Latest / RESHAPED / Episode 2: Ash Cohen | When Life Changes Overnight. Story of Faith & Guillain-Barré Syndrome

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Episode 2: Ash Cohen | When Life Changes Overnight. Story of Faith & Guillain-Barré Syndrome · RESHAPED

• Aaron: Hello everyone and welcome to the very first guest episode of the Reshaped Podcast. Very excited to be able to share this conversation with you guys. Today I have a conversation with a very good friend, my Fijian brother, Ash Cohen. I've known Ash for a long time. We get to talking about it in the intro at the start. But in this conversation, we talk about Ash's journey to Christ, what it was like growing up, and how he made that decision to make Jesus Lord of his life, which is awesome. but we spent a big majority of our conversation talking about his battle with a very rare disorder called Guillon Baret syndrome. it is a very rare disorder that affects basically one or two people in a hundred thousand people a year. and Ash has went through a crazy, crazy experience and we and we and we talk about how his faith was reshaped during this time, the things he was thinking about, the wrestles that he was having and it is really, really powerful stuff. And I'm really, really happy that, and grateful that he got to yeah, be vulnerable and talk about what he was feeling and thinking during that time. So I really appreciate him talking about that. and definitely gives us some perspective, I think that's really helpful to reflect on. so without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with my brother Ash Cohen. Okay, hello everyone, and welcome back to the Reshaped Podcast. We are here to bring Christian formation through thoughtful examination and conversation. And today, very, very excited for a conversation that we are gonna have with this very very special guest. again, I'm gonna do a bit of a pre-intro, then then we'll walk him in. but this guy, he is he's a Christian and he's part of my family of churches, fellowship of churches, and he is. Basically, a childhood friend. We've known each other since we were teenagers and known for a long time. So we'll chat about that, I'm sure, a little bit here. he is Australian, but he grew up in Fiji his basically his whole life, and so he is Fijian. Like, don't get that wrong. He's Fijian. he is a husband to his amazing wife, Katie. He has also two beautiful kids that he gets to be the father of Cruz and Kali or Kali. And they are they're amazing. And he currently works as an accountant and doing awesome stuff there. And one of the big things in his life, which we're going to definitely talk about today, is that he is a survivor and conqueror of Guyan Barre syndrome, also known as GBS. and we're gonna talk a lot about that and just his journey through that and yeah, his faith and and how that reshaped him and and has moved him in his life. And so without further ado, please help me welcome. With my brother, my Fijian brother, Ash Cohen. Ash bulla bulla, brother. How you doing? Ashley: Bula Doing well, doing well. Thanks for having me on. Honored to be here. Aaron: Nah bro, it's so good, man. It's so good to reconnect, bro. I know it's been a minute, but we chatted on the phone a couple of weeks ago just to catch up in general and then also try and plan this. But it's been awesome to reconnect. I wanna talk about something real quick. Because this is this Ashley: Yeah, go ahead. Aaron: is this is I I'm trying to do this with all my guests. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: I wanna reminisce a little bit at first Ashley: Sure. Aaron: about like when we first met, just to I like I like doing that, just to see the like, you know, where we were at, our first thoughts of each other, that kind of stuff. So do you remember I'm trying to I think I remember. Do you remember the first time that we met? Ashley: Was it team camp in Fiji? Two thousand ish. Aaron: Yeah, bro. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think it was 2018 camp. So you would have been, how old do you would you mean 14? 15, Ashley: Fifteen. Aaron: 15. Yeah, I would have been 14, I think, at that time. Yeah. And so we had a youth camp in Fiji and Ashley: In the mountains. Aaron: yeah, in the mountains. Beautiful, bro. Shout out. If you haven't gone to Fiji, you gotta go to Fiji if you get the chance because it's beautiful. yeah, so we had a teen camp, and bro, I remember meeting you, and I just remember being like, I I don't know about what what you thought, but I was like, dude, this guy I we I feel like we got along like pretty easily. Like it was pretty chill. Like he Ashley: Yeah, we can't. Aaron: was so kicked back. Like a normal Fijian bro, just super relaxed, super, super Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: chill. Almost too chill. Ashley: Probably, yes. Aaron: but yeah, it was good. Yes, it was and you weren't a Christian yet at that point, right? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Ashley: No, no, we'll probably get into that a bit. I was in a bit of a rebellious stage, but yeah, I remember meeting you, Aaron, the Azar as we called you then. Az of the man. So yeah, you were Aaron: Yeah dude. Az that's it. That's like the sh Yeah, dude. Emperor Ashley: you're good at everything, had the guitar, had the sports down, all the connections. Aaron: Okay. Okay. man. Ashley: No, no, you were a good role model actually. Yeah. Aaron: I appreciate that. I wasn't a Christian yet at that point either. I think it was later in the year, but yeah, dude. And I remember man, I remember you bro, were like you were lightning fast, bro. You were like I remember being very Ashley: Ha ha ha. Aaron: overwhelmed because normally growing up or in any kind of like physical, you know, context, physical activity, generally I was generally the quickest because I was small, I was like, you know, agile, whatever. And then I met you and Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: you were way faster than me. You just gets like Ashley: Well, God very quickly humbled me, I guess. He put me into Aaron: dude, no, I bet you's Ashley: place. Aaron: Nah man. But it was really it was really cool. I know and we always stayed connected. Like I know it was it was, you know, being in Fiji and being obviously me in in Melbourne, it's it was a bit, you know, it's harder, but we'd see each other pretty regularly on at like church things and conferences. Yeah. But I yeah, but I really appreciate it. Ashley: Yeah. Conferences and hangouts. But I do appreciate you were you were the one guy who would just be like, Yo, let's go read the Bible together first thing in the morning and normally Aaron: That's Ashley: with anyone else at that time I would be like, No way, man, get out of my face but with you I was like, he's a cool guy. Yeah, let's just do it. Aaron: dang. You were too nice to me. You're too nice, bro. You're too nice. Nah, I appreciate Nah, again, super grateful for you, mate. And I'm really excited that we're able to reconnect. It's been one of the cool things about actually starting like doing this is that there have been people that I've been following along, especially, you know, as you've gone through everything that you went through with GBS. I wasn't like obviously messaging you and and like every day or every week, but definitely following from afar and praying. but then when I started this I thought, man, I I think this would be just so great to hear about and and So to reconnect with you's been awesome. There's there's been a few people too I've just reconnected after with c connect reconnected with after a long time. So bro, I really appreciate you, man. But look, man, let's let's let's get into it, bro. I know, I know, yeah, there's a lot to talk about and I and I've got a lot of questions, I'm sure. But why don't you start off, bro, as you began at the start, but why don't you tell us a bit about, yeah, yourself, your story, maybe your upbringing, and then also your journey to Christ. and we'll start there. Ask Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: ask some questions probably along the way as well. Yeah, go ahead. Ashley: Yeah. Yes, as I was saying, pretty relaxed childhood, living in Fiji with Australian parents, but definitely feeling myself as a Fijian, just like everyone else. And my parents were Catholic, but we didn't really attend the Catholic Church too much. until we got invited to church when I was seven years old. And that's when sort of our journey with God began. So yeah, as a seven year old church, we started coming out at the time, going to the Sunday school classes. wasn't really my cup of tea. Just as a young boy, wasn't something that interested me. I didn't really see a need for God and then This trend sort of continued through the teenage years of just, yeah, life is good. What what do I need God for? And did feel like a lot of pressure put on me to to start being invested in Bible studies and things like that. And my rebellious nature didn't take that so well, so I would try and avoid it at all costs, kind of a thing. And Yeah, so went through a bit of a rebellious phase until I was nineteen. So as a nineteen year old, that's when I ended up getting baptized. Aaron: Dude. Ashley: And really it was just the approach that his name was Eddie used with me. He didn't pressure, he just really became my friend and Aaron: Mm. Ashley: I could tell he just genuinely cared about me and wanted to hang out with me, not No strings attached or