Today, January 21st at 3:50 pm, approximatly 4 hours after having the the ventilator (and other life supportive units) removed and replaced with an oxygen mask producing the maximum amount flow of 15 lpm, Amber peacefully took her last breath.
After a very long week of praying and discussions with people who have great knowledge of the bible, faith, the real condition of Ambers brain as well as the support from every one, who I (actually Ambers Cousin) describe to be popping out of the wood works, I have greatly accepted the fact she is truely in a better place. The struggle that she drove an army tank straight in to fighting this battle turned to a war that was enevidably going to be lost so the lord could finally put his angel back where she came from, fighting no wars. Living the good life with no pain.
Forgive me for such lack of details at the moment, the other blog most of us have followed, written by Ambers father obviously became personal and private and was requested to be removed. How ever I will be posting the details for Visitation and Funeral Arrangements once they are finalized tomorrow.
Thank each and every one of you for your prayers, please continue to read and pass along this story as Amber was incredibly motivated to help spreading the awareness of Cystic Fibrosis.
Also because the words Cruise For A Cause 2009 has rolled off my tounge a few time already!!
Again, thank you all for prayers, and if you are unable to get to a computer to find out the visitation/funeral times (they may happen as early FRI/SAT) then please text or call me @ 859-619-2421.
Jeremy Chilton
Rest In Peace, Baby Angel
*UPDATE*
Visitation will be from 7-10pm at Kerr Brothers Funeral home on Harrodsburg Road, Friday January 23rd.
Funeral Services for Amber will be 10:30am Saturday at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home.
Burial will follow in Blue Grass Memorial Gardens (also Harrodsburg Rd.)
Read more...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Amber has lost her battle. . . . the lord won an angel. (*UPDATE* funeral and visitation times, see bottom of post)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
'Drivelex.com Cruise for a Cause' Sunday Oct. 12 - A way for all of us to help
On October 12th, 2008 I organized my first fund raiser for Amber. The event (which may become an annual one after the success) was named "CRUISE FOR A CAUSE." It involved entering your vehichle in the cruise and donating $20 to the Amber's Quest for Lungs Fund. Each participant received a free T-shirt and bumper sticker showing the supported a great cause.
The event was mostly advertised to local automotive enthusiast and the turn out was great, with a tally of 35 cars. Even a couple local business' jumped in for the cause , Injected Perfomance and Trailblazers matched each by donating a $125 gift certificate to the person who raised the most money.
And my car
While many of you may not realize that the breath of air you just took could be the thing you take most foregranted today. And as some of you already know, my (since high school) girl friend Amber Horsman has struggled in a battle for the 1st 27 years of her life to breath. Amber has Cystic Fibrosis (what is that?) and was recently 'blessed' with a new set of lungs. With the illness taking it's toll on Amber and her lungs back in March she spent 56 days in the #1 spot on 'the list' to receive the transplant(many c.f. patients who need lungs don't make it through waiting on them to be become available). When On June 19th, just before mid-night, Amber was informed via cell phone that "the lungs are on the helicopter and to proceed with getting to the University of Kentucky Hospital immediatley."The unbenounced long road to recovery would begin with a scary 30 days off and on the ventilator while in Critical Care and then another 35 days in Intensive Care before being released on August 22nd. Making for 125 out of 148 days in the hospital. Amber is now attending physical therapy 3 times a week and still in a very fragile recovery mode.During this period of illness and recovery,I have created a fund for donations, organized a fundraiser selling 65 roses (c.f. relative) hand made from sheet metal, created a blog to share her story and spread awareness for Cystic Fibrosis in general. It's called Amber's Quest for Lungs.
So.
That is why I am here today. Many of us share the same intrests, may it be wrenching a honda civic into the speed barrier, laying frame in a farm truck, 14,000 rpm on 2 wheels or the good 'ol American muscle. You are all the first people I know to reach out to for help. So I have organized a cruise for us in which will benefit Amber 100%. Per-say, a chance for the gear heads to come together and help out!
Read more...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Making Secure Donation Via PayPal
Making a Secure Donation via PayPal
A PayPal account has been set up specifically for Amber's Quest for Lungs. If you would like to contribute to this fund, you may do so with your bank account, credit card or your paypal balance by visiting the link below and sending to:
ambersquestforlungs@yahoo.com
https://www.paypal.com
Read more...
