Category: Trials

  • Side Effects

    Ashtyn was very tearful today.  She is not only struggling with having to be in the hospital for an unknown amount of time but she also is dealing with side effects from the chemotherapy drugs being given. She started four of the five chemotherapy drugs she’ll be taking for the next two weeks.  Chemotherapy drugs…

  • Home Away from Home

    I didn’t necessarily rush to the hospital this morning.  At noon Ashtyn and I walked into the hospital, took the elevators straight up to the 4th floor, washed our hands at the entrance of the immunocompromised unit, and was greeted at the door by our nurse.  Ashtyn was quietly upset she was assigned to a different room…

  • Heading Back

    From the moment I heard that Ashtyn had cancer, I never believed the path would be easy.  I understood her journey would be a roller-coaster.  I knew I needed to cherish the happy times.  During difficult times I knew I needed to have hope that good times would come again.  This week was a good…

  • Patience will Pay Off

    Saturday and Sunday many people prayed and fasted for Ashtyn.  We prayed for her specific needs that her rash would go away, her throat would feel better, and her total white blood cell count (WBC) and absolute neutraphil count (ANC) would go up. Sunday night Ashtyn wanted me to sleep in her bed with her.…

  • From Ashtyn

    I was Ashtyn’s scribe tonight as she shared some of her thoughts: I don’t think Ethan and I, or Morgan and I, or Chandler and I, are going to fight much anymore.  We are closer now even though we aren’t together.  I feel it in my heart.  I can feel them with me.  I’m glad…

  • Perspective

    Ashtyn and I have different perspectives of time. We have been in the hospital for 27 days and it has gone by very fast for me. There is not a moment of boredom where I can kick up my feet and wonder what I should do with my time. There is always something to do.…

  • She Chose This

    Ashtyn and I are spending our 25th night in the hospital.  She is no longer being kept awake by nausea, vomiting, coughing, mucous, diarrhea, bloody noses, restroom runs every two hours, shortness of breath with fluid in her lungs, or an extremely swollen mouth.  She isn’t suffering from a high temperature, high heart rate, or high respiratory rate.  For…

  • Getting Back to “Normal”

    The doctors came to Ashtyn’s room this morning, as they always do, to discuss the plan of the day.  What are the concerns?  How is her status?  What changes need to be made? Everyone was pleased with how well she is doing and noticed her huge improvement.  No changes were made.  Stay the course. For…

  • This Kind Can Come Forth By Nothing, But By Prayer and Fasting

    My last post was written two nights ago.  Ashtyn’s health had been getting progressively worse with each day.  By Tuesday night she was on the verge of having high risk surgery to remove her appendix.  Diarrhea and vomiting seemed to be occurring every couple of hours.  She had lower lobe pneumonia with an increased respiratory rate and oxygen needs.…

  • Relying On What I Know

    Ashtyn has had a temperature for over six days which is concerning the doctors. Each lab work that has been done continues to show no signs of infection. At noon she had a CT scan to discover whether or no