Help Ashleigh Prepare For A Liver Transplant
Donation protected
It is with a broken heart that I tell you about my proud, strong cousin and her family who have gone from celebrating Christmas together to battling Stage 4 Liver Failure in a matter of months.
Ashleigh and her husband Brett are like so many families, working multiple jobs, doing the best they can to provide for their two daughters and be a part of their community. Ashleigh even from time to time sings the National Anthem at the local sporting & community event in Billings, Montana.
Ashleigh has for many years worked two jobs to then come home and make dinner for her husband and kids. As you know a Mom’s job doesn’t end there. She does all the normal household chores, takes care of their 3 year old, and deals with the normal challenges of raising a 15 year old girl. At the end of the day, she tries to spend some time with her husband before they call it a night, so they can wake up and do it all again.
In November this all started to change. Ashleigh began feeling fatigued. She lost 35lbs in 2 months. Her doctors couldn’t figure out why this was happening. She eventually became bad enough that she was admitted to the hospital as it became difficult for Ashleigh to walk or get up by herself. Ashleigh and her family have been on this medical merry-go-round since. Through hospitalizations, tests, specialists, surgeries, the inability to work and the unimaginable pain. Ashleigh and her family kept praying for some relief and a diagnosis.
When Ashleigh was released from the hospital she was still too weak, that walking down the hallway would leave her winded. As any parent can understand, it broke Ashleigh's heart that she could no longer carry her three year old up to bed. Ashleigh’s outlook on life understandably became dwindled as the doctors continued to try to figure out how to help her.
She was finally diagnosed with NASH, which is a Non-Alcohol type of liver failure. Due to fat cells that have been building up in her liver for over a decade. When you hear liver failure, you think of a heavy drinker. Ashleigh has never been that.
After being hospitalized in Billings in March for the fourth time, due to her rapid liver deterioration. It was determined that she was going down hill with liver function sooner than they anticipated. With an hour notice Ashleigh was medevaced to Denver, Colorado to the liver specialist to be monitored and moved up on a Liver Transplant List.
While she was in Billings her husband, parents and family have been taking shifts not only to emotionally support Ashleigh and her family, but to physically help her perform daily tasks. Through all of this having to leave work and trying to get by with the loss of income and the medical bills piling up.
Yet the money hasn’t been a concern to the family. Their concern has been where it should be, which is getting Ashleigh healthy and back to being able to live her life and be there for her family.
Yet, financial hardship is a reality for her family. Even as Ashleigh waits in Denver for the team of doctors to determine if she can get a transplant or how best to battle her stage 4 liver failure, her husband Brett had to stay home to work and take care of their kids. Because even with him doing this, becoming a single income home has made it that they will need to find a new place to live.
Why am I writing this, because they like most hard working families are too proud to. They are like so many going through hell and don’t want to be a burden on anyone. Even as Ashleigh found out she was going to be airlifted to Denver, she was pleading with her parents that it was too expensive for them to come to Denver, to be with her. Yet, of course Ashleigh’s parents took time off of work and came to Denver to be with their daughter. Again, racking up travel expenses and loss of income. Because, that is what you do when it’s your child. You see Ashleigh isn’t just a mother, she is someone's child and no one should have to go through the fear of losing a child.
My cousin Ashleigh is 35 years old with a non-alcoholic type of stage 4 liver failure, who is sitting in a hospital in Denver waiting to be moved up on the transplant list as her husband and daughters are worried about her at home and her parents sit and sleep by her bedside till she can get a new liver and go back to holding her daughters and being a wife, daughter, sister and all the things she is to her family and her community in Billings.
So, I write this because I would say that some help from good people like themselves, is what they need. I know things are tight all over. I know most don’t have much to spare, but any help is greatly appreciated! I also know there are many people who know and love Ashleigh and her family and care to know what they are going through and would want to support in anyway they can. A Share and a Prayer is greatly appreciated!
Ashleigh and her husband Brett are like so many families, working multiple jobs, doing the best they can to provide for their two daughters and be a part of their community. Ashleigh even from time to time sings the National Anthem at the local sporting & community event in Billings, Montana.
Ashleigh has for many years worked two jobs to then come home and make dinner for her husband and kids. As you know a Mom’s job doesn’t end there. She does all the normal household chores, takes care of their 3 year old, and deals with the normal challenges of raising a 15 year old girl. At the end of the day, she tries to spend some time with her husband before they call it a night, so they can wake up and do it all again.
In November this all started to change. Ashleigh began feeling fatigued. She lost 35lbs in 2 months. Her doctors couldn’t figure out why this was happening. She eventually became bad enough that she was admitted to the hospital as it became difficult for Ashleigh to walk or get up by herself. Ashleigh and her family have been on this medical merry-go-round since. Through hospitalizations, tests, specialists, surgeries, the inability to work and the unimaginable pain. Ashleigh and her family kept praying for some relief and a diagnosis.
When Ashleigh was released from the hospital she was still too weak, that walking down the hallway would leave her winded. As any parent can understand, it broke Ashleigh's heart that she could no longer carry her three year old up to bed. Ashleigh’s outlook on life understandably became dwindled as the doctors continued to try to figure out how to help her.
She was finally diagnosed with NASH, which is a Non-Alcohol type of liver failure. Due to fat cells that have been building up in her liver for over a decade. When you hear liver failure, you think of a heavy drinker. Ashleigh has never been that.
After being hospitalized in Billings in March for the fourth time, due to her rapid liver deterioration. It was determined that she was going down hill with liver function sooner than they anticipated. With an hour notice Ashleigh was medevaced to Denver, Colorado to the liver specialist to be monitored and moved up on a Liver Transplant List.
While she was in Billings her husband, parents and family have been taking shifts not only to emotionally support Ashleigh and her family, but to physically help her perform daily tasks. Through all of this having to leave work and trying to get by with the loss of income and the medical bills piling up.
Yet the money hasn’t been a concern to the family. Their concern has been where it should be, which is getting Ashleigh healthy and back to being able to live her life and be there for her family.
Yet, financial hardship is a reality for her family. Even as Ashleigh waits in Denver for the team of doctors to determine if she can get a transplant or how best to battle her stage 4 liver failure, her husband Brett had to stay home to work and take care of their kids. Because even with him doing this, becoming a single income home has made it that they will need to find a new place to live.
Why am I writing this, because they like most hard working families are too proud to. They are like so many going through hell and don’t want to be a burden on anyone. Even as Ashleigh found out she was going to be airlifted to Denver, she was pleading with her parents that it was too expensive for them to come to Denver, to be with her. Yet, of course Ashleigh’s parents took time off of work and came to Denver to be with their daughter. Again, racking up travel expenses and loss of income. Because, that is what you do when it’s your child. You see Ashleigh isn’t just a mother, she is someone's child and no one should have to go through the fear of losing a child.
My cousin Ashleigh is 35 years old with a non-alcoholic type of stage 4 liver failure, who is sitting in a hospital in Denver waiting to be moved up on the transplant list as her husband and daughters are worried about her at home and her parents sit and sleep by her bedside till she can get a new liver and go back to holding her daughters and being a wife, daughter, sister and all the things she is to her family and her community in Billings.
So, I write this because I would say that some help from good people like themselves, is what they need. I know things are tight all over. I know most don’t have much to spare, but any help is greatly appreciated! I also know there are many people who know and love Ashleigh and her family and care to know what they are going through and would want to support in anyway they can. A Share and a Prayer is greatly appreciated!
Organizer and beneficiary
Devon Shendleman
Organizer
Denver, CO
Brett Scala
Beneficiary