A PayPal account has been set up specifically for Amber's Quest for Lungs. If you would like to contribute to this fund, you may do so with your bank account, credit card or your paypal balance by visiting the link below and sending to:
ambersquestforlungs@yahoo.com
https://www.paypal.com
Read more...
The many ways we can ALL help
In March of 2008 Amber had just begun house hunting in pursuit to fulfill her dream of having a home and starting a family. Having spent several years saving her money in order to fund this dream of hers, she would have no idea of the road that lay ahead as she picks out her dream home and prepare's to buy it. Days after finding her dream home Amber had to check her self in to the hospital for what would turn out to be a total of 125 days out of 148 while she receives and recovers from a double lung transplant.
With nearly 6 monthes off work the savings in which Amber has designated towards a home has not only ceased from growing, the money has since been dubbed "bill money."
In an attempt to prevent Amber's dream of owning her own home, and having a family ceasing, a Fundraiser is/has been organized to raise money to not only cover her small bill's while out of work, but to "add to" her life savings for buying a home. Amber has even already begun discussing how would she ever be able to afford a surrogate mother. As it's no longer reccomended to for her to carry a child, when she is ready.
'Stemming' from a gift I made Amber, themed "The Rose that Grew from Concrete" & Seeing how Cystic Fibrosis is often referred to as "65 roses"; Long stem roses hand made (by my self) from sheets of metal are going to be sold and 100% of the proceeds from up to 65 of the roses will be donated to Amber. The roses will sell for approx. $125
Read more...
With nearly 6 monthes off work the savings in which Amber has designated towards a home has not only ceased from growing, the money has since been dubbed "bill money."
In an attempt to prevent Amber's dream of owning her own home, and having a family ceasing, a Fundraiser is/has been organized to raise money to not only cover her small bill's while out of work, but to "add to" her life savings for buying a home. Amber has even already begun discussing how would she ever be able to afford a surrogate mother. As it's no longer reccomended to for her to carry a child, when she is ready.
'Stemming' from a gift I made Amber, themed "The Rose that Grew from Concrete" & Seeing how Cystic Fibrosis is often referred to as "65 roses"; Long stem roses hand made (by my self) from sheets of metal are going to be sold and 100% of the proceeds from up to 65 of the roses will be donated to Amber. The roses will sell for approx. $125
Read more...
65 Rose Sell off. Raising money for Amber
Stemming form a gift I made Amber when she was in CCU, and not allowed to have flowers in the room
Read more...
Read more...
Friday, September 12, 2008
From "tune up" to "2 new lungs"
On March 28th, 2008 Amber Horsman found her self at the University Of Kentucky Hospital for what would have been her 26Th "routine tune-up." Typically a "tune-up" just involves a week or so of I.V. antibiotics for her lungs, which become more and more infected with bacteria as she grows older. How ever with in a matter days, it was obvious, this would be no routine hospital visit for Amber.
Her disease was getting the best of her; Amber's lung condition's had worsened to the point of them being only 16% functional, even with additional liters of oxygen being added to her breathing tubes per daily basis. With the doctors concluding that the bacterial infection in her lungs had colonized (there to stay, resistant to all antibiotics) Amber and her Family knew that things were not leaning towards the healing side, almost a month in to her visit. And then it happened. Something (it was never found) ruptured in Amber's air passage causing bleeding and blocking a majority of her 16% functional lungs. "Ounce after Ounce", she coughed up blood to the point of causing doctors to perform an emergency intibation (coma like state)in order for them to put her on a Ventilator, allowing it to breathe for her, giving her exhausted, weakened, still bleeding lungs a break. ---- Although unconscious and unaware Amber spent the next hellacious 6 days undergoing many tests to determine whether or not she would be a candidate for a DOUBLE LUNG TRANSPLANT. At one point one of the "bleeders" began filling Amber's left lung, at that time the doctors informed the family that if it isn't stopped soon the blood will eventually flow to the esophagus and on to the right lung, causing her to drown on her own blood. - - Like a prayer answered from above, but yet un-explainable by the "best" doctors the bleeding stopped and merely 72 hours later Amber was exhibated (awakened) from her coma where she came out with swords drawn, FIGHTING!! - After the 6 day fight for her life, the tests for the Lung Transplant concluded that not only is she capable and healthy enough to be on the "list" for lungs, she has the pre-approval of her insurance company; - THERE FORE AMBER IS NUMBER "1" ON THE LIST -
65 gruelling days in the hospital, and it's now time for Amber to be released, with a brand new set of lungs. On June 19th, after being on the transplant list for 55 days, some time around midnight while getting ready for bed, Amber's phone rang, and at that moment she said "I knew they calling for me to go get lungs."
