This is all about Amy. Amy was born in Fremont, Ohio, on August 11, 1988. Amy is now 19 years old, and graduated from high school and moved onto college. Was both a happy and sad day for both of us. Makes me wonder....geez where does the time go? It is hard to believe that she is 19, graduated, and now a college student at Texas A&M. Well there is one goal, she has met, that she set for herself.
Amy is a very giving and loving young lady. There isn't anything she wouldn't do for her family. She has a bright personality, and smile that could light up the darkest of nights.
Amy is very ambitious and energetic. Amy loves anything that has to do with the ocean, but her greatest love is for the dolphins and killer whales. She has always loved them for as long as I can remember. She collects anything she can that has to do with dolphins or whales. She loves Sea World, or anyplace that even pertains to the ocean.
I think Amy's love for the dolphins and whales all started when she saw Lisa Franks line of school supplies. I guess maybe at the age she was, she thought all dolphins and whales were those pretty colors. *S* Her love for them has grown over the years. Amy also has a knack for drawing, and writing. I guess she got that from me. She is a very talented young lady, and I am proud to call her my daughter.
When Amy was 4 she suffered from a disease called ITP, or known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, is classified as an autoimmune disease. In an autoimmune disease the body mounts an attack toward one or more seemingly normal organ systems. In ITP, platelets are the target. They are marked as foreign by the immune system and eliminated in the spleen and sometimes, the liver. You have near 150,000 to 400,000 per cu/ml platelets in your blood. Amy was down to 2,000. Amy was covered in bruises, and when she went to the doc, because of some mysterious rash, they took her blood. After they took her blood she would not stop bleeding, that was when I knew something was wrong. The doctors there, then discovered her disease. Platelets play a crucial part in the blood clotting process by forming a platelet plug. She was very sick.
While Amy was at the hospital, was given a transfusion, she was there for over 8 hours. After the transfusion, her blood platelets went down instead of up, and was now at 1,000. They then decided they could not handle the disease. So then she was rushed to Riley Memorial Hospital. We could have lost her to this disease, but with the help of some wonderful people, she pulled through it. She went through quite a bit at such a young age, she had to go visit Riley hospital every week for tests, but she grew very close to the people there, especial her doctor, Dr. Kris. She was put on predisone to keep her platelets going, and the final test was when she was taken off of it, to see if her platelest would still survive. So for a week she was off of the predisone, and Dr. Kris gave us the thumbs up! We were thrilled! We were so thankful that she did not end up with a chronic case. It also made me realize how precious our children really are, and also how precious the "gift of life" really is.
Amy, sweetheart, you are my life, my spirit, and my heart. You have such a wonderful personality, and a heart of gold. You do so many wonderful things for your family, and friends. Each day I would watch you grow, and learn more. I would watch you with your little sister, I saw your responsibility, and now...you are in college. I am so very proud of you!
The goals you have set for your life simply put, amaze me. You can have anything you want in this life, as long as you apply yourself and the knowledge that you have acquired so far.
You have truly blessed my life beyond words. God has given to me, all that I would ever or could ever want in a daughter. I love you sweetheart, more than I can type on this page. Just know that I will always be here for you no matter what. You have given my life so much meaning. You have given so freely to me, your love, and care, and understanding. I thank you from the deepest part of my heart for all of it. I love you.
~~Mom~~
Amy has her own website called Lil Dolphin's Cove Please go visit her, and sign her guestbook, so she knows that you were there. Thanks!
