July 15th

The last week was a busy week for Ashley. She has probably experienced the largest variety of activities since contracting ADEM. The great summer weather made several outdoor activities possible.

On Thursday she went to a swim meet (of course it was Glenaqua where she could root for all the swimmers she has coached over the years). It was non-stop smiles for Ashley as she got to see so many of her swimmers that she has not seen for over a year. We also got an opportunity to thank so many of the families that have been unwavering in their support for Ashley and our family.

Immediately following the swim meet we went to watch several of her therapists compete in their last softball game of the year. Ashley nearly ‘caught’ a foul ball upon our arrival. What a way to be greeted! It was an exciting game with the lead going back and forth. The outcome was a single run loss for the Lutheran Hospital Therapists, but it was a well played game.

On Saturday we went shopping with Ashley at Jefferson Pointe which is a large outdoor mall. We even stopped for a drink at a restaurant. That was a first for Ashley.

The weekend closed with Mary and Ashley attending a wedding shower for Ashley’s cousin Jessica. They had a great time.

Ashley has continued to progress with accurate and quick responses to requests to move her arms and legs. She even showed more defined movement such as bending her knees. She is starting to move her right arm without first having to initiate movement of her left arm. There is no doubt that Ashley is rebuilding muscle tone and getting better motor skill control. We get more excited each day as we watch Ashley demonstrate that she is going to conquer this affliction.