So today is day 19 in the ICU Between Georgetown Hospital and Washington hospital center we have been in the hospital the entire summer since June. Ashley is very depressed and I am trying to raise her spirits as much as possible but spending this much time in the hospital can make anybody go crazy. We took her outside for a brief moment this yesterday morning to try to get some fresh air and cheer her up a bit. Her best friend from Florida and Dad surprised her yesterday by showing up at the hospital. That was great for her she was so happy. I will bring her baby boys by today to cheer her up some more. So I had to push the hospital to keep us longer so we are going to get transferred out of the ICU to her old floor. This is great a lot less germs there. I just didn’t think hospice was for us at this point. We believe we will receive better treatment at the hospital more one on one care with more care gear toward getting better. Better care means the healing process can start sooner. I feel we are on a race against the clock because of her infection that is contained. I just pray it will stay contained tell she get stronger to heal or for another surgery. She is on lots of antibiotics to help keep the infection out of her body so far so good we just don’t know if any is getting into the body. Antibiotic is a double-edged sword and sometimes the bug will get resistant. So I have pushed the team to introduce food in her stomach through her peg tube this was my request. I can’t believe the team didn’t think of this sooner, but does it surprise me not really. This will give her more protein so her Albumin levels will go up so she can heal the leak. I also asked Dr about Maradal which is the pill version of marijuana suppose to make people without appetites want to eat. He said great idea we have had great success with this pill in Cydoreductive patients at least she will get the munches lol. She had 3 of her 5 JP pulled out yesterday and that was very painful for her. I took all my complaints I have had to the Patient advocacy department and are working hard to get the DNR reversed. In DC my understanding is the doctors can make the Decision as they see fit. But as far as I’m concerned this should always be the patients will/request.
Keep the prayers coming thank you so very much for all your support Ashley’s husband Tim
Cancer Kickin' Girl 
I am so happy about Ashley friend and dad coming to visit her. She sounds like such a great person and you as well… We have a friend with similar problems, this is how I found you and Ashley. May god bless you both. My best wishes
Hang in there Tim…your little woman is an inspiration to us all! ❤
Praying always stay strong you are a great avocate for our Ashley girl. Hope the dogs get her positive again. xo Cathy
Continued prayers for you both! I’m sure she will be super excited to see her doggies!
Praying every day for you both!
Time
You got one tough cookie there 🙂 I was going to ask if you could bring the doggies to visit Ashley and you answer my question before I could ask it! I’m so happy she will get to see her boys, that will definitely bring some sunshine into her life!
Best to you and Ashley
Prayers Continue
Sandra
Thank gosh you are able to stay at hospital. Prayers xoxo
Still lifting you both up in prayer!
Thank you so much for letting us know how Ashley is doing.. Been praying like crazy for her. Good idea on the sunshine. Wanted to do that for Joe too but they would not let me. He said the sun felt so good when they finally took him out to go home.
Tim you are a fantastic husband. When our patients are too weak to speak up for themselves it is so important to have some one standing up for their rights. I had no idea the doctors could force a DNR. We have this written up in our will=paperwork but it is only if there is no brain activity going on and no hope for it to come back. This is NOT the case for Ashley.Keep fighting to sort that one out.
Hugs to you and Ashley.
Chris & Joe Pyle.
Praying everyday for you and Ashley! You both are fantastic- Anything we can do to help lift Ashley’s spirits?
Praying and Cheering for you both – jane
Tim,
You are an amazing couple, stay strong.
From your “extended” family
My heart & prayers are with you & your family. I’m going to tell you the samething I told my momma before she lost her fight with this beast. You’re a strong person, keep your head high & never stop fighting or believing in yourself that you can kick this cancers ass. Never look over your shoulder to what’s behind you, stay focused & keep looking ahead, because there’s a brighter future in front of you ❤ many prayers from my family to yours.
Praying continues for you both and clarity for Ashley’s team of Drs. Bless you both!
Wow that is quite the ordeal for her…..I hope she is not in pain. Do all the little things that most take for granted or don’t think about…it really does make such a difference to the person. Give her a hand/foot/leg massage with some nice moisturizing lotion, like vaseline lotion non scented. Lying in bed in a dry hospital, with bleached sheets
makes your skin very dry, and the touch is very nurturing. Best to you both~ Tracy
Hi you guys! I hope you actually read these. Okay, I think I should apologize for my hospice comments. My nurse friend said to me that hospice may be what Ashley needs; because…it would be a quiet place to recover. Nurses are much more patient and people can come and go at all hours of the night, and there would be a comfortable place for TIm to rest. Now, maybe I had some old ideas about it, but she said no…people do recover and leave hospice. It happens. and she said it is a place of miracles. They have doctors there….who practice differently. So I don’t know…maybe it would be okay. You could explore that option. It does not mean you have to give up. But Tim you were right that she needs a place to heal. Its pretty hard to get rest, good quiet time and peace in a hospital. Pray about it and seek his guidance and you will know. You want this time to be quality if at all possible. Miracles do happen. If she can’t go home, it might be the answer. If she has to go back to the hospital…she can. Be a peace our purple girl!
Bonnie
Meant to say “Be at peace….” I have to learn to proofread 🙂 Hugs and Hugs!!! and puppy dog dreams!
Hey….Glad you are going to be getting out of the ICU =o) And hoping you are successful with DNR order change. Wow…..didn’t know there were places where that wasn’t a personal decision!
Maybe moving to a “regular” room instead of ICU will help with the depression, too, in addition to being allowed to continue to heal from surgery. Maybe talking with someone, pastor or counselor, could help with that, too. It is a lot to deal with and can certainly take its toll on even the strongest. xoxo
Wishing you both a good change of scenery in a new room, and more progress toward getting stronger and stronger so you can both deal with whatever the next decisions are for surgery and/or treatment. Take care……….Kary
HOPE FAITH COURAGE STRENGTH
Tim,
Give Ashley a big hug for me. 💜
I am praying for both of you everyday!!!! Stay strong. If there Is anything I can do let me know…Love to both of you.
Continued prayers coming. Faith, Love and God will continue to carry you both through this. Many hugs.
Tim, you love her so much and Ash loves you as much and together you fight for what you can do and change , and hold each other tight in times when you can’t. Bring your boys in to see Ashleigh because their unconditional love and carefree spirit will lift her. Fighting this horrible disease is so hard but never forget you have a whole world out there praying for you both. May you be blessed with a miracle soon. Xxxx
Tim,
Keep up the great work you are doing to advocate for Ashley. I am so proud of you for keeping on top of things. I know it takes everything you have inside to do this, especially when Ashley is so sick and that in itself is so heart wrenching.
Love, hugs and prayers to both of you!
Helayne
Muscle milk via PEG. High in protein. Higher than ensure. God Bless! Still Praying.!
I hope Ashley is better today..I do not know but for some reason I feel connected to Ashley, By the way, you sound like such a great husband, I am sure that you also need a hug and some love.
May god bless you both. Tim, I will like to send you a book for you and Ashley, where can I send it?
“Embrase by the light” , love this book
So glad you two are in hospital instead of hospice. Most people give up the rebut you two are such fighters. I wish you the best. Praying for you.