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This is my niece, Abby. She currently lives in Children's Hospital, Minneapolis while she waits for a heart.

she likes the Wizard of Oz, especially the lion

She has hypoplastic left heart syndrome. On February 12, 2007- the same day her baby sister, Eva, was born- she was air-lifted to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis and has been there ever since. At first they thought she had Rotovirus, but no one knew for sure. Her kidneys stopped functioning, her lungs didn't want to work, her heart became enlarged....she was put on a ventilator to keep air going to her lungs and a dialysis machine to excreet waste that her kidneys were not able to process themselves. It became a domino effect. Her heart grew VERY weak, she was on many drugs sedating her most of the time. Her big eyes got very droopy. At one point she was given a tracheotomy to enable her to breathe on her own. Finally, weeks ago, the trach came out and BAM! she's able to speak again. This really lifted her spirits which in turn gave us all many more smiles each day- even just knowing that she was a bit happier. The University of Minnesota has done some tests on her candidacy for a heart transplant- the first time they had lost the blood sample somehow and the last time the worst feared news we could've received came to us; she's not a good candidate for a transplant. With Abby's high antibody count (70% ...should be zero) it would be close to impossible to find a heart that her body wouldn't reject. How do we lower the antibody count?, I ask... ...you can't.
In any case, with all the ups and downs- NOW, she IS a good candidate. She goes on the list tomorrow for a used heart. We're all very anxious about this. Please keep my niece in your thoughts and prayers as they're searching for a heart that can live on in Abby.

Abby Leigh Ostlie

ask your mom if we can play catch in your front yard

It's sweeter than sweet. my newly declared favorite time of year, this will very soon change as summer roles around but the anticipation is sweet...I can be outside all the time now and recently have become 'green woman' -walking to Target and the grocery store with a burlap sack. its quite a nice feeling.
whoa! LILACS...mmmm...lilacs..I caught their bold smell for the first time in 11 months while whizzing past their air on a bike, then newly cut grass- there's nothin like newly cut grass. The cherry blossoms; I'd like to see D.C. sometime during the cherry blossom season.
I enjoy so much the smells of the seasons change. soon I will be on a volleyball league-and gardening back at the farm. there is a lake to frequent this summer and ultimately, undetermined destinations
my dog wants to play and I have a bake sale to create! the fresh herbs will be dressing my dishes, grillside.
oh, how I love to plan but not plan at all
may- do with me what you will!