With a very organized Team of Doctors Amber was prepared for surgery and actually already "cut open" shortly after 3 a.m., before the lungs had even landed on the launch Pad of University of KY Hospital. With only a couple updates from members of the transplant team during the surgery, Amber's family as well as my self were notified at 9:40 a.m. that both lungs were in, and she was sewn up!!!! And more specifically, I will never forget Dr. Mullit who at that time descibed Amber's New lung's to be "young, beautiful, and healthy."
The next 2 weeks would prove to be Amber's toughest. Coming off the ventilator ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventilator ) was no easy task for her, the first attempt to let Amber breathe with out it quickly yielded pneumonia ( one of many times she would get it) and "re-installation" of the tube back down the throat. With weeks gone by the necessity for Amber to learn to breathe on her her own grew more and more. On July 16th a trach was then put on/in Amber's neck ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracheotomy ) to aid in easier breathing as well as easier connection to ventilator, just in case.
Finally making it out of the Critical Care Unit on July 24th there still was no great signs of improvement or fast healing. Eating her First meal on July 29th was also no sign of an appetite that was here to stay! It seems as if Amber was getting worse, or that the roller coaster was shooting downhill. With nearly 20 lbs of weight lost and no energy to move, Amber's lungs still had yet to function the way they should. So with the lungs not moving properly fluid began to rest all around her lungs to the point of the fluids squeezing the lungs making it tremendously difficult to breathe, even with doubled amounts of oxygen flowing into the trach.
So on August 1st. A left chest tube, ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chest_tube ) was "re"installed thus allowing A LOT of fluids to drain from amber's chest.
From that day on, Amber has been on a steady climb towards wellness. With her swords re-drawn her confidence and motivation peaked through the hellacious reminisce of the battle she just put her life on the line to fight. The soldier that she is, she thrived off the idea of getting out of the hospital and taking a stab a this wonderful 2nd chance at Life that God has granted her.
Putting on ~20lbs, eating Raising Cains chicken, and Sonic white gravy Amber has done nothing but focus on physical rehabilitation while ridding all of the tubes, and wires connected all over her body. Quickly becoming self dependent again, Amber was up and walking in the Hospital, allowing her to skip the planned 10 days at a Physical Rehab hospital.
Wednesday August 20th Amber received word that the trach and chest tubes had been ordered to be removed and will be going home upon doing so.
65 days later, August 22nd. Amber is being released from the hospital today!!
Read more...
Her disease was getting the best of her; Amber's lung condition's had worsened to the point of them being only 16% functional, even with additional liters of oxygen being added to her breathing tubes per daily basis. With the doctors concluding that the bacterial infection in her lungs had colonized (there to stay, resistant to all antibiotics) Amber and her Family knew that things were not leaning towards the healing side, almost a month in to her visit. And then it happened. Something (it was never found) ruptured in Amber's air passage causing bleeding and blocking a majority of her 16% functional lungs. "Ounce after Ounce", she coughed up blood to the point of causing doctors to perform an emergency intibation (coma like state)in order for them to put her on a Ventilator, allowing it to breathe for her, giving her exhausted, weakened, still bleeding lungs a break. ---- Although unconscious and unaware Amber spent the next hellacious 6 days undergoing many tests to determine whether or not she would be a candidate for a DOUBLE LUNG TRANSPLANT. At one point one of the "bleeders" began filling Amber's left lung, at that time the doctors informed the family that if it isn't stopped soon the blood will eventually flow to the esophagus and on to the right lung, causing her to drown on her own blood. - - Like a prayer answered from above, but yet un-explainable by the "best" doctors the bleeding stopped and merely 72 hours later Amber was exhibated (awakened) from her coma where she came out with swords drawn, FIGHTING!! - After the 6 day fight for her life, the tests for the Lung Transplant concluded that not only is she capable and healthy enough to be on the "list" for lungs, she has the pre-approval of her insurance company; - THERE FORE AMBER IS NUMBER "1" ON THE LIST -
65 gruelling days in the hospital, and it's now time for Amber to be released, with a brand new set of lungs. On June 19th, after being on the transplant list for 55 days, some time around midnight while getting ready for bed, Amber's phone rang, and at that moment she said "I knew they calling for me to go get lungs."
