The home stretch of the study

WOW it has been over two weeks since this whole thing started and looking back it went very fast.  Some days passed slow but weeks flew bye.  Tomorrow is our last day of the IV dose and the 2nd will be our last dose of the diabetic med.  Those two days will be kind of busy as we have blood draws about every hour to see how it is moving through our blood and interacting with each other.  The past several days have been days that are over by 10:30 am and we have it to ourself.  We will have two days of that after the busy days and then get to do more blood work on the 5th before we are discharged.  Assuming all goes well hopefully we will be out of here by 11am.  Please be praying for the car that it will start when the time to leave comes.  It had a little trouble when i was getting ready to come here so your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

~Dane

Visitors & Giant Plate

It has been a long past couple of weeks since Dane has been gone. Jessie was so awesome to drive 2 hours with her little one to visit me! We had so much fun catching up {I had a lot of baby questions}. We went to Wheatsfield {a local store that carries true organic products} where we looked around and ate a huge yummy lunch. Jessie & I loaded up our plates {over 1lb haha} and ate it all up! There were some new & interesting foods we tried. After we made a simple little craft that all should be looking for in the near future:)
Thank you Jessie for being an amazing friend, I had so much fun and look forward to our future partnership!

Jessie & her little man with her plate of food!

 My plate of food.

 Mr. was so tired.

 Our new craft.

 poor little guy was so thrown off schedule but he fell asleep a little while Chelsea was holding him.

~Ash

Days 8,9,10

Three more day down and about 12 to go.  It has gone fast, looking back i cant believe i have been here for 10 days.  But then again i still have 12 left and that just seems like forever.  The past 3 day have been the same as 6 and 7 we take the drug in the morning my dose is at 10:30 exactly.  We cant get out of bed for 30 min after our dose and no water for an hour. Then we have the day to do what we want.  On day 9 we got to go for a walk,  it was nice out and had a good stroll around the parking lot twice.  it was a big parking lot and it felt good to get out and walk, being active in some way.  Our days will continue to be the same until the 24th then we dose again with IV and the next day we go back to the same schedule we are on again until the 1st of july.  I haven't had any side effects yet and still feeling great.

~Dane

Crafty Craft

I've been pretty bored lately as Dane is gone & sometimes I'm home alone. I have been looking up several different cheap crafts and have kept myself busy with them. My first few didnt turn out the best but I got a little better as I went. My paper wasn't colored on both sides so I had to glue them together to make them a little more colorful. It was pretty simple, just the way I like :)

~ash

Day 5,6

Day 5

Today was very laid back.  We were woke up to have our vitals taken and a blood draw around 7 in the morning.  After that we were done for the day and could do what we wanted.  I spent most of the day in my bed watching House, and Scrubs and played some xbox live.  All in all a very easy good day.  I have started drinking coffee again.  Its decaf but its still something, its a little weaker then i like but hey beggars cant be chosers i suppose.

Day 6

Today we took the test drug E5555.  It was four pills in the morning.  We wake up and had our vitals taken again around 7.  I went back to sleep until somewhere between 8:30 and 9.  It was nice to sleep in instead of waking up when the first person has to get up.  After taking the medicine we had to sit in bed for 30 minutes and not drink anything for an hour.  That is all we had to do for the day.  So again we could do what we wanted so my day was the same as the last.  It is getting a little mundane but i have my xbox so that gives me something to do besides sit and watch movies and tv.  I am starting to miss working out and want to run or lift of anything.  Im already looking ahead to the end so that i can get back in shape.  I am missing Ashley a lot its nice though because i can text her and call her whenever i want.  Its hard being away from her but the time is going fast looking back, but slow looking forward.  Today i 7:30 i have drank over 2500 ML so thats about 2.5 litters of fluid, and im in the middle of another 480 ML and might have some coffee before i sleep.

The next week will be the exact same as today and wont change until the 24th so we will see if the repetition and not doing anything gets to me or if i can handle the same thing day after day.  I think i will be fine but we will see.

-Dane

Early Morning

Not too sure how I would get up at 5:45 without my cup of coffee :)

~ash

The DRUG Study

So since monday the 13th i have been at Quintiles.  I have decided to keep up to date well the best that i can with what i am doing here.  SO we are on day four now and it has gone very well.  I am living here for 22 days and staying in a room with seven other guys who are doing the same study that i am.  We are on a "special diet" we cant have any condiments except for pepper, no caffeine, candy, gum or anything like that.  We cant exercise or anything like that and cant go outside unless they take us out.  We are asked to eat as much of the food as we can on days when we take the diabetic medicine to make sure our blood sugar doesn't drop. We are also required to keep a liquid log and have to drink at least 2 litters a day and right down how much we drank and at what time.  There is also another group of people here on the same study that we are and i think they are about done.

