Happy 2026!
I don’t even know how to start this but I’m writing it with the intention of telling you the reason(s) behind my very long and unexpected break from this blog, as well my plans for this new year.
So, let’s start from the beginning:
January 2025
In December 2024, I tested positive for COVID and quarantined for 5 days. I ended quarantine due to feeling better. On New Year’s Day, I went to the doctor because I began feeling sick again. At that time, they heard ‘something’ in my chest but brushed it off as my stomach rumbling.
The next day, I went back to their office and tested negative for both Flu A, B and COVID. However, they still heard the same noise when they listened to my lungs so they sent me for an X-ray. The results wouldn’t be back for a few days.
On January 4th, I woke up and could barely move by myself. My heart rate was 124, I was running a 101.9 degree fever and my oxygen was at 92%. My grandmother decided to take me to the ER, where I tested positive for a new COVID infection, FLU A, Pneumonia and Bronchitis.
I was admitted for 2 days where, during that time, I was given a very high dose of antibiotics and my oxygen levels were ranging from the high 80s to high 70s. When it was time for me to be discharged, I expressed that I was having severe pain in between my shoulder blades and trouble breathing.
They gave me medication, which helped, and I was discharged.
I saw my primary care every day after my first hospitalization due to worsening symptoms.
The next week, at the advice of my primary care doctor, I went to a different emergency room. My heart rate was in the 140s and at that time, my fever was almost 103. My oxygen was 88%. During that hospital visit, a blood test that looked for blood clots was extremely abnormal and a CT Scan was performed, which revealed that my pneumonia had worsened.
I did not have a blood clot (thankfully!) and because of that, I was given a breathing treatment and sent home with new antibiotics.
Again, I was seeing my primary care every day.
The next week, I was sent back to the original emergency room that sent me home. I was wheezing so loud that the waiting room could hear me. I was put on oxygen and triaged immediately. Although, the ER was super busy that day so I did end up waiting around 7 hours. In that time, I had a chest X-ray and bloodwork.
I was only a room for 30 minutes before I was told that I was being discharged, but not before psych came to see me. The doctor, who did not look at my chart, said that since I could talk without wheezing and since my X-ray showed no pneumonia, that I was faking my symptoms.
I cried when she left the room. And agreed to be discharged. Psych never came to see me.
When I told my regular physician about my experience, he was appalled and called the emergency room himself a few days later, to let them know that I was coming back and demanded that I not be discharged until I receive a diagnosis.
During that hospital visit, the medical professionals apologized many times. And I was finally taken seriously.
I had a repeat CT scan and it revealed that not only did I still have pneumonia, but that it had then spread to both of my lungs (upper and lower lobes) and my airway, which was causing severe Stridor (the wheezing).
I was also diagnosed with worsening Tracheomalacia thanks to the pneumonia that was throughout my airway.
I didn’t get better until almost April.
July-August 2025
In July, I began to experience double vision in my left eye. I see 5 different eye specialists because of my pre-existing eye issues and one of them told me that my double vision was due to my natural lens (what they replace during cataract surgery) had fallen into the back of my eye and that I needed surgery.
September 2025
I had surgery on September 10th. That surgery was considered major and very high-risk because I have: Thyroid Eye Disease, a Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin of 12.20 (active inflammation), degenerative myopic changes, ROP and I got hit in my left eye many years ago.
Before surgery, I was told about the rare complications that only happen in 1.3% of people.
When I went to my post-op appointment the next day and they removed my patch, everything was pitch black.
An ultrasound revealed that those complications I was warned about, had all happened to me.
I had two very severe bleeds. One in the front part of my eye and one in the back of my eye, as well as touching Serous Choroidals, which, when I googled, a very severe, rare complication.
My vision did get better, but I never regained reading vision. And my lens was ‘set’ for near vision, meaning that I should’ve been able to see things at close range without glasses, but would need them for everything else, which I didn’t mind since I’ve worn glasses my whole life.
October 2025
At my October post-op appointment, I was told that another rare complication had occurred. My lens, which is physically sewn-in, had moved in front of my pupil. This only happens in 0.3% of cases, I was told.
My surgeon didn’t really feel comfortable operating on me again so soon after my original surgery. So, he put me on 2 different eye drops in hopes that it would shift everything back in place.
December 2025
When I went back to the surgeon in December, I was told that the drops didn’t help and that he had no choice but to re-operate, especially if I wanted to regain functional vision.
January 2026
My second surgery, which was just as high risk as the first one, took place on January 2nd.
It was much more extensive than he originally anticipated. Not only was my lens in front of my pupil, but I also had:
– Adhesions on both my iris (the colored part of my eye) and my lens.
– Lesions in the same places
– Something that he described as a ‘huge’ scab on my lens that had to be ‘peeled’ off
– My iris was stuck like glue to the lens
– I had a very deep stitch that was embedded in the original surgical site that he had to ‘scrape and dig out’ (his words) in order to make sure he got it all
At my 1 day post-op, he took my patch off and I was so thankful that I could see a little bit! He confirmed that I had no complications and that I should have ‘great vision’ in 2-3 days once the air bubble he put in my eye, disappeared.
It is now January 11th and I still cannot read, unless I use both eye first and then cover my good eye. My phone, which I’m supposed to be able to see without glasses, I can’t read anything on it at all if I hold it out and cover my good eye.
For example, I just held out my phone, covered my right eye and I have no idea what I just wrote. It’s currently on light mode. However, I just turned dark mode on and got the same result, except that the text ‘popped’ better. I still couldn’t read it though.
I hope it gets better soon. I don’t go back to the doctor until the end of the month.
Future Plans
Now that my long explanation of 2025 is finally finished, I want to briefly talk about what my plans are for Ashley’s Vantage.
I can’t believe that April will mark 6 years since I created this blog. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the right time due to travel essentially stopping and when it did resume, my grandparents and I didn’t leave the house except for doctor’s appointments and the grocery store.
I had so many goals for this blog and I have achieved those, even if I’m not like most bloggers who have brand deals and sponsored trips. So many people have messaged me and told me how much I have helped them see that travel truly can be accessible. And those kind of messages help me remember the why behind starting this adventure in the first place.
Because I only have functional vision in one eye at the moment, writing these blogs are a little difficult. Due to that, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I’m most active on TikTok!
TikTok is where I post about all my accessible travel experiences and I even post a few vlogs! 2020 me would be shocked and I’m super proud of myself for actually wanting to talk in front of a camera.
Hopefully in the near future, I can start actively posting here again because I still have posts in my drafts from last year that I’ve been meaning to share!
Thank you to everyone who has continued to visit my little corner of the internet, despite my inactivity. It truly does mean the absolute world to me.
Here are my socials so you can find me other places:
Instagram: @ ashleysvantage
TikTok: @ ashleysvantage
I hope everyone has a great year filled with memories with friends and loved ones. 🫶🏻
If you made it to the end, thank you.
Until my next post..
–Ashley