Heart4Ash (Skwig)

Hello there! Are you guys ready for this Memorial Day weekend? I sure am ... nothing planned, but I am excited. I had a clinic visit Wednesday. On Tuesday night I thought to myself, "I wonder if I am taking my medications right?" Then I said, "You are, otherwise they would of said something to ya ." So Wednesday morning I am talking with the NP and what do you know I was taking my cellcept  wrong. Cellcept is one of the many anti-rejection drugs I am on. I was taking 2 pills morning and evening, but I was suppose to be taking 3 pills. Oops! They weren't that worried about it, because of my biopsy were coming back  good. I told them I think I only did the 2 pill thing for a week, so now I am taking 3 pills am and pm. It is so crazy how life kinda  comes at ya . For example, when I was discharged from the hospital all my focus was on my medications and recovery. Now that I am able to do a lot more like start applying for jobs. Ya , that's right, I...

GREAT news!! One of the donor families received my letter and expressed how much it meant to them and how the letter made their day, but wasn't ready to write back yet. I am so glad they received my letter and appreciated it. I got the chills when the case worker at IHC told me they had gotten my letter. This whole experience has been a roller coaster not only for me, but for my family too. I want to thank everyone that has done anything for me or for my family, even if it was just a nice thought saying, "I hope the Askwig family is doing okay." Thank you! You don't know how much I appreciate all that you have done. Yesterday I went on another bike ride. This time I went 15 miles, my legs got a little bit tired, but when I got home I was A-okay. On the way back home there was an awful head wind sometimes the wind would blow constantly, other times it was just a nice breeze. My body was saying just stop, but my mind was like, "You got this, push through." Th...

Wow these past few days has been "two thumbs up status" for me. Mother's day was a nice relaxing day spent with my mama of course. Truly don't know where I would be without her by my side keeping me in check. Thanks MAMA! Monday morning I had my 6th biopsy and all that other stuff too. My results were great, biopsy was 1.00 mild rejection, blood work came back great and my echo looked good. The doctors decrease my dosage of my prograf to 2 pills morning and evening and my prednisone down to 17.5 mg, this is the drug that makes my face puffy so hallelujah! Today I went to go see the dermatologist to check out my bald spot on my head, because my hair is non existent there. Right when he saw it he said it was alopeica and injected the spot with some steroid stuff and he said it should grow back. So we shall see. After that I drove to IHC for this Heart Failure and Transplant support group meeting, this is a group of LVAD and heart transplant patients. I have only been ...

Alright guys last night was rough. So many negative things flying inside my head. I wasn't planning on sharing this, but everyone goes through those days that you just feel like crap and all you want to do is grab a carton of ice cream and eat the whole thing. Last night I was looking at myself in the mirror. I was saying stuff like; Wow your face is so fat and puffy, I hope my scars don't stay this color, you are ugly. I just wanted to be normal. If you know me I absolutely love v-neck shirts, but now I have been noticing I am not wearing them that much anymore. I am changing because I don't want everyone or society to see my scars. On the other hand I like scars, I feel like they make me look tough so its a consistent battle. My mom and I went to this 'Beauty Redefined" thing a couple weeks ago. It showed me to not thing of myself as an ornament or a body part, because I am someone who is beautiful on the inside. Have you noticed that most woman always say to ot...

HUMP day!! Hope everyone is having a wonderful day. So yesterday, Tuesday, I had a clinic visit with the doctor. They say everything is looking and sounding great with my ticker. They remind me every time I go in that my immune system is extremely low right now and to slow down. So I nod my head, like yes, okay I understand, but inside I'm like come on people its been over 5 years and I feel amazing why can't I be doing everything I want to be doing. Like going out to dinner anywhere with a bunch of people, go to the movies with a lot of people around or even work. I wish my body would start to feel weird when I got myself in a situation that was too germy for me, if that makes sense. Anyways, my blood work came back great, except my prograf   troft  level was still high, 18. They want me between 12-16, so they lowered my dosage.  Next Monday I have another biopsy and echocardiogram ,  gotta  love those days ... NOT! But ya gotta...

What a weekend!! My aunt, uncle and cousins came into town from Monticello, a small great town by Moab. It was great seeing them because it has been awhile since we have been all together. Since I can't travel over 2 hours away from the hospital for a couple more months I am very glad I got to see them and spent some time with ' em . I got to see the new Advengers movie with one of my cousins on Friday, way funny and good. I would go see it again, that good! On Saturday Steve and I went to breakfast with his sister, looked at some houses and then met up with everyone else and aunt Lo Lo to hit up some yard sales. That night we all went out for dinner, after the girls decided to do facials. The daughters did their mothers and then the mothers did the daughters. It was pretty fun and hilarious. Great memories and good laughs for sure. We took pictures, but we all look like we are dead, DEAD serious! Sunday the Monticello crew had to head back so Steve and I went to breakfast wi...