Smelling Brownies and a Lamb’s Bum ?

Ashlyn is still on the mend…with a couple feet of tube still draining stuff out of her chest cavity.  It feeds in under her right arm and goes in almost to her sternam.  It’s not comfortable and even painful…but she’s getting tougher everyday.  Less pain medication than ever… and usually not unless she’s been very active and really pushed herself.   But from every 4 hours we’re now dosing for pain only once or twice a day.  WOOHOO!

She’s taken to calling this tube “her tail” and is learning how to live with it…and how to use it to get attention.  No surprise she’s 4 and she’s mine.  So you can bet she’s milking that tube like a dairy cow to get whatever extra attention she can get.  And we are so happy to have her home that we tolerate it, and give into it, …but we also know you can’t constantly “feed the beast” no matter how cute she is, or how happy we are to have her home.  Last night was a bit of a  fight… that I thought I had won…but actually lost while I was sleeping.

Ashlyn went to bed whining pitifully about wanting to make some brownies.  It was almost 11:30 PM so don’t think me heartless for saying NO but assuring her with ”We can make some tomorrow”.  I think she may have dreamt about brownies all night…  This morning, she came off of her pillow like a Pop-Tart out of the toaster with a big smile saying, “It’s tomorrow Dadddy, now we can make brownies!”

My “We don’t have brownies for breakfast”  speech fell on deaf ears… and her smile was so big, and so cute… that after a couple of orange slices a piece of peanut butter toast, –  Big Sister Brittany and Ashlyn were mixing it up together.  I didn’t even get to lick the bowl.

  

The brownies weren’t the only sweet smelling thing in the house today.  There was also Lenny the Lamb. Before I describe Lenny let me say this… ;  There have been so many generous gifts, cards, blankets, toys, and all manner of sweets and treats.  Including candy all the way from the UK and M&M candies that actually had Ashlyn’s picture on each M&M?!  (I’m still not sure how that was done.)  The cards, messages, meals and prayers are a constant subject of discussion and a very real ource of joy and wonder for our family… and I wish I could express to each of you our deep grattitude. 

Ashlyn with her Scentsy Buddy - Lenny the Lamb

The reason I single out Lenny the Lamb is because of what Ashlyn asked me to do with it today.  It was sent to her by Dan Greely from a company called Scentsy Inc.  Basically it’s a super soft, stuffed animal with a zip pocket in the back that you put fragrance packets in.  So Ashlyn opens up the box, squeels with excitement, names it, and hugs it.  With the hug she gets a huge wiff of the wonderful “Black Rasberry Vanilla” scent coming out of it and wants to share it with me.  So she holds it up me and with an eager smile and excitedly says,  “Smell its bum Daddy, it’s yummy.”    So I did… it’s just what parents do. 

We have another month to go with this drain tube… and then an X-Ray to see if her lung is getting back to where it needs to be.  In the meantime we feed her, we play with her, pray for her, make brownies, blow balloons and smelling lamb’s bums.

That’s all for now… thank you again each one for your thoughts and prayers for our family and our Ashlyn.  We so appreciate you.

Kirk

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