no agenda but yeah, so we really built that friendship and then one day he's just like, So what's holding you back? And I was like, Well, nothing really and then Aaron: Mm. Ashley: yeah, we we studied through and got convicted and yeah, that's when it all began. Aaron: Amen. So cause obviously I knew you since you were fourteen, right? And it was always I know for me, it was always like, I know Ash prefly, he's gonna get there. I know he's gonna get there. He's gonna he's gonna make Jesus Lord. But yes, well, first time I met you, fourteen, then it took five years. Like what was the rebellious element? Was it that you didn't see yeah, like you said, is it just simply that you didn't see the need for it, or you didn't maybe understand your need for Jesus, or yeah, what was it for you that kind of I guess Held held you not held you back, but kind of made you put it off a little bit or something like that. Ashley: I always knew that there was a god and I always knew at some point in my life that Aaron: Mm. Ashley: I'd probably get into it a bit more, but as a fifteen, sixteen, seventeen year old it didn't really seem like the cool thing to do. There Aaron: Right. Ashley: were a lot lot of other attractions that the world was offering and not Aaron: Mm. Ashley: that I was necessarily a bad kid, I always was like, no, I'm I'm better than my friends, but Aaron: Yes, you were a good kid. Ashley: I d But I just yeah, it yeah, it didn't really concern me at the time Aaron: Mm. Ashley: so much. I knew I had plenty of time, which yeah, something to be wary of. Aaron: Right. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And so what was the thing about Eddie that that and then also what was the thing in your Bible studies or maybe something that an epiphany or something like that that made you go, Yeah, no, this this is it. I I gotta do this now and I gotta get right with with God now. Ashley: I guess I I saw a lot of forgiveness and people in the church forgiving things that I couldn't imagine forgiving someone for and Aaron: Wow. Ashley: just them having that mindset like Jesus forgave me so I I can forgive that person and that Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: kinda really stuck out to me at the time. And so yeah, just going through the studies, watching the Passion of the Christ and being told no, don't turn your head away during the whipping like you gotta watch that part Aaron: Right. Ashley: and yeah, it was convicting. Definitely a convicting study series and yeah. Aaron: Hmm. So Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Did you do so did you finally make that connection like, wait, like Christ gee this this is me. Like I I'm the one that needs to be forgiven. I'm the one that needs to be saved. And I maybe I'm not like I'm a good person, but there's there's some stuff I need forgiveness for. Hmm. Ashley: Definitely, definitely, yeah. Aaron: Hmm. Ashley: For sure. So yeah. I think I think after that rebellious stage we we want to learn from other people's mistakes, but I think it's human nature that we want to try it for ourselves. As much Aaron: yeah. Ashley: as we want our kids on our don't do that, they're still gonna wanna try it for themselves. And unfortunately Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: I had that very basic mindset of just wanting to explore and experience everything myself, even though Aaron: Mm. Ashley: you know, church members, friends would all like, Nah, it's not it's not all that it's cut out to be So yeah, definitely Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Ashley: yeah. Aaron: So you did get to realising, okay, no, I've done some stuff too, like this. I'm not as good I'm Ashley: yeah. Aaron: not better than my friends, kind of thing. Yeah. Ashley: Definitely, definitely. Aaron: Yeah, I think that's an interesting dynamic, hey, like as like we call ourselves, you know, people that grow up in church, we call like we can use the phrase kingdom kids, right? Like we grow up around the faith, we grow up knowing all the stories, knowing what's right, knowing what's wrong. and then yeah, I think I felt that too, like even as a teenager, when even when I wasn't a Christian, that yeah, I'm I'm I'm not perfect, but I'm much better than some of those my my friends who do this Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: and do that. So I'm good. How how do you and I've asked a few people this already, but how do you kind of pass that out in terms of making that head and heart connection of, yeah, like I'm not I need help. Like even though I grew up or grew up going to church and that I'm I feel like I'm doing all the right stuff that no, I I do need Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: saving. Do you have any thoughts on that? Ashley: Yeah. I do think everyone's journey's different Aaron: Mm. Ashley: and I think people will have their own path. I get a lot of parents coming to me like, Ash, you were rebellious. How did you help my team? Like they're not wanting to it. Yeah, exactly. Aaron: Yeah. You're the token child. Show us what to do. Yeah. Ashley: But yeah, I I think just always, you know, living your life as an example, if you're teen oil. someone you know is in that stage, just showing them the right way to live and the Bible and Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: not really pressuring them, but yeah, we can show what God is like through our love and how we live and our actions and I think that could connect the mind and the heart together and Aaron: Mm. Ashley: yeah, eventually it might take some time, but I got there eventually, so I know it does work. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. No, that's such a good point. I I was talking I forgot who it was. It was someone I was recording with, but they were talking a similar thing. That it was not just what was being taught, but the person who was teaching them the Bible, like th he saw that he really cared about him. Like it was a genuine love, a genuine care. It wasn't like his a bunch of scriptures now figure out your life. It was him outside of Bible studies outside of church things, just, hey, how you doing? Hanging out with him, caring for him, and that love and then seeing it match up with the scriptures and with Jesus, I think that that was a big thing that really connected for him. I think like what you were saying with Eddie, that that must have been something that, yeah, you saw that. It wasn't just him doing it 'cause he had to, but he really loved you and really cared about you. And then you you saw maybe, wait, this this Jesus thing is real. Like it he's living it out. Yeah. So I think that's a really that's a great point. I think that's something to always reflect about. it's not just about what we what we teach and what we know, but how we're living that out, you know, and that that makes a big, big difference. Amen bro, yeah, I remember when you got baptized. What was the date you got you became a Christian? Do you remember the date? Ashley: Twenty seventh May two thousand twelve. Aaron: Come on, man. Yes, bro. I remember when I what I don't remember the date obviously, but I remember when I heard and I I was so excited, bro. So Amen. That's super exciting. okay, so if we fast forward now a little bit, Ashley: Yep. Aaron: you maybe to meeting Katie, like like and and how that Ashley: Yes. Aaron: and that how that happened. So you become a Christian, you're wait, two thousand and twelve did you say? So eighteen, nineteen? Yep, eighteen, nineteen. Ashley: I was nineteen. Yep. Aaron: Yeah, go ahead. So how do you meet Katie and with the kids and have kids? Ashley: So 1920, three years later I was working as an accountant at KPMG and Fiji was hosting a Hope Youth Corps. And Aaron: Mm-hmm. Which is a vol which is a volunteering trip through our benevolent arm of church of the of the church, just for those who don't know. Yeah. A volunteering trip, yeah. Ashley: Yep. So I wasn't actually going to be part of the trip. I was just going to join up because I had work, so I was going to join up for a weekend when they went to go I think fix up a a kindergarten in the village. