History

Sunday, May 1, 2004

A Gift for Ashley…

Ashley is now three months old and has been diagnosed with major heart defects.
She will be going through open-heart surgery while this letter is coming to you.

I want to make Ashley a very special mobile for her crib when she will return home from the hospital, but I need your help!

As word spreads about Ashley’s condition, I have learned that people across the United States are thinking about her and praying for her. This is what sparked my idea…
I want to collect one keychain from every state that people are thinking about her in.
Can you find a keychain with the name of your state on it and send it to us for little Ashley?

I am including a list of states that I will send this letter out to, but if you know others in any states I haven’t included please help us achieve this goal. I will also post on the Website a list of states when I begin to receive the key chains, so that we know which ones we have already.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!
Little Ashley smiles whenever I tell her about all of you!

Sunday, May 1, 2004

Dear Concerned….

First off I would like to thank you for your prayers and support during this time for our family. Baby Ashley sends lots of smiles for everyone!
Her catherization test was completed Thursday April 29th successfully. All measurements needed to correctly diagnose her heart defects and determine how soon they would need correction were obtained and no problems had occurred during the procedure. In the end she was throwing a fit until we met her again and finally got to feed her starving little belly.
As we already knew, Ashley has three holes in her precious little heart. Her catherization test shows that with the pulmonary hypertension that she also has, she will need corrective surgery as soon as possible. A surgery to close all three holes is scheduled for Tuesday May 4. She is expected to have a hospital stay anywhere from one week to one month or more.
We have decided to do this surgery now versus waiting we may never get this chance again. This surgery should be able to stop the blood from mixing, which in turn we hope will reduce the pressure that is damaging her lungs. She has excellent doctors and great nurses watching over her.
Please continue to keep her and us in your prayers. She is brave and strong willed and has the perfect spirit for the long fight ahead. I feel confident that she will be fine!
We will do our best to spread the news as things progress.

Sunday, April 27, 2004

Some misfortunate news has happened across our dear little Ashley. At her two-month checkup with favorite Dr. Bob a heart murmur was heard when I further questioned about the rasp and wheeze in her breathing. An EKG was performed at Augusta Medical Center and we were referred to a cardiac specialist pediatrician at the University of Virginia Hospital.
The specialist also heard the murmur and further tested by performing another EKG as well as an echocardiogram. The results of the tests were devastating as we discovered that Ashley has three holes in her heart. Two holes in the top atrials called ASD (atrial skeptical defect), and one hole in the bottom ventricles called VSD (ventricle skeptical defect). She also has pulmonary hypertension.
Let me explain this a little: The ASD and pulmonary hypertension is the same as what my brother Joshua had. The VSD is the same condition that my brother Joe had. Her artery at the top of her heart is larger than normal and more blood is being pumped into her lungs than needed.
The hospital will do one further test called a cath’ to determine the size of the holes and how much blood is or isn’t escaping or going where its supposed to. This test will be done by taking a catheter through an artery in her groin area all the way up into her heart. It then injects a special kind of ink that will go throughout the heart and show where the holes are by pictures taken throughout the process. Ashley will be sedated during the procedure and I will be able to be back with her in the recovery room.
Please keep her in your prayers and cross your fingers that these holes are not too big and have to be fixed with surgery. Hope and pray that they are so small that they may just close naturally so that she will grow healthy and continue to be so happy.

Sunday, April 27, 2004

It’s so hard to believe that our dear little Ashley is already two months old. So many changes have occurred in such a quick yet short period of time that makes up the beginning of her life. Her life is so precious and we thank God every day for such a blessing. Our prayers and hopes grow with her perfect little smile upon each day she awakes and greets us.
At one week old Ashley had already enjoyed the grand adventure of her first big city-shopping trip with mom and Grandma Dawn in Roanoke. She also slept through most of her visits with special friends and family. She loved to eat and would do so constantly.
At two weeks she had a checkup with Dr. Bob and weighed 7lb. 10oz. Her first valentines was surely sweet as everyone wanted her to be their valentine and she got cute little stuffed doggies and bears as well as cards in the mail. Not to mention that she received packages from four different states including California, Maryland, Connecticut, and Wisconsin.
February 18th was a special day indeed as her umbilical stump finally fell off, and she rolled over! In attempt to reach her pacifier which had fallen from her mouth she managed to roll from her back to her side with great determination and pure disappointment when after all the effort only her little tongue could touch the tip of her pacifier. And the next day she slept through the night for the first time.
For about two weeks now she has been consciously smiling at everything in sight. I’ve never seen anyone be so amazed with such simple little things as a glowing light bulb or the flowers on mom’s couch. She’s so bright and special to us all.
Until next time when I share all her adventures again please remember to keep in touch and keep smiling !

Love Always
Jesse, Jerry, & Ashley Elizabeth

Saturday, May 1, 2004 9:44 AM CDT

This page has just been created. Please check back for additional updates.

Click here to go back to the main page.

----End of History----