Not What I Wanted To Hear

  I don't know about you but I am not happy about the results we got back from my labs. I have been feeling good except those few stomach aches ( I now remember why I don't like them). I have been enjoying my Christmas presents and am enjoying the time I get to spend with my family (even though I miss my mom, stepdad, and little brother). I can't wait for school to get back in so that I can see my friends. I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Dec 29th Lab Results

I got a call today from Dr. Zapata's office with the results from Ashlyne's blood work this week. There has been some changes, he is not too concerned yet but will be having her blood work drawn weekly again to see if things level out. Ashlyne's sed rates went up 8 points to 12, and one of the liver tox levels (apm I think, I was driving so could not write things down) was also up. The 6mp (immunosuppressant) can cause liver and kidney tox issues so we will have to monitor this. Ashlyne has had a few pain spells since Christmas but not a lot, so we will just have to wait and see. Continue to pray that these are not issues arising from the disease and just little blips in the road. Ashlyne has been coming down from 40mg of prednisone and last time we came off the prednisone her pain issues started up again as she went down. Let's hope that is not the case again and she is continuing to have healing. Also pray for the prednisone side affects of acne, Ash is not happy about this little issue added to her face.

Happy New Year!!

Wendy

A Look into Ashlyne's heart

Below is a note Ashlyne wrote to David Garrard with the Jacksonville Jaguars. I just had to share with you all her amazing little heart.


Merry Christmas David Garrard,

My name is Ashlyne Meseure and I live in Kearney, NE. I have Crohns disease also and was diagnosed this year. It has been really tough but I am getting much better and am almost in a stable state. I really appreciate the football that you and Maurice signed and sent me through Roy Stutz at UNK. It was very nice of you and made me feel really special. I think it is awesome what you do for the CCFA and I will definitely be rooting for you to win your last game. I will also be checking your blog. Here is my blog that you can check weekly to see how I am doing www.crohnskidsnebraska.com. I hope you had a Merry Christmas.

I really like the verse you have on your site. My mom and I hung up a whole bunch of bible verses on my last hospital stay and that was one of the verses we hung up. Crohns has really changed my life, it brought me closer to Jesus Christ and it has changed my diet and my life habits. I have gotten closer to my family and friends too. This disease has changed my life in many wonderful ways and I hope it changed your life too.

Your Friend,
Ashlyne Meseure

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! In the left picture are Gluten free aebleskivers that my mom made. Aebleskivers are a Danish Dish, they are a hollow round pancake that you fill with jelly or syrup. We have them every year at Christmas time. In the right picture I am holding a football that was signed by David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew, they are football players on the Jacksonville Jaguars. David has Crohns and for every touchdown he throws Centrocor Inc. donates $10,000 to CCFA. I think that is awesome! I want to thank the Stutz Family for getting me the football. I hope everyone is having as good of a Holiday as me.

Sorry

Sorry everyone its been a while since I posted on my blog. IT has been pretty busy around here. My grandparents are visiting from Phoeniox and then trying to figure out my diet for the holidays. well I'm sure you all have heard that I am doing much better and that there is little to no inflamation. I am not very happy that they didn't change my diet at all but I guess it's better that I am feeling good. Keep checking on my blog to see how the holidays go on this new diet.

PRAISES!!!!

I just got off the phone with the doctors office. Ashlyne's labs yesterday were all very good. One of the areas of stricture has resolved and there appears to be no thickening of the intestinal wall, the second area, terminal illeum, has gone from an 8.2 something to 1.4 in thickness a major improvement!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your prayer I do believe that is all part of the success of her healing. Dr Z does not want to change any other parts of her treatment at this time in regards to medication and diet restrictions, other than starting to take her down off the prednisone.

Matthew 18:20:20 "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

Keep praying!!!

Wendy

Dec 16th Visit to Children's

This was taken today, Samuel was such a good boy during Ashlyne's Dr visit. He has a sinus infection and on antibiotic but we did not want to risk anything so we had him wear a mask.

From Ashlyne's clinical examination and her lab work from the last three weeks she appears to be improving very well. Dr Z said until he got the results from the ultrasound today he could not conclusively say there was improvement but he was very optimistic. We had the ultrasound after her visit with Dr Z, the radiologiest who did her MRI in November came in and assisted in the ultrasound, his initial feelings were that there was much improvement and he did not see the thickening of the intestine like what was present in November. He had to do the full comparative and was to call Dr Z with his findings before we know for sure.

Dr Z is starting to take Ashlyne down on her prednisone, 5 mg every 5 days until we reach 20 mg, then we will do some more lab work and see. We also had blood work today at Children's, we came home with a "hat" to do a stool sample also. Dr Z wants to speak with Dr Attard and Septer with all the results and look at if and how they will or can modify her elemental liquid diet. We may or may not have any changes at this time. Ashlyne did not like that idea at all. We will just have to wait and see.

We will update more tomorrow once we hear back from Dr Zapata. Again we thank everyone for their continued prayer and support.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Merry Christmas! It's time to do all the Christmas cooking. HOORAY! (not). Tonight we decorated Christmas cookies. It was hard but its a family tradition and I didn't want to miss out in the family fun. I don't get to eat any special cookies but I made so me pretty special ones for different people. It was fun and it got easier. Mom is able to make my favorite cookies gluten free so she is going to work on those this week. By the way please be praying for her because next week she is going to have a colonscopy and I just want God to be there with her and besides it's her turn to feel what its like to be in the hot spot. Thank you so much for all the prayers. I am feeling much better and can't wait to get to eat as much as I want. Make sure you check on my blog next week to find out how my doctors appointment goes.

This Week's Labs

Just got off the phone with Dr Zapata's nurse and Ashlyne's labs for this week which are her chemical level tests all came back within normal ranges. Next week Dr Z is ordering CBC, Sed Rates and 6mp again. Ashlyne has been feeling well, she has not had any pain spells or bloody stools. This is wonderful news. Other than her hating the swelling from the prednisone her spirits are great, she manages her diet so well.

I could not be more proud of her. She just amazes me each and every day. This week driving to school she expressed to me that she was glad she has Crohn's, I asked why, she said it has brought her closer to God and made her dependant on Him. She doesn't really want to be healed cause she does not want to loose this. WOW! What a profound statement, so spiritaully mature and wise. I said if she was healed she could give all the praises to God and she said she knows but thinks having Crohn's is ok. My heart could not be more filled hearing the words she is relying on God and how much she values this relationship she has built with God.

Wendy

Hi! This is Ashlyne and I think I look like the stay-puff marshmallow man. Please do not laugh at me but the stupid prednisone is not being my friend at all! :-(

New Glasses, New Hair Doo

The week we got back from Children's this past month Ashlyne got new glasses and a new hair cut. Here she is in front or the Christmas Tree tonight with her beautiful smile.