October 27th

The blog’s editor has bowed to pressure from the blog’s namesake and is doing an update prior to the current six month cycle.  Ashley has a lot of activity to catch up on.  Let’s get to it!

In June Ashley’s insurance for physical and occupational therapy was discontinued.  That may sound like a setback.  In reality it is not.  First of all we have not known anyone that has had more daily therapy than Ashley.  Secondly she was able to transition to a facility in Fort Wayne called Turnstone. 

After three months of physical and occupational therapy at Turnstone Ashley has entered their fitness program.  Now Ashley works with a personal trainer three days a week and she is improving her strength.  She loves the facility and the staff.  They are highly motivational.  Ashley, having been a competitive athlete since age of seven, is inspired to reach her workout goals and to set new ones.

Ashley continues to receive speech therapy daily at Lutheran Hospital Therapy.  On Monday November 4^th Ashley will have an outpatient surgical procedure on her vocal cords/folds at IU Hospital in Indianapolis.  She will undergo Vocal Fold Injection Augmentation. 

Those who have heard Ashley speak can attest to her ‘breathy’ voice.  She has a hard time projecting her voice and she runs out of breath quickly. 

In early October Ashley saw a specialist in Indianapolis who ‘scoped’ her vocal cords while Ashley spoke.  The doctor determined that Ashley’s vocal cords were healthy and moving properly.  The problem appears to be that there is too big of a gap between the folds when Ashley is forming words. 

Fortunately there are no incisions to conduct this operation.  Ashley will be sedated while a substance is injected into the vocal folds to enlarge them slightly.  We expect to be able to return to Fort Wayne that night following the procedure.

We are asking for your prayers that the procedure goes smoothly and is successful in aiding Ashley’s speech.  Ashley works extremely hard at speaking.  It would be such a blessing for her to be able to express herself more fully.  Ashley still has maintained her insight, compassion, wit and humor.  We want everyone to experience hearing it again.

Once again we were blessed to attend camp with other members of the Transverse Myelitis Association in July.  This was our second year in a row to go to the Center for Courageous Kids in Scottsville, Kentucky.  Everything from the campers, staff and activities to the weather was fantastic.

 

 

We always say that our annual camp is what we need to ‘recharge our batteries’ for another year.  We always come away from the experience with a feeling of higher confidence in what the future holds for Ashley’s hard work and the progress being made on the medical front to address re-myelination.

September and October were chocked full of activities for Ashley. 

 

There was the Tin Caps baseball game with other members of the Fort Wayne Traumatic Brain Injury  Group. 

 

 

Popcorn Fest in Valpo. 

 

 

An IU game where Ashley got to sit with Mile for the first time (he was always filming games while he was a student.  In addition she caught up with three of her Center for Courageous Kids (TMA Camp) counselors during the pre-game tailgate.

 

ALS Walk for Aunt Donna in Indianapolis. 

What were you doing on the first day of fall.  Ashley tested the theory that at equinox you can balance a raw egg on it end.  Turns out it works! 

 

Ashley showed her cousin Angela around St. Mary’s College and Notre Dame University on game day prior to the USC game.  We managed to be right at the front of the formation of the marching band's march to the stadium.

 

 

As 2013  draws to a close Ashley and the rest of the Harringtons send wishes for you to be able to look back on the year with a smile on your face and excitement for what 2014 will bring you.  May God bless you and all that you do.