Strength Training
By all standards and from all view points (the vent settings, lab work, and appearance) Ash should be breathing without the help of the ventilator. The best anyone can figure is that her body is just weak. Her muscle's have gotten pretty lazy over the past 12 days, and they don't have what it takes to rebound at this time.
But... we have a plan. Strength Training. Its not pretty. It never is. If you have ever been involved in any type of athletics you know those dreaded words. Its hard work. You get tired. You become winded, but oh what a difference it makes. This is our plan for Ashley Kate. She will go on a strength training regime that will hopefully bring her around to breathing again on her own by the end of the week. We hope! 4 times a day for 2 hours she will go on CPAP. This is the sprinting mode that she was on yesterday. Even though she did awesome and even though her blood gases showed she was doing well her little lungs and chest muscles were just to weak to keep it going. So she will practice and train for the big day.
The only kink in this lengthy plan is that the longer she is down on the vent the more at risk she is for picking up a secondary infection. The longer she requires the ventilator the longer she requires her central line for TPN and she runs high risk for acquiring a line infection.
She is awake and alert. Not too happy about being stuck flat on her back and having a tube shoved down her throat, but alert. Her eyes don't sparkle today. They are actually very sad, and that is proving to be hard for me to see. We are reading books and she actually lifted her hand to turn the page(only once, but at least she tried), singing songs, and watching Blue together. She has been awake since 2:30 this morning and I know she has to be exhausted, but she is refusing to close her eyes. She always gets insomnia when she is hospitalized and now that her sedation is almost completely turned off she is struggling to rest. Her chest x-ray looks better today and for that I am very thankful. I also find myself being thankful that we have been given another day to spend loving on our baby.
Thanks so much for praying us through another difficult day. Your presence here has never been taken for granted. We know better than anyone how much support you give to us and how little negativity is out there, but it doesn't keep those negative words from stinging at our hearts. Especially after a day like yesterday. Take care my friends. Trish
posted by Ashley @ 10:44 AM
39 Comments:
Let God's will be done.
I speak for everyone I think when I say we have your backs. We will be prayer warriors for as long as as it takes to bring Ashley back home! Praying for Ashley's successful training sessions.
I am so happy for the good reports, so glad she is really with you today, watching her dear Blue! Hope she'll let herself sleep a little soon, since I have a feeling she is not the only one who needs some zzz's.
Praying for the therapy to be just the ticket! We are looking forward to having her off the vent and eventually off all those tubes so she's so much easier to hold, hug, stick on an airplane with you and take back home.
Praying Ashley regains her strength quicker than expected, and that she (and mom) can get some rest. Go, Ashly, Go!!!
I am glad Ashley is awake and enjoying Blue's Clues with you!! Strength trainning will get her strong enough to breath again on her own, No more Vent!! YEA!!! Sending Ashley Loads of Strength energy's and Lots of Love .
Breathe Baby Breathe..
Brightest Blessings to ALL...
I have stumbled upon your blog through someone else's and I just wanted to let you know how much I have been praying for family and Ashley the past week.
I check on you guys all day long to know what specifically to pray for! So keep the requests coming.
I have a little girl about Ashley's age - who also loves itsy bitsy - and I can't imagine having to see her in so much pain. I am really praying for you today Trish. You are such a good mom!
Just wanted to let you know that people you don't even know are lifting up your sweet family to our Father.
Lisa in Texas
Continuing in prayer for your precious little pickle :)
Love,
holly
Praying for endurance & strength! Praying for peace of mind! Praying, Praying, PRAYING!!!!
Come on Ashley you can do this!
:o) I pray that Ashley strengthens with her training! I pray she is off the vent soon!
Such a sweet little baby!
God Bless you all
~Okla
Words cannot express how deeply I care for you and your family. The strides Ashley has made since I started reading your blog last week are wonderful news and I will continue to pray that things improve. Before you know it, you little pickle will ge giggling as you lay your head next to her on her pillow. I will pray that she gets some much need sleep and that God makes this marathon pass quickly. Love and hugs to you all!...Leigh Ann
So happy to hear the good report! Praying for strength for Ashley to breath on her own by the end of the week!
Jennifer in OKC
I pray that at the end of each day I can be half as good of a mother to my children as you are to each one of yours. You are a truely amazing woman. I will pray for you each and every day. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
May I ask a question? I mean no disrespect in asking but will the nourishment (TPN) that Ashley is recieving going to destry her new organs as they did her own? I pray not. You are in my prayers constantly.
Trish....good to hear that Ashley is on a training program. I know you will be her #1 Coach as she endures the training part each day. Some of us will cheer you along every step of the race...while others will be negative. Keep us posted....so we can celebrate at the finish line with you, Dave, Blake, Allie and especially our little fighter, Ashley. Praying that both of you get some rest this afternoon. God Bless and He loves you all so very much.
I am here with you all the way through this journey. I will continue to pray fervently until Ashley Kate is back to herself. We know God has a plan and it's a perfect one. Hang in there, sweetie! Love you, hon.
Shari
Continued prayers for the littlest pickle. Asking God to shield your heart from unkind and stinging words. So glad to read that Ashley is awake, may she grow stronger in the coming days and sprint right across that finish line, and right back into that little yellow house with her entire family. God Bless..Karen.
Praying... We love you. God Bless today, and every day.