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: So yeah, basically twenty I think there were twenty international people flew to Fiji and Katie, my wife now. was on that trip. It was her first ever trip out of the United States. Aaron: Wow. Ashley: And she was expecting Fiji to be all rainbows and sunshine and beaches Aaron: Ha ha ha. Ashley: everywhere. And she quickly saw a bit of a different side of Fiji, which you know, the poverty, Aaron: Mm. Ashley: the lack of infrastructure. So she was a bit out of her comfort zone. And yeah, I could sense that. But Yeah, I was quickly drawn to her, just her genuineness, her kindness, Aaron: Mm. Ashley: and we talked a bit on that trip and then yeah, we did long distance after that for about a year of talking Aaron: When did you start dating? Ashley: online. So we met in twenty fifteen. We started dating officially in January twenty seventeen. Aaron: so it was a whole year after. nice. Yeah, yeah. Did you ever see each other Ashley: Yeah, whole year of just getting to know each other, which was good. Aaron: in between the the volunteering trip and then dating? Besides yeah, did you see no online. Ashley: just FaceTime. Aaron: Shout out FaceTime, man. Shout out FaceTime. That's it, man. Ashley: Yeah, exactly. And shout out my best friend Frankie. He worked for the airline. So he was able to help Aaron: awesome. Ashley: Katie with her flights to come to Fiji just paying ten percent. Aaron: So good. Ashley: We probably wouldn't be married without him. And yeah, he's been a r a recurring Aaron: Dude, shout out the airline. Ashley: hero throughout my journey as well, so big shout out to him. Aaron: Hey man, shout out Frankie. Yeah, that's crazy. So then you and so you get start dating then twenty seventeen Jan and then you get engaged Ashley: Yep. Aaron: when? Ashley: We got engaged December twenty seventeen. So two years two Really? Aaron: Cool. that's when I got married. I know. That's a year after. Sorry, sorry, sorry, honey. Sorry, Esther, I got that completely wrong. December twenty sixteen's when I got married. Yeah. Okay, so d so December twenty seventeen, engaged and then married in Ashley: Married on my birthday, so I'd never forget our wedding anniversary. Thirty first of March. We got married in Los Angeles. Aaron: March. Yep. Yes. Wow. Dude, that's the hack right there. Ashley: Yes, yes. Aaron: wait, you were married in LA? Ashley: We got married in LA. Unfortunately, some of my groomsman's visas got declined, so they weren't able to make it. But again, the wedding is all about the lady, right? Aaron: That's it, hundred percent. Yep, yep. Whatever she wants, make it happen. Yep. Ashley: So all her family and friends were there. Such a great time, no regrets. Aaron: Yeah, no, that's awesome. Did you have something back in Fiji? Later? Ashley: kind of. We had like my Aaron: Like little celebration thing. Ashley: groom honouring and some of the stuff for me back in Fiji. Yeah. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. So wait, when what date? Sorry, what when did you get married? Ashley: in March twenty eighteen we got married. Aaron: Thirty first of March twenty eighteen. Dang, that's so awesome. And then you started living in and you were living in Fiji the whole time after that, right? Yeah. Yeah. Ashley: Yes. So we had a little place in Fiji. Twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen, twenty twenty, COVID hit and the country shut down. It was wild times. Aaron: Was it how bad was it in Fiji? COVID. Ashley: it was full curfew, masks, mandatory vaccinations. Aaron: Wow. Even in the mountains and stuff? And like everywhere? wow. Yeah. Yeah. Ashley: Yeah, yeah, everywhere. They had lock zones, so yeah, pretty pretty serious stuff. Yeah. Aaron: Couldn't yeah, couldn't cross over and couldn't have people in your house, stuff like that, right? Yeah, man. Yeah, Melbourne was bad here too, dude. It was it was yeah, crazy times. Can't believe you it's it's crazy when you go, we live through that, Like yeah, I like Ashley: It is pandemic crazy stuff. Aaron: I look back and I go, I cannot believe we lived through that. It's just the craziest thing ever. Like yeah, anyway, I won't get intoo to that. Anyway, but there, okay, so you and then Wednesday Cruzborn. Ashley: So we thought by the end of twenty twenty the first wave of COVID was dying Aaron: Yes. Ashley: out, so we thought what a great time. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: Unfortunately, twenty twenty one the Delta variant came out, Aaron: Back into it. Yes. Ashley: so we had to travel from Fiji to the US to have crews for him to be born. Aaron: so he's born in in LA? wow. Ashley: Yes, so he was born in LA. just because at the time Fiji was in lockdown, the hospitals were crazy with COVID. Aaron: Hmm. Ashley: People were literally giving birth on this navy ship because there was no beds in the hospital, so they were just carting people onto this boat, which we Aaron: my goodness. Ashley: didn't think Katie being from LA and the standards Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: there was a bit different to giving birth on a boat. Aaron: Wow. So how did you get I Ashley: But Aaron: thought it was pretty hard travel wise at that time. Ashley: Yeah, so it was a repatriation flight we ended up taking. Costed Aaron: What does that mean? Ashley: an arm and a leg to get across there, but thankfully we were able. Aaron: okay. So is that like a special a special ticket or a special flight? Like for medical o Ashley: Yes. Yes. Just for like Americans heading back to the US. Aaron: Right. Wow. So how long were Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: you guys in America? Ashley: I could only stay three months on my visa, so he's basically born and then three Aaron: Aw man. Ashley: months later we had to get his passport and everything, then headed on back to Fiji. Aaron: Yeah, yeah. wait, so did Katie Rema Sane and and Cruz stay in America for a bit or did you all come back together? Okay. Yeah, yeah, okay. Ashley: We all came back together. Yeah. Aaron: wow. So he was born what sorry, what was the date on that? His birthday? Ashley: He's born on the third of November, twenty Aaron: Cool. That's crazy. Ashley: twenty one. Aaron: There you go, man. Yeah, c be c 'cause Beth was born. Ashley: Cruz, we named him Cruz because that's the Spanish word for cross. So yeah, we just Aaron: yeah yeah yeah. For Christ. Cross, that's right. That's so cool. Ashley: thought always point him back in that direction. Aaron: I like that. That's really cool. Yeah, co COVID time, man, having a baby 'cause Beth was born in twenty twenty. So like peak yeah, peak COVID. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: It was insane. Like I could only after she was born, I was only allowed to stay for like an hour in the hospital and then had to had to go out and then come back and then yeah, f only visiting hours. So I couldn't stay for like more than two hours, I think, a day. And Esther had to stay there for yeah, she was there for a while. She had to she had she had some other stuff she had to deal with there afterwards, post the birth, but so yeah, so I couldn't go in. But yeah, it was a crazy time, man. So y but I only had to drive five minutes up the road. You had to you had all this other stuff going. Crazy, Ashley: Not bad. Aaron: man. Yeah, okay, that's awesome. And then Callie was born when was Callie born? Ashley: Callie was born in twenty twenty four, June twenty twenty four. She was born in Fiji. Aaron: Cool. Yep. Ashley: They built a brand new hospital just five minutes down the road. And Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: yeah, she had a great birth. She's a Fiji girl. Yeah. Aaron: Come on. And Callie after California were telling me, right? Is that right? Yeah, where where Katie's from. Very cool. Very cool, man. Ashley: That's it, California where Katie's from. Yeah. She's a firecracker. She's definitely a work in progress. Aaron: Second child, second child energy. Ashley: Second child energy, big time. Aaron: Thea man. We should get out we should get Thea and because Thea's a a year older 'cause she was born June twenty Ashley: Get this together. Aaron: twenty three. Yeah, we should put together in a room and just let firecracker each other out and then Ashley: Mm. Aaron: pray the house doesn't get destroyed. but yeah, it'll be real I can't wait Ashley: Okay. Aaron: till the kids meet. It'll be so cool when when we can get them together, man. But yeah, it's bet being Ashley: Definitely. Yeah. Aaron: a dad how's being a dad? Do you like being a dad? Ashley: Loved being a dad. prior to getting GDS obviously there's been some changes. But yeah. Best feeling in the world just Aaron: Mm, mm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Ashley: having these little humans who adore you so much and yeah. Wouldn't trade Aaron: Craziest thing, isn't it? Ashley: anything. Aaron: Yeah. Do you ever have moments where you because this is what I I have moments where I'm like I just like I look at them, I'm just staring at them and I go, I can't believe you're my kid. Like I just I can't believe I have a kid. And you you Ashley: Yeah. Definitely. Aaron: can't explain it, right? It is so it's so cliche, I know, but it is you can't explain what it's like to to have your own flesh and blood just yeah, just literally right there and you held him, you see him grow up. It's it's the most beautiful thing. God's pretty awesome. Ashley: Yeah. Cruz had his first athletics carnival the other day. As he's running it's like Aaron: yeah. Did he was he as quick as as quick as his dad? Ashley: Maybe he's got his mother's jeans a little bit, not too sure. yeah, better than me. Better than me. Yeah. Oops. Aaron: no no Wait wait wait hold on is that better than you no okay Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Don't listen to that park Katie we'll cut that out okay Nah that's so cool Nah no that's so cool Yeah Ashley: Yeah, but just watching him you know the pride, it was like trying to control the emotions, like, get it together, Ash. Come on, keep it together. Aaron: Yeah. It's so it's so fun. It's it it's it's cra yeah, sh Beth started doing I told you this when we chatted, but she's she's doing tennis, which is what I grew up playing, and she also does swimming and she's doing really well in in both, but swimming she's been doing for a while and she's yeah, Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: just moved up to the next level. She's starting to learn the breaststroke kicks, you know, and I can't even do that. And so she's learning that tumble turning. and she's yeah, five years old, man. It's crazy. But yeah, it's Ashley: Wow. Impressive man. Aaron: so cool. Being a parent's awesome. So yeah, bro. All right, man. Well, that's cool. Get some we have some context there a little bit. and yeah, I guess now let's let's talk about the big thing that's been a massive part of your life, as of late and the your experience with GBS and how that all went down. so I guess I guess we could just go back to that day. We could go back to the day. also for Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: people who don't don't know, Ash has an Instagram reel on his Instagram. and he has a reel about kind of the day that happened, and every that that kind of forty eight hours I think of everything that went down when you started it, feeling something and then as it progressed so rapidly. yeah, and so that's on his Instagram. We'll link it down in the in the show notes, and we'll put something there so people can see that 'cause G B S is quite is quite rare from my unders from my understanding. and yeah. I think it's this is cool too that we can spread awareness about it as well. But first I had a question too. How did you wh who was f like why wh why were you filming? Like all the all those little clips like that were in that reel? Were you just were you yeah. Ashley: So Katie, she's very good with her social media and Instagram and all those things. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Ashley: And my parents were actually overseas at the time. So Aaron: Right. Ashley: she was sort of documenting this, sending it to my parents, being like, Hey Ash is going downhill, what's going on? Basically, yeah, videotaping Aaron: okay. So it it wasn't four. Ashley: it so they could be part of it. Aaron: Okay, I got you. Yeah, 'cause I was wondering how did you how did they how did you know or who whoever's taking it took the took the videos, but it was documented for them and then you happen to be able to put it all together. Got you. Okay. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: Right. All right, bro. Well what yeah, like take us back. take us back to it and and that day if it's that's okay. and again go Ashley: Yep. So Callie was born in June twenty twenty four. In December. The third of December twenty twenty four was D Day I call it, the day I got GBS. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: context a week before this, we had eaten at a fast food chicken restaurant in Fiji Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: and Something didn't taste right to me, and I got a bit of a stomach bug. So this ended up being what triggered the GBS. It's called Campliobacter Aaron: Mm. Ashley: bacteria. So that bacteria looks like my nerves. So once my body fought off that bacteria, it then saw my nerves and it's like, there's more bacteria. So it ended up eating. All my nerves. So that's how it all started. Aaron: right, okay. Ashley: But two days before I had actually played a game of soccer with the church boys as we do every Sunday. very competitive soccer match. So that was on Aaron: you're a soccer player too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ashley: that was on the Sunday. So I woke up on the Tuesday morning and my legs were a little bit sore. So I figured I'll overdid it at soccer. Just a bit of muscle soreness, I'll be fine. Fortunately, that's how GPS begins, starts at your feet, and you slowly get paralyzed from your feet up. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: So I was carrying Callie, who was about five months old at the time, at lunchtime, and I stumbled a bit, which was very strange. So I figured, okay, something is not quite right here. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: And then lunch, by lunchtime that day. I couldn't swallow my food, which was really strange. So by then it had already started reaching my throat level. And that's when I decided to go to the doctor. They sent me home thinking I was just dehydrated. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: So they're like, You're fine, mate, have some panadol, have some Powerade, you'll be all good, rest it off. So that's what I thought. I'd be totally fine and just be able to rest it off and be totally normal. Aaron: Okay. Yep. Ashley: Unfortunately by about ten PM that night I couldn't even sit up as the paralysis had ful fully taken over. Yeah, so just hook up Aaron: That's so fast. Is that how fast it progresses? Ashley: Not normally, I had a very severe case. I had a variant Aaron: Rye. Ashley: called AMAN. basically how they explained it to me was normally your nerves are like a they're like an electrical wire with a casing, Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: and most people just the casing gets eaten away. But in my case it was the casing. Aaron: okay. It's the actual while. Ashley: And the actual nerve itself, which means Aaron: my gosh. Ashley: recovery, everything is a lot slower. Yeah. Aaron: Whoa. Right. So that was rapid. Really so this this is it with Ashley: Very reverse. Aaron: it this is with twenty is this twenty four hours b basically? Jeez. Ashley: This is twenty four hours. Woke up that morning, by that night I couldn't move. So that's when I Aaron: Gosh. So now yeah, go ahead. Ashley: had to call superhero Frankie to come carry me into the car to drive me to a private doctor, 'cause we thought at that stage nothing too serious, but let's just go check it out. They Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: kept me overnight for observation. And at 3 a.m. they wanted to send me home. They Yeah, they thought everything was fine and dandy pretty much. Oops. And Aaron: Right, that's right. Ashley: Katie at that point had done some Chat GPT Google searching and she found out, hey, this GBS thing is exactly what you're experiencing. So she told Aaron: Right. Ashley: the doctors that And then they're like, Well, if it is that, we gotta get you to the main hospital in Fiji. So that that happened Aaron: Got you. Got how come how come they sent you home how come they sent you home that night if like at three AM if i if you were feeling all that, you couldn't move and all that, do you know why they or they Ashley: So they were going to send me home 'cause they thought I was fine, but Katie was like, Look, he can't even walk, like how are we gonna Aaron: But you can't walk. Ashley: get him home? What's going on? So they ended up keeping me till the morning. And then Aaron: Right. Ashley: they transferred me by ambulance to the big hospital. Aaron: When did Katie find out about the GBS like on and then suggest it to the doctor? Ashley: I think it was around midnightish. And then that doctor Yeah, yeah. Aaron: Yeah. While you were in the ho while you were in the hospital. Yeah. Ashley: That doctor had also known someone who'd had GBS, so that was lucky Aaron: wow. Ashley: as well. Because GBS is pretty rare. Yeah, and so that Aaron: Yeah. Do you have a stat on that? I didn't check it. I should have checked it. Do you have the stat on how rare like it is? Ashley: It's one in a hundred thousand and then I think my variant is slightly less than that. Aaron: And is it more predominant in males or females or is it kind of split? Ashley: No there's no predictor or anything. They haven't Aaron: Right. Ashley: figured out just your body starts attacking itself for some reason. Aaron: Right. 'Cause I'm 'cause basically were you pre are you can people be genetically predisposed to it? Because you said that it seems like and you probably learnt this after that it was the the that that thing you ate, then it started eating you. Like there was no nothing to suggest that you would be more susceptible to to getting it. So it can happen to anyone. Ashley: No can't happen to anyone. Unfortunately there's no medication or cure. There's nothing that can make your nerves regrow at all. So it was yeah. I mean, reflecting, I'm like, wow, I had to just fully rely on God. There was I it's not Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: like I could put my trust in doctors or medication. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: It was just The only thing that's gonna get me through this is God. Aaron: Hmm. Well can I ask what you were thinking like as that like that three AM, th this it period where they're trying to figure out exactly what it is, right? This this are you like what are you thinking? Like are you thinking are you cata are are you catastrophizing? Are you going, we should be alright, we should be good or well Ashley: So I'm trying to be the the tough guy, still cracking jokes, trying to laugh it off. You know, I'll sleep it off, I'll be fine tomorrow, that kind of a thing. It wasn't Aaron: Classic Ash man. Every every ch Always got a joke. Yeah. Yeah, okay. So you're not really Ashley: until I got to the major hospital and that's when things started all going accustard. Yeah. Aaron: Okay. All right. All right. So that's so this where we're at now. So in the morning they realize okay, this could be it. So they transfer you now to the major hospital in Fiji. Okay, yeah, take us through that. What was that like? What happened there? Ashley: So the my condition rapidly deteriorated. So I could no longer move anything at all. Not even my eyes blinking, speech Aaron: What? Ashley: had gone. Basically I was just locked in, still aware of everything, but unable to move. And Aaron: Could you breathe? Ashley: my breathing shut down. That happened at about lunchtime the next day. So Aaron: Goodness. Ashley: They had to intubate me, put a tube down my throat to breathe. They had to put a tube up my nose to feed, and then a catheter to go to the bathroom. So I was like tubes everywhere at that stage. But it was the moment I stopped breathing. That was when I started, okay, this is this is getting serious. And I Aaron: Right. Ashley: just remember like I physically could not get air in my lungs anymore. And that's when I just prayed. I was like, God, like, can you take over my breathing? That's what I prayed. God, I need Aaron: Wow. Ashley: you to take over my breathing. And I I felt peace after that. I was able to just you know, I don't know if they'd given me some medication or something, but I really after that I just felt at peace, which was kinda Aaron: Whoa. Ashley: cool. Aaron: Did they see you stop breathing and then they they assisted you or? Ashley: Yeah, so then they started pumping in oxygen through yeah. Aaron: Gosh, I'm a Okay, so that happens and you're there for how long in that hospital? Ashley: In that hospital, I was there. Aaron: 'Cause we're about thirty six hours now, right? Thirty six hours from when you started feeling it. Yeah. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: I was in that hospital for twenty eight days in the ICU and that Aaron: Gosh, yeah. Ashley: was rough. That was really rough because this is not the standard of ICU you'd get in Australia. I'm in a room with sixteen other beds. You're only allowed visitors for one hour a day, so I'm isolated, alone, Aaron: man. Ashley: and I'm watching people die just opposite me and they're getting their blood all drained out from them. It was pretty horrific just things to see. And then to be alone and not be able to talk or say anything. Not be able to move was pretty or even like scratch and itch. It was just like, my goodness, I couldn't get anyone's attention or call a nurse because I'm literally just this stuck blob. Aaron: Gosh. Yeah. Wait, so so with GBS and I'm sure we'll get to more talking about this, there is ch there is chance to start moving again. 'Cause like like at that moment, I when you're in the ICU, are you thinking, Do you know if you can move again? Do you know or do you are you in the mindset of no, I I don't know if I'll ever move again? Ashley: So on my ambulance ride, one of the nurses was like, I've seen someone with GBS. After two years, he was totally fine. And at the time I'm like, two years? What are you talking about, Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: two years? I'm gonna be fine tomorrow, right? What's going on? But yeah, a lot of people that is not Aaron: It's not what you want to hear in the head. Gosh. Ashley: what you want to hear. So but the general if you look online, the recovery time is generally six months. And that's for the variant if just your coating is gone. But Aaron: Yeah, the the one yeah. Ashley: if your whole nerve is gone, it's very tedious process to regrow the nerves. Aaron: Wow. And is it that you can get back to full mobility like normal or is it or does it depend on the variant? Ashley: Depends on the variant, depends on the severity, depends on your age. Aaron: Right. Ashley: Basically, in my mind I was like, It's only God who's gonna heal me. There's no medicine, doctors Aaron: Wow. Ashley: can't do nothing. It's God is the only one who's gonna heal me. Aaron: Okay, so you're in that ICU for twenty eight days and you're seeing all this stuff and it's crazy. can I ask what I mean it can reflect now a little bit. What what's your yeah, what's your faith like in this moment? Are you questioning God? Are you relying on God? Are you like are there are there ups and downs emotionally? Like what's what's what's going on in your head at the time? Ashley: At that time I was on a what they called a medication cocktail. So Aaron: wow. Ashley: I was hallucinating, seeing some crazy stuff. I wasn't fully in my right mind at Aaron: Coddescent, yeah. Ashley: that stage. and instead of getting better, I continued to get worse because all those tubes got infected because of the cleanliness. So I got these Aaron: yeah. Ashley: three different super bugs that no antibiotics could basically cure just these nasty viruses then because of that I had a collapsed lung I had this blood ten centimeter blood clot in my foot it was just I was Aaron: my gosh. Ashley: deteriorating at such a rapid rate it got to the point where the doctor said look if he doesn't get out of here and go overseas he's not gonna make it Aaron: Wow. So there was a real chance, like just to be blunt, there was a real chance you could have died. Yes. Like Ashley: Yes, yes. Aaron: my gosh. Okay, so when they say that to you, they say, You gotta we gotta get you somewhere else. So what did they s what did they s suggest? And then how did that happen? Ashley: So we looked into options, not me obviously, it was all my family in the background. They Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: were looking at options to Medivac me to Australia. And they knew my sister lived in Hornsby, so they connected the dots. Hey, there's a hospital in Hornsby, let's send him there. So the problem was the cost of the Medivac was over a hundred thousand Australian dollars, which obviously I didn't have in my bank account, and not many people just have that lying around. So by the grace of God, someone had the exact amount with five dollars more in their savings account. and offered to pay to have me medile back to Australia. So very thankful Aaron: my gosh. Praise God, man. Ashley: to that person. I'm not sure if they'd want me to share who it was, but very blessed. Aaron: That's right. That's praise the Lord man. Crazy. Ashley: Very blessed. And then that Aaron: So then they met you got Ashley: that was the beginning of recovery. So getting on that plane, it was tubes and everything, had to have a doctor and a nurse on there. We had to fly from Fiji to French Polynesia and then to Sydney. The whole whole ordeal. Aaron: What and it's special plane, I assume. Is that like a Yeah. Yeah. Ashley: In a special medical plane, yeah. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So who goes on that fly with you? Just the doctors? Can does Katie come with you and Ashley: The doctors and then one family member which ended up being my father who came Aaron: Yep, yep. Ashley: along with me. 'Cause Katie said she she had the kids and everything. Yeah. Aaron: Yeah, of course, got the kids. Yeah. My gosh. And and so was that like immediate? So when when they when they said you gotta go to that we've got a Medevac you, how how many days after did you get Medivac? Okay. Wow. Ashley: I think it was the next day. It was just rapid, he's gotta go. He's gotta go. Aaron: Yep. And so you boom, go for French Polynesia, then you go to land in Sydney and they cart you straight to the to haunt Yep. Ashley: Yeah, and then ambulance to the hospital. Aaron: That must have been a world. Do you remember that or are you hazy with all that? Ashley: yeah. No, I remember that. That is when because then we had Australian doctors and they took me off all the meds that were making me drowsy. So from that point I pretty much everything was crystal clear. Aaron: Okay. So the day you get in, they're what's the first kind of things that they're telling you and trying to get you to do and things like that? Ashley: So it was an amazing change from only being able to see Katie one hour a day to Katie could now stay in the ICU with me as long as she wanted. So that isolation and that loneliness it all kind of disappeared and I was able to have her there, able to have other visitors. So it was a very refreshing change, that's for sure. Aaron: How much of a big difference did it make like ment you know, 'cause people talk about yeah, being isolation versus being around people, like, you know, family and friends like that. Is it is it just drastically like just yeah, yeah, for your mental and just for Ashley: yeah. Yeah. Aaron: your even for probably your fighting, like just to fight and keep fighting. Ashley: Definitely, definitely. But I think one of the things Yeah. I did a lot of the time I spent wrestling in prayer because I couldn't talk, I couldn't move, I couldn't communicate. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: But something that really stood out to me was just I could I could feel this these presences, basically presence of light and the presence of darkness. And it basically d it still impacts me today, like, my gosh, I never want to sit again in my life. Like it made it real to me, like getting I think getting close to death it's sort of Yeah, I felt that that sort of fear of God and wow, like this is real, this is legit, I need to like never sin again in my whole entire life. That kind of conviction hit Aaron: Wow. Ashley: me through that. Aaron: Was there like something that you was it something specific that you either saw or i was it a dream or was it like just reflection and being in prayer so much that I don't know, maybe the spirit brings things to your mind? Like yeah, what was it? Ashley: That's true. I mean I was hallucinating, but there were times where it was just me floating on wings of an eagle, you know, just for hours. And I'm just like, where are we going? What's going on? Why is this taking so long? But just that image of just flying, soaring. Yeah. It that's just one recurring thing that I kept seeing over and over and over Aaron: Hm. Ashley: again. I don't know if it was my mind telling me that. Obviously I wasn't in a fully Aaron: Yeah, sure. Sure. Ashley: aware state but Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: I'm not overly religious to like