Love For Ashley

Ashley has been busy this year with dance.  She is simply amazing and has grown so much as a dancer this year. I am very proud of her.  Each year as Ashley continues to dance, it has become increasingly hard to pay for her love of dance.  However, some how by the grace of God we are able to continue to support her talent and love. I mean really how can you possibly say no to this. and this... and of course this.... and this too.... Amazing isn't she? Remarkably or miraculously dance seems to be what is keeping Ashley so healthy.  Her doctors are in firm belief that her dance is providing her with healing powers that they just don't have.  Ashley's liver disease is stable after 13 years of fighting this beast called biliary atresia.   Note: I said stable not cured.  Her liver function appears to be normal...for now.  The only issue we are dealing with is Ashley's platelet count is continuing to drop.  A...

According to the radiologist that looked over Ashley's MRI slides "there are some changes in her liver." He didn't say what the changes are or if the news is good or bad. All he said was that Dr. A. would call us with the results next week. I am assumming that the changes are not dramatic because they allowed us to go home. My guesses: a) Her three liver cysts have all disappeared. That would be very good news! b) Her three liver cysts have grown. That would not be good news because the potential for cancer would exist. c) The three liver cysts now has friends (more cysts found). This would not be good either because it means she has more cirrhosis. Or maybe I am way off base with all my guesses. The only thing I know for sure is Ashley's liver disease is a guessing game for all involved. She has never been a textbook case and the longer she lives with her original liver, the more guessing we find ourselves doing. Ashley did get sick off the IV contrast. ...

On Friday, Ashley and I will travel to Gainesville, Florida so that she can have an MRI at Shands hospital. Remarkably, I am not worried about the MRI or its findings. Ashley has been doing so well lately that I don't expect them to find anything different or abnormal. I do expect things to be the same; her three liver cysts will be unchanged, her liver will be slightly scarred with cirrhosis and her spleen will be large but not larger and the blood flow in the portal vein will be normal. The calmness that I feel about this procedure is kind of eery. I tend to worry before all of Ashley's medical procedures, this time I have no butterflies, no fear, and no anxiety. I am not sure why and that scares me a little. Ashley has not taken any of the medication for GERD (Gastrointestinal Reflux Disorder) in months and she seems to be doing fine. She is still taking her liver medications but not so religiously as we have in the past. For example, we use to give her meds at the exact sam...