I am thirlled there is a plan of action. Praying for the strength trainging to help her breathe on her own. Praying as always and will continue.
Love,
Angela
I just wanted you to know that you are being prayed for in Oklahoma. I found a link to your site on an adoption forum and I have been reading all about Ashley and her story. We just adopted our son 5 months ago and I counldnt imagine life without him. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers, she is such a fighter!
I have been throughout the day and will continue.
I just wanted to let you know that I pray for Ashley every day and I'm so thankful she is awake again.
Thank you for sharing Ashley's story so that we can support you all in prayer.
As so often when I come here, I am without words. Praying. Praying.
Is there any way you could post yalls address at the hospital on the blog...I would love to send yall something. Thanks!
praying...praying...praying!
An old song just for you.
Accentuate the Positive
You've got to accentuate the positive,
Eliminate the negative,
And latch on to the affirmative,
Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.
You got to spread joy up to the maximum,
Bring gloom down to the minimum,
Have faith, or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene.
To illustrate
My last remark:
Jonah in the whale,
Noah in the arc,
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark?
Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive,
Eliminate the negative,
And latch on to the affirmative,
Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.
No, don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum,
Bring gloom down to the minimum,
Have faith, or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene.
You got to accentuate the positive,
Eliminate the negative,
And latch on to the affirmative,
Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.
No, don't mess with Mr. Inbetween!
Now you may not be dancing by now, Trish, but if this doesn't work then I go back to Peter Pan.
Tink Happy Tots.
Keep faith in God. He never closes.
Prayer Mom
I have a cpap - I like the humidifier on mine so I breathe in warm, moist air. I don't know if you all get a choice or not. I am praying for her to get off all breathing machines all together. They are all so cumbersome and don't look good on that little princess! May your lungs increase rapidly in strength little Ashley. Love, Stephanie
Praying that the strength training works, that you continue to feel the love of the many and can ignore the negativity of the few, and that Ashley Kate will be breathing on her own soon.
Keep going. We will keep praying!
Prayers in CT.
Heidi
Praying continually for you Trish and for Ashley. Also praying for no more negative remarks left here, but if they sneak in, I promise not to respond and ignore them. They don't deserve a response. Praying for you to be strong during physical therapy and for her to respond. Keep hope high Trish, God is in control of every minute of each day. Rest in Him.
Love, Laurie in Ca.
Praying Ashley regains strength quickly and will be able to come off the vent soon! My daughters often pray for Ashley as well and ask how "baby Ashley" is doing. Thank you for all the updates. We will be praying for your family.
Go Ashley GO!!! We are praying for you guys and cheering you on! May God just pour out a blessing SO great today that you are blown away with wonder! Sunshine
Praying....krista
My uncle who is a pilot recommended to me that you look into angelflight.com to help with your flights. Would this be a possibility to help you & Dave get back and forth from Texas?
I am so inspired by you. I don't know how you manage on such little rest. I pray not only for Ashley's recovery, but for good health for you & Dave and the kids during this stressful time.
Love & many prayers!
Martha
Hi Trish - I am glad to hear that her bloodwork and tests look better. God will get her off that vent! He will!!
I have a couple of questions, if you have a chance, that I am just curious about. Did Dave end up getting the travel plans worked out, so that if Ashley is doing better, you will be able to go to Allie's b-day? Also, is the tube still hurting Ashley? I know yesterday's post or the one before that, you said it was really giving her trouble and causing a lot of irritation. I'm just wondering if our Lord has resolved that issue with another of His miracles? I know you mentioned how hard it is to see her so uncomfortable, even though she isn't sedated anymore, are they able to give her anything for pain to keep her comfortable? I know how hard it is to see your baby in pain. I can't stand it when Kyle gets hurt with just a little bo-bo.
I hope you don't mind my asking. I am so glad that today seems to be a better day for you guys. I truly am so very sorry for the rotten day yesterday...
Still praying..
In Christ~
Amy and Kyle
Trish, I'm praying for your sweet girl today. She's so often on my heart, as is your entire family. I pray that God will continue to give you strength and hope, and that He will either shield you from the attacks of others who just don't understand, or that He'll sow a mighty harvest of compassion and peace in your hearts as you deal with people who question you.
Sending you some Texas love,
Sarah
I have been reading your journal for some time now. I read the comments also if time allows. One thing that bothered me that you said Trish, was that in 11 days you hadn't left the hospital. That is not good. I know you feel like you need to be there. But you also need fresh air and some sunshine to stay healthy. Wouldn't do for mother to get sick.
This is my first time commenting, but I really, really wanted to say that.
And I do know what's it like to be in hospital for days on end.
Blessings on your family,
Marie
PTL still praying for Ashley.
Praying for Ashley to get strong and be able to breathe on her own. Poor little thing. Hang in there and remember to take care yourself too.
Blessings,
Julie
Let the training begin! God is in miracle mode at all times of the day and night, but He does expect us to pull some weight, so don't give up!!
Susan
Trish, I have no words, except that your pickle is in the right family. Even when you're down and tired and frustrated, you rock. Blessings, blessings, blessings, my friend. xxxooogretchen
My 9 year old daughter has added Ashley to her rapidly growing list of folk she prays for regularly, as have I.
Praying for God's strength to hold you all up during these difficult days.
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