With a very organized Team of Doctors Amber was prepared for surgery and actually already "cut open" shortly after 3 a.m., before the lungs had even landed on the launch Pad of University of KY Hospital. With only a couple updates from members of the transplant team during the surgery, Amber's family as well as my self were notified at 9:40 a.m. that both lungs were in, and she was sewn up!!!! And more specifically, I will never forget Dr. Mullit who at that time descibed Amber's New lung's to be "young, beautiful, and healthy."
The next 2 weeks would prove to be Amber's toughest. Coming off the ventilator ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventilator ) was no easy task for her, the first attempt to let Amber breathe with out it quickly yielded pneumonia ( one of many times she would get it) and "re-installation" of the tube back down the throat. With weeks gone by the necessity for Amber to learn to breathe on her her own grew more and more. On July 16th a trach was then put on/in Amber's neck ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracheotomy ) to aid in easier breathing as well as easier connection to ventilator, just in case.
Finally making it out of the Critical Care Unit on July 24th there still was no great signs of improvement or fast healing. Eating her First meal on July 29th was also no sign of an appetite that was here to stay! It seems as if Amber was getting worse, or that the roller coaster was shooting downhill. With nearly 20 lbs of weight lost and no energy to move, Amber's lungs still had yet to function the way they should. So with the lungs not moving properly fluid began to rest all around her lungs to the point of the fluids squeezing the lungs making it tremendously difficult to breathe, even with doubled amounts of oxygen flowing into the trach.
So on August 1st. A left chest tube, ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chest_tube ) was "re"installed thus allowing A LOT of fluids to drain from amber's chest.
From that day on, Amber has been on a steady climb towards wellness. With her swords re-drawn her confidence and motivation peaked through the hellacious reminisce of the battle she just put her life on the line to fight. The soldier that she is, she thrived off the idea of getting out of the hospital and taking a stab a this wonderful 2nd chance at Life that God has granted her.
Putting on ~20lbs, eating Raising Cains chicken, and Sonic white gravy Amber has done nothing but focus on physical rehabilitation while ridding all of the tubes, and wires connected all over her body. Quickly becoming self dependent again, Amber was up and walking in the Hospital, allowing her to skip the planned 10 days at a Physical Rehab hospital.
Wednesday August 20th Amber received word that the trach and chest tubes had been ordered to be removed and will be going home upon doing so.
65 days later, August 22nd. Amber is being released from the hospital today!!
Read more...
Saturday, September 6, 2008
About Amber
I have chosen a few posts from others who know Amber in order to better accomidate the description of what a great person she really is.
Message from: Amy (Amber's cousin)
Aug 23 2008 11:37 AM (Amber's first full day at home, with new lungs)
I hope that you're doing well at home. It must be nice to finally be back home.
I saw the link to the Quest for Lungs (myspace) page, and I wanted to let you know that I wrote the Oprah Winfrey Show in honor of you. Here is what I wrote, "My cousin's name is Amber Horsman. She is 27 years old, and was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis back in 1983. As a child, her parents did everything that they could, even if it meant going in to debt, to prolong her life and allow her to fully enjoy her life, since they knew that her time on earth was limited. Now, at the age of 27, her health is failling. She has recently had a double lung transplant and with it have come several complications. She has caught pneumonia several times, her weight has dropped well below 80 lbs., and she has developed a build up of fluid around her new lungs, which has caused her difficulty in breathing.
Amber is a loving, caring, and responsible woman who does not deserve to have her life cut short by this disease. However, she does have this disease, and it will one day soon claim her life. I am writing the Oprah Winfrew Show on her behalf. Amber is an avid fan of Oprah and her loving and giving spirit. It is a life dream of hers to meet Oprah and tell her how much she admires her. In her own words, "Oprah helps your dreams come true and spreads the word of such needed knowledge, and she shows you the heart felt story as to why ". Cystic Fibrosis is a common disease that few people know about. If Amber were allowed her dream of meeting Oprah and being on the t.v. show, then it would not only touch Amber's heart, but it would be able to touch the hearts of the millions of other fans of the Oprah Winfrey Show and educate them on the disease".
Message from: Bill Booth
Jul 13 2008 2:54 PM I am very glad to hear that you are doing well...as I said before, you have more heart than ANYONE I KNOW...you are tougher than I could ever think about being!
