taken off of the vent then she will be treated for withdrawl symptoms from the narcotics. Its an ugly process, but yet necessary to make it through episodes of this magnitude.

We have been able to drain lots of fluid from Ashley's chest. She is peeing buckets of fluid. It is starting to make a difference. Her right hand almost looks normal again. Her left hand is still huge, but has good capillary refill so we know she is getting blood supply to her finger tips. We were able to put socks on her feet. New socks always make you feel better. The exciting thing about putting her socks on is that her ankles have the ability to be moved. They had been so full of fluid that they would not bend at all, but today I have been able to massage her feet and move her ankles around. She is still really swollen and heavy from all the extra fluid, but the little changes I am seeing encourage my heart.

We won't know until morning if her right lung has opened up with the therapy she is receiving. If it has then what a blessing it will be. If not then we will schedule the bronch procedure and attempt to inflate it that way.

Thank you so much for praying for us today. I slept for most of the afternoon and my nurses were given instruction to toss something at me if I began snoring. They didn't follow their instructions very well and they allowed me to sleep. I am feeling well rested. My headache is gone and my heart is feeling better. Your prayers for us are being felt. Thank you from the deepest parts of my heart. You are loved. Trish


P.S. Camille, our address here at the hospital is: Ashley Adams
Room 5236 PICU
Nebraska Medical Center
University Tower
P.O.box 6159
Omaha, NE 68106-0159