The first two days were very simple.  Day 1 was full of suspense and wondering i was going to get to participate or be asked to be a back up or just go home.  By 5 that evening i was told that i would be participating in the study.  day 2 i sat in my bed for most day watching movies mostly House on my computer or watching tv on my bedside tv.  I have my xbox hooked up to it and have been playing online as well.  I also got to go outside today for about 45 min.  there is a gated patio that we get to sit out at normally around 8:30-9 they will take anyone out that wants to go.

Day 3

Our first day of dosing.  We were given a blood catheter so that we wouldn't have to be stuck 12 times throughout the day.  Our vitals were taken and they began to get us ready to receive the first drug.  This one was given through and IV so we were given a dosing catheter as well.  Through out the day we had to drink a cup of water when they told us to and then go to the bathroom and pee in a jug.  We were put on urine collection and have to pee in a jug every time we go to the bathroom.  It was a busy day of several test and blood draws and an ECG to make sure we were doing well.  I had to stay up until 1 for my last blood draw for the dose.

Day 4

I had to get up early today.  I was awake at 6:45 because there were about five nurses in our room getting people ready for another ECG and vitals and a dose of the diabetic med.  Today the med was only a pill in the morning but we still had about 11 blood draws, lucky for me i decided to keep the blood draw catheter in so i don't feel anything when they take my blood.  We are still on urine collection so i have begun to get used to going to the bathroom in a jug.  I was brushing my teeth this morning and watched a lady pass out and fall straight back and smack her head on the ground.  She was fine though besides the pain in her head.  I herd a doctor talking and she was new and hadn't even gotten any meds.  So it was like a bad reaction or anything like that.  Our meals are on a staggered plan today so i eat later than almost everyone there is a 10 min difference between every person so when the first guy gets his food its about and hour and a half until i get mine.  So toady i wont get dinner until 7:30.

Tiramisu Love

This was from Dane & my 2 year anniversary celebration, Tiramisu. I thought to add it because it was so yummy and to encourage others to try it. It has a hint of coffee so of course we loved it. We got this from a local coffee shop here in Ames; it was pretty good :)

~Ashley

I love my sisters!

Boost

 I'm super excited about my new walking pack and weights! I was so excited I went on about an hour and a half walk!! It felt so rejuvenating and the weights gave me an extra boost. Dane and my sister make fun of me but I don't care :)

I love that I can keep my phone, water bottle, Ipod, weights (when I'm not using them) & a Clif bar.







~ Ashley

Organic~

Tomatoes, Onions, Peppers, & Jalapenos~

Lettuce, Peas, & Green Beans~

Our little Cherrie Tomatoes~

Potential Pepper~

In May Chelsea & Jordan built a box garden, it sure has been growing. I'm very excited to have some of our own products. One thing that I am loving about Ames is that it's a very Organic living community. We plan to make our own salsa with some of our produce :)... better get a recipe that we like before we go to Mexico!

with love~

ashley

2 Years and Counting ~

Today, June 7th, is Dane and my 2nd year anniversary. We have had several accomplishments this past year: Dane graduated with his Bachelors Degree in "Youth and Family Ministries", we made a commitment to serve full time in Mexico, and we moved to Ames. So far this journey has been fun and exciting. Of course there's always little bumps here and there but thankfully we can rely on something other than our own humanity to get us through!

This upcoming year will be full of new adventures and I cannot wait to start them and continue in the ones we've already been experiencing.

With Love ~
Ashley

Summer Summer Time

Hansen's Natural Cane Soda: I love this soda! I have not drank soda much since fall of 2004!! I decided to try this while shopping at "Trader Joe's" in Des Moines, Iowa. It tastes a little different than other canned sodas; actually I like it better.

I have been doing a lot of cooking lately since Chelsea doesn't get home until later. I have really enjoyed cooking and making new meals for everyone:) We have been using "Light Cooking" and are very satisfied with it.

"Cheers to Spring". I picked this flower yesterday; I couldn't resist! It looks so pretty and smells wonderful.

~ Ashley