Message from: Anthony (Ambers brother, who also has Cystic Fibrosis)
Jul 8, 2008 1:03 AM -hey sis! So much is going through my mind these past couple of weeks for sure. I know these lungs and God's gift to you will greatly make your life everything and much more! I can now say I haven't gone through everything you have now and you are so strong and I look up to you a lot for encouragement and how to deal with and handle things because I know it's hard as hell living with CF and we both hate it, but I see you, a strong girl making it through the toughest times of a CFer and as a brother with CF it's hard to take but helps me grow as a person to see how strong you have to be to get through it all.I have prayed every night for you and I continue to pray that God will keep pulling through everyday to keep my wonderful loving and inspiring sister around! I love you so much and I can't wait to workout at the gym one day with you and you smoke me in the cardio area! I love you and God bless and get better!!!!
Message from: Ally
Jun 23, 2008 1:26 AM- Girl, I cant tell you how much I love you, respect you, and admire the strength and endurance that you have. You really are the most amazing person I've ever met, and so many people could learn so much from you. God has given you a new life, new lungs, and a new start, and you really are the most deserving person. I know that you will cherish every second of it and teach everyone around you what life should really be about, and you have so many people behind you to love and support you in that.I love you Amber, and I will see you soon.
Read more...
Message from: Amy (Amber's cousin)
Aug 23 2008 11:37 AM (Amber's first full day at home, with new lungs)
I hope that you're doing well at home. It must be nice to finally be back home.
I saw the link to the Quest for Lungs (myspace) page, and I wanted to let you know that I wrote the Oprah Winfrey Show in honor of you. Here is what I wrote, "My cousin's name is Amber Horsman. She is 27 years old, and was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis back in 1983. As a child, her parents did everything that they could, even if it meant going in to debt, to prolong her life and allow her to fully enjoy her life, since they knew that her time on earth was limited. Now, at the age of 27, her health is failling. She has recently had a double lung transplant and with it have come several complications. She has caught pneumonia several times, her weight has dropped well below 80 lbs., and she has developed a build up of fluid around her new lungs, which has caused her difficulty in breathing.
Amber is a loving, caring, and responsible woman who does not deserve to have her life cut short by this disease. However, she does have this disease, and it will one day soon claim her life. I am writing the Oprah Winfrew Show on her behalf. Amber is an avid fan of Oprah and her loving and giving spirit. It is a life dream of hers to meet Oprah and tell her how much she admires her. In her own words, "Oprah helps your dreams come true and spreads the word of such needed knowledge, and she shows you the heart felt story as to why ". Cystic Fibrosis is a common disease that few people know about. If Amber were allowed her dream of meeting Oprah and being on the t.v. show, then it would not only touch Amber's heart, but it would be able to touch the hearts of the millions of other fans of the Oprah Winfrey Show and educate them on the disease".
Message from: Bill Booth
Jul 13 2008 2:54 PM I am very glad to hear that you are doing well...as I said before, you have more heart than ANYONE I KNOW...you are tougher than I could ever think about being!
Message from: Anthony (Ambers brother, who also has Cystic Fibrosis)
Jul 8, 2008 1:03 AM -hey sis! So much is going through my mind these past couple of weeks for sure. I know these lungs and God's gift to you will greatly make your life everything and much more! I can now say I haven't gone through everything you have now and you are so strong and I look up to you a lot for encouragement and how to deal with and handle things because I know it's hard as hell living with CF and we both hate it, but I see you, a strong girl making it through the toughest times of a CFer and as a brother with CF it's hard to take but helps me grow as a person to see how strong you have to be to get through it all.I have prayed every night for you and I continue to pray that God will keep pulling through everyday to keep my wonderful loving and inspiring sister around! I love you so much and I can't wait to workout at the gym one day with you and you smoke me in the cardio area! I love you and God bless and get better!!!!
Message from: Ally
Jun 23, 2008 1:26 AM- Girl, I cant tell you how much I love you, respect you, and admire the strength and endurance that you have. You really are the most amazing person I've ever met, and so many people could learn so much from you. God has given you a new life, new lungs, and a new start, and you really are the most deserving person. I know that you will cherish every second of it and teach everyone around you what life should really be about, and you have so many people behind you to love and support you in that.I love you Amber, and I will see you soon.
Read more...
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