see these kind of things but yeah that's it was Aaron: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And what can I ask, bro? What what are you pr what are you praying? Like you said, you're praying a lot. What are you what are you praying about in in Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: that mo those moments? Ashley: I mean I kept thinking like if I just pray I'll be better tomorrow. Like Aaron: Mm. Ashley: I'm just gonna wake up and everything will be well this will be a dream kind of a thing. So Aaron: Mm. Ashley: yeah, just praying for health basically. Aaron: Yeah. He healing and getting better. Yeah. And wrestling Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: and that. Well and yeah, so you couldn't like physically, literally talk, right? So Ashley: Nope, couldn't talk. Aaron: how are you communicating at that point with people? Like if they're if they're trying to get Ashley: I wasn't able to Aaron: if that hurts or if that doesn't hurt or somet stuff like that, do you just Ashley: So four months I couldn't communicate like at all. Aaron: my god. Ashley: Until I could start to blink and move my head, then they Aaron: Then you could yeah. Ashley: they made communication charts for me. They would spell things out and I'd blink once and the whole thing crazy. Aaron: right. Wow. Dude. Okay. So you get there and then what was recovery like from when you were in in Sydney? So what was this process like? Ashley: So for four months there was really nothing, no improvement until I started it starts slowly coming back with flickers. You can just slowly Aaron: Mm. Ashley: move and you get paralyzed from your legs up and Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: it your nerves grow back from your head down. So head Aaron: wow. Ashley: starts to move first and then your fingertips and crazy how it all the human body is very amazing. Aaron: That's body's very crazy. That's crazy. Ashley: But obviously that couple of months it was really depressing being in the hospital. Aaron: Yeah, of course. Ashley: I wasn't able to see my kids much. They were worried about them getting these super bugs, so they weren't allowed in for a long time. And just yeah, mentally really Aaron: Man. Ashley: went downhill. So Aaron: So that was f so what months would that? That would be from like January to Aprily, something like that? Ashley: Yeah, so end of March end of March was Aaron: Okay, yeah. Ashley: when things started to sort of improve from December, January, Feb March. But Aaron: Okay. And was there anything that that you could have done to or is it kind of like a waiting game? Like it's gonna come back, we just don't know when. Is that kind of what it's like? my gosh. Wow. Ashley: Yeah. So the only thing they do they they do a plasma exchange which can try and slow down your body attacking itself. Aaron: Right. Ashley: But by the time I was there it was too far gone. There's no slowing it down because it already eaten up everything pretty much. Aaron: Wow. So then you get to get Ashley: So Aaron: you get to feeling what did that feel like when you started Ashley: So what kind of started improving my mood was I was in the ICU room and they started personalizing it for me. So Katie would put photos on this board and she'd write riddles on it every day and that yeah, just seeing pictures and Aaron: Mm. Ashley: people actually bought us a moving like a digital photo frame so I could see updates. Aaron: awesome. Ashley: Katie could send photos from what she was doing and I could see it in real time. Those kind of things really boosted the mood a lot. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: And then I had a visitor, a a close friend from Fiji come and that really boosted my spirits just talking to him and he he got a printout of this Bible verse in really large letters so I could see it. And I mean I'm still not able to move much, so my head is just Staring at this Bible verse, and Aaron: Mm. Ashley: he's like, This really helped me when I was going through a tough time. And it was Psalm 79:19, and it says, Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens. Who is like you? Though you have made me see troubles both many and bitter, you will restore my life again. From the depths of the earth, you will raise me up. He's like Aaron: Wow, amen, bro. Ashley: You can memorize this. So I did memorize it because I was just staring at this Bible verse nonstop for weeks and weeks. And I mean it started Aaron: What a passage. Yeah. Ashley: off it talks about God's righteousness. And it kind of made Aaron: Mm. Ashley: me mad because I'm like, What kind of righteous God? What are you putting me through? Aaron: Righteousness is this, yeah, what wi what's going on? Ashley: Yeah. What did I do, you know? But yeah, just the ending of the that verse, it just From the depths of the earth you're gonna raise me up again. So I held on to that and I Aaron: Come on. Come on. Ashley: was like If anyone can get me out of this, it's gonna be God. Aaron: Wow, that would be that's that's such an awesome verse. I don't even yeah. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: Wow. So you're in that time, go it's starting to get better. The moods they've kind of yeah, do you the mood's kind of there, you you I guess you're still praying, you're how often are you seeing like family and friends during this time? are they allowed to come in? Ashley: So Aaron: How often? Ashley: Yeah, every day I got to see family, which is nice. But they all had to wear the protective gear masks and the what do they call those things? P Yeah. Aaron: The hazmat suit PPE, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because of the bacteria stuff or right, okay, okay. So and you said Ashley: Yeah, yeah. Aaron: you couldn't see Cruise and and Cali that much? Ashley: No, until we made good friends with the doctors and Katie was like, please, Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: like the kids need to see their dad and Aaron: Well. Ashley: so eventually they were like, sure, the kids, you know, let let in. So Aaron: Mm. Mm. Ashley: even I mean that kinda hurt actually. I don't know why, but them seeing me in that state I think hurt. Like you know, like no dad Yeah. Yeah. Aaron: Hmm. 'Cause Cruz would have been three and a bit, right? Some he would have been three and a half, something like that. Yeah, yeah. Ashley: Like I'm supposed to be there, Superman, you know, but I'm Aaron: Mm. Ashley: laying hooked up. So that was kinda tough to be Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: Humbled basically. It was very humbling experiences in a lot of way. Aaron: Hm. 'Cause at that age how d how do you or what was being communicated to them, do you know? I guess I I yeah, like is it dad's just unwell or like how do they especially probably cruise, right? Callie's probably she's she's younger, so but Ashley: Yeah. They had Yeah, she was only about six, seven months, but yeah, Cruz. Thankfully he's forgotten that states, which again is another blessing. That's Aaron: Hmm. Ashley: totally out of his mind now. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: He barely remembers the hospital. Whereas before he knew all the nurses' names and how to get in and the codes for the doors and all about suction Aaron: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ashley: and all these medical things. But yeah, thankfully Aaron: Yeah. Hmm. Yeah. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: Yeah. That's okay, so once they okay, I wanna go to the point where you start feeling again, like you you get the twitch. Like I I couldn't even imagine what that would have been like. Like do you remember the moment that you started getting movement again in but so your eyes first, is that you said? Was it eyes? Yeah. Ashley: Yeah, so eyes and then neck and then I think the finger started twitching and so Katie would record it, she'd be like, Move your finger and it would Aaron: Ha ha ha. Ashley: barely like lift like a tiny bit and I'd be so like, Yay But in my mind Aaron: Is it yeah. That's so good. Ashley: I'm like this is nothing like compared to what I used to be. That's what I kept I kept comparing to what I was and this is Aaron: Right. Mmm comparing. Mmm. Ashley: this is nothing. I used to be able to run, now I can move my finger. Aaron: Mm. Mm. Mm. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: Mm. Was it how s how did it feel when you started moving again, that first moment you could twitch the eye or get some started getting some movement? Ashley: I think it it was a lot of hope. But then we did get some reality checks, like this one doctor came in and was like, Look, you guys need to get on this NDIS scheme because he's probably never gonna walk again And that would really set us back, like, What do you mean? Like I'm holding Aaron: Right. Ashley: on to this hope and then you just took all that hope away that he's probably never gonna walk again. So there Aaron: Wow. Ashley: was some Ups and downs, definitely. Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Wha why did they say 'cause that you might not be able to again? 'Cause I thought GBS you can get that back to recovery element. Or was it just they can't guarantee it? Ashley: They couldn't guarantee it. they'd had a similar patient in that hospital who was Aaron: okay. Ashley: older and didn't make a good recovery. So I think they were comparing me a bit to them. But in my mind I had two choices. I could either be like, you know what? I'm not gonna walk, that's fine, what's the point? Or I could, okay, let me prove them wrong, let me show them, you know. Let's see, you know Aaron: Yeah, that's that's mister Ashcorn right there. Yeah, let me guess these haters wrong. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ashley: But of course I needed God's help for that. It was nothing that I was gonna do. I was just relying fully on God. But man, the power of the mind was what really got me in there because it got to a point where I I was depressed and I was making myself sicker. It was Aaron: wow. Ashley: just because my mind space was not in a good spot, I was you know, you're discouraged. My blood pressure would drop. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: It was it wasn't yeah. So what happened was I noticed this pattern in the guy who was in the room next to me. And he was doing really well. And then all of a sudden he gave up. I don't know what happened. And his Aaron: wow. Ashley: medically he just rapidly declined. Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: Just from when he gave up. He didn't want to leave his room anymore. He didn't want visitors. And so me seeing that, I was like, Okay, I gotta not do that. I gotta just keep keep on going, keep positive, do Aaron: Hm. Ashley: whatever I can. Aaron: Yeah, wow. And what did you do to switch that up? Is it just as like a little all right, I need to be positive now 'cause or and now I'm positive? Or is it praying, fighting, wrestling, like yeah? Ashley: Well, yeah. We luckily we had a psychologist in the hospital who was able to help and she was just Aaron: Great. Ashley: like, you know what? You've got two physio sessions scheduled a day. I want you to do three. So she was Aaron: Wow. Ashley: really good at motivating and at that stage, you know, brothers from the church were coming to visit, which was really helpful. They came Aaron: Mm. Ashley: into my hospital room, we watched State of Origin together. They played some board games together. Just that brotherhood was really a good boost. Aaron: Yeah. Hmm. Ashley: And in my mind I knew, hey, look, I gotta get to church. So it me and my wheelchair, as soon as I was able to, we headed on, headed to church. Aaron: Wow. Ashley: They saved us a spot right out in front so that I could, you know, be Aaron: Amen. Ashley: lifted into my wheelchair, then they rolled me in. But I knew that's where I needed to be. That was that was Aaron: Hmm. Ashley: what was gonna heal me. Aaron: Wow. Hmm. Ashley: Nothing else. There's no medication. Just gone. Aaron: Hmm. Wow. What was it like when you went out of the hospital for the first time c for the first time? 'Cause we you you might have gone prior, right? Did you go when you started 'cause is it when you could when did they let you or w when were you able to go out? Ashley: So about seven months in Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: but I could only sit for two hours maximum. That was my sitting muscles could only handle two hours and then they Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: would be in excruciating pain. So I had to stay really close to the hospital at that stage, but slowly those muscles came back and We were able to extend it to three hours and four hours. And Aaron: Wow. Ashley: then the hospital ended up making a special exemption for me to be able to leave on the weekends for eight hours. So that's how I was able Aaron: Wow, cool. Ashley: to get to church and hang out with everyone. Aaron: Wow, that must that's dude. So how d how the ph how what was the physio like l physio sessions like? Like what are they what are they trying to do as you're doing physio recovery? Ashley: Basically they were trying to connect my brain back to my nerves to help regrow. Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: But because I'd been lying down without moving for like seven months, every single muscle had just atrophy Aaron: Atrophy. Atrophy, yeah. Mm. Ashley: and I had to rebuild from scratch. Basically I started from zero. I really did. I was comparing myself to Callie as a baby and we were sort Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: of racing, I had to crawl first. It Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: was it was a humbling experience. It still is humbling. Definitely, Aaron: Wow. Mm. Ashley: you know, being in that state for so long, all your dignity goes out the window. But Aaron: Mm. Ashley: yeah, I'm just happy to be on the road to recovery 'cause I know so many people don't get to recover from different illnesses, but Aaron: Hm. Ashley: thankfully GBS, even though people say it stands for getting better slowly, that You do get better. Aaron: Hmm, yeah, yeah, man, that's and so now, today, so that was so take back to the day as you're getting better, you're recovering, rehab's going good. When do they say you can go? You're good to go. Ashley: They never did. They never said I was good Aaron: Right, okay. Ashley: to go. I fought to get out of there because I I ended up spending three hundred and sixty four days in hospital. One day short of a year. I said, I am not Aaron: That's right. One shy one day shy, but yeah, I remember that on a reel. Ashley: spending one year in hospital. I need to get out before one year. So basically Katie had to sign that she was gonna be my carer, that Aaron: Huh. Ashley: you know, she's gonna be there full time kind of a thing. But they really wanted me to stay. They became like family the hospital. But I was Aaron: Mm. Ashley: like, look, this place is like prison. I'm sick of staring at these walls. Aaron: Of course. Ashley: I can't do what I wanna do. I can't see who I wanna see. But yeah, that was a great day. Lots of people Aaron: So what date was that? What date was that? I d Ashley: That was on the second of December twenty twenty five. Yeah. Aaron: Second of this second of this yeah, man. Second I remember looking at when that when that reel dropped, the video dropped, I was like I was emotional, bro. I was I won honestly, I was just such a fighter, man. Like it just it must have just felt I and and and the crowds everyone's there clapping you on. It is just and then you go outside and the family dude, it was it's amazing, man. It must have just felt so incredible. And of course it's not done like you still have to do recovery in physio, is that correct? Ashley: Yes, yes. So Aaron: Yeah, yeah. Ashley: yeah, it's getting close to the two year mark where they say things slow down in terms of recovery, but I know I know deep down that I'm gonna continue recovering. I've got that faith, that trust. Aaron: Hey man. Yeah, dude. Ashley: I I can't stop. There's no there's no option to stop for me. Aaron: Amen. Yeah. So you when did you leave Sydney to come back to Fiji? Ashley: Yeah, so there was a rough patch where Katie was trying to look after my best interests. She wanted me to recover fully, but at that stage I could see my family struggling. They're you know coming to the hospital every day it's not ideal. I just wanted to be a family unit again, Aaron: Mm. Ashley: be be a present father, be a husband again and get out of hospital. That was just my goal. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: So eventually we decided, okay, we'd go to the US. I'd do some rehab there for three months and then we'd come back to Fiji. Thankfully, there was a master physiotherapist in the church family in the US, and Aaron: Wow. Ashley: he was super helpful, kept the momentum of my recovery going, and we were able to spend time with Katie's family, which was really nice. Aaron: Right. Ashley: And then we headed on back to Fiji. Aaron: Mm. So you were there for three months in America. Did you stay with Katie's family? Yeah, yeah. Ashley: Yeah. Yes, we did. Aaron: okay, great. So you're re ki so you keep rolling and then you get back to Fiji, what is that just before what what when is that? What Ashley: We got back to Fiji in March of this year? Aaron: March of this year. Okay. So March of this year you're back. Ashley: Yes. Aaron: Okay. And so how is it all going since March up till now? Ashley: I mean progress is slower than I would like, but I'm still progressing. I'm in this waiting phase, so to speak. Sorry. Aaron: Mm. So you can walk yeah. You can walk again assisted. Mm. So so you're able to yeah, you're able to walk again with assisted is that right? Ashley: Well I can take some steps with nothing now, which is a big milestone. Aaron: dude, awes that's right. Yeah, cool. That's awesome. Ashley: able the next thing we've been working on is steps, so I can take a little step up and down. So we do a lot of that, practicing that. Basically, yeah, I'm a I'm a toddler. I'm toddler level at the moment. Still wobbly on my feet, but getting there. Yeah. Aaron: There you go, there you go. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. But it must be great to just be back and and be able to have some movement, be with the kids and the family again Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: and have some sense of normality, I guess. Yeah. praise God, man. That's amazing. Ashley: Definitely, definitely. and yeah, I was kind of inspired a bit by, you know, just this period of waiting and Aaron: Mm. Ashley: I was looking into it in the Bible and all the instances where people have had to wait on God and one that stuck out to me was you know, when Moses parts the Red Sea Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: and in the movies and in the shows it just sort of it happens instantly and they just cross over. But I was looking into it and it actually takes the whole night for the ocean to part. Aaron: Mm. Ashley: And these Israelites are just waiting there and there's an army of angry Egyptians behind them trying to come and murder them, basically, and they're just waiting Aaron: Yeah. Ashley: there for this opening to cross. And so I guess for for me it's this No, like trust God. Don't try and Aaron: Mm. Ashley: you know, the Israelites could have thought, no, let's go around, let's turn back and fight, but instead they just they trusted in God, they waited and so that's my plan. I'm gonna trust in God. Aaron: Well, yeah. Amen. Ashley: I'm gonna wait and yeah, wait for these nerves to grow back and wait for the muscles to get stronger and we'll Aaron: Amen. Ashley: see how we go. Aaron: Nah, it's awesome, bro. That's so good. I love that idea of waiting. I did a I don't remember it was a while ago, but I did a lesson on like the Hebrew word and the the Hebrew word for wait and hope is the word I think it's kavar. And it's the idea of like that anticipation, you know? It's it's not like no no no it's like just waiting around aim it's like no, you're waiting with anticipation for God to do what he's gonna do. Right? Like and that it's and and Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: it's I think it's the verb of Kavar is like it's like a rope. It's the idea of a rope and being pulled, tension, and then that moment where Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: you're waiting for it to snap, right? It's like you you're waiting for it. And that's that idea. It's like, yeah, man, being anticipating what's God gonna do, being faithful, hoping, trusting and waiting on God. I love that. I love that example of Moses parting the Red Sea. And yeah, it's it's so important, man. Like a living and even this the you know, the you know, talk about the eagles, you know, you were like on the the eagles the you know, and you were thinking about being o you were on the eagle with in that vision or that dream or whatever it was and that's Isaiah forty, right? Like, the Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: passage that says, Yeah, w will soar on wings like eagles. They will they will walk in, you know, they will hope and not grow faint. And that's the same it's cavar, it's the idea of waiting and hoping. and maybe there's a little bit there, that that that's connection there. So Nah, that's so crazy, Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: man. That's awesome. And so if I ask you, bruh, if we're kind of thank you for I know there's so many more details we could have talked about with that too. But I guess as you look back now and you think about how this whole experience and currently is y reshaping you, your convictions, your beliefs about God and how he works and about suffering. 'Cause there'd be some people maybe that listen that are going through difficult times, that are going through physical stuff. It could be mental stuff, it could be Financial suffer you know, but as someone who's gone through it and is still going through it, what's your conviction, your perspective like now in your faith? Ashley: Well, actually a couple of weeks ago someone shared a communion from Second Peter two and it was talking about how Jesus had to go through suffering Aaron: Mm. Ashley: and if it's okay for the Son of God to be going through suffering, Aaron: Oof. Ashley: what makes us think that we shouldn't have to go through suffering as well? Aaron: Come on. Ashley: And that kinda hit me a like, yeah. wh why should I not have to go through a period of suffering? Why should I just expect everything to be fine? But I I'm definitely grateful because I could have got a disease that goes the other way. You just get worse, worse Aaron: Right. Yeah. Ashley: and worse and die. Like I'm seeing Jai Arrow, I'm sure you've seen him from NRL and he's rapidly going the other way, whereas I get to improve and I'm just Aaron: Mm. Ashley: Definitely grateful. I'm not sure why this happened. I don't know what the purpose and I'm not sure I ever will, but yeah, I think Jesus had to suffer, so I gotta do my time to Aaron: Hmm, man, that's that's so hard for me that's so hard for me to hear and I think hard for so many people to hear, but it's so true. man, Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: yeah. It's if the son I love that. If the son of God had to suffer, then what makes us think that we're immune to immune to it? That's really how how do you view now just like I guess what's the biggest area you feel like you've grown in during this during this period? Ashley: Well, I think, you know, spending three hundred and sixty four days in hospital I missed out on so much. So Aaron: Mm. Ashley: even things like family time where things that looking after the kids, sort of babysitting, things that I could have perceived as burdens before. Aaron: Hmm. Ashley: When I was in hospital, man, I just longed to be able to be with the kids. Aaron: Wow. Ashley: I just wanted to play with them. I just I wanted to be involved. I wanted to be there as a father and so now when it's tempting to be like let me just pull out my phone and scroll while the kids are there, I'm like, no, you know what? I longed for this time to be with the kids and now that I can Aaron: Mm. Ashley: actually have that time, why would I waste it scrolling or what do they call it now? Doom scrolling Aaron: Doom scrolling. That's it. That's it. Brain rotting. Yeah. Ashley: You're very running. Aaron: man. You're just speaking my language, man. Like that's that's yeah, so being grateful for those little things is yeah, man, you convicted me, man. 'Cause that's that's me. I feel that all the time. I feel like, man, like I gotta look after, do this and it's so but yeah, having yeah, I could imagine being in that position where I couldn't even do just those little things and now Yeah, and I get to have the the the privilege, really, the privilege of doing that, of looking after my kids and the privilege of the inconvenience, you know, of that of of of that and yeah, that's to being grateful. Yeah, bro, that's a lot. That's a lot. And man, I I just think yeah, the experience that you've gone through is It's re it's yes, sh I guess it's just changed everything about your life, right? And change everything about your life. But I mean, do you get ang do you ever get angry at God about it about everything that's happened? Or is it just questioning or how do you process that? Ashley: I mean I've always kinda had this feeling, not that I deserved it, but that you know, I why wouldn't this have happened to me? I'd had such Aaron: Hmm. Ashley: a such a great life up until that point. So who am I to say how my life should have gone and if my story can bring one person to God then that's that's amazing, you know, through all of this i it would have been made worth it, you know, just Aaron: Mm-hmm. Ashley: but I'm still like we talk about reshaping, that's something I'm still working on. Just I feel like I haven't made it yet to be able to inspire people because I'm still toddler, I'm not quite fully walking, I'm still not where I wanna be. So I've been reluctant to sort of share my story and talk about things, but yeah, that's one thing I'm trying to get more bold and just, hey, this is what happened and I'm here because of God and Yeah, just being more vulnerable and open about the whole thing. Aaron: Yeah, bro. No, dude, I think you have absolutely gotten to a level where you can you can share your story. It's just it's your story. It's your story, bro. And that's why I really appreciate you coming on here and and just sharing about what you're feeling, the the lows, feeling vulnerable, feeling, you know, your dignity was gone at some points. But I love it how th all throughout there's there's just staying connected, staying connected to God, staying connected to family and community and how that is it's just it's just so powerful. and yeah, so I think bro, yeah, you're sharing you're sharing your story and now it's it's out there, bro. We've talked about it, so but no, honestly, bro. dude, dude, where you're at right now is amazing, man. Yeah, but we can definitely run this Ashley: We can do a part two when I'm running laps around an oval someday. We'll do part two. Aaron: back. We'll run this back. But bro, you've yeah, what you're doing is inspiring, bro, and and bringing awareness to it as well. and so yeah, I guess if I like the you've already mentioned it a little bit, but I guess last question I'm asking people that I'm talking to is yeah, what area do you feel God is is reshaping you today? Ashley: Definitely yeah, we've touched on the gratitude, we've touched on humility, touched on me being a bit more open about things, but yeah, I think I think just that that mindset change where wow, you know, I've there is a God, there is a heaven, there is a hell, I Aaron: Mm. Ashley: sort of felt it very strongly and just I need to live my life in that way, that Aaron: Mm. Ashley: this life is not as important. And when your body gives out, you know, we're gonna meet judgment one day, so just living the best way that I can for God. Aaron: Hm, wow. Yeah. That I think that I love that put it's all perspective. It puts it all in perspective for you, hey, what you've gone through. Yeah. Ashley: Yeah. Aaron: And I think it's not about being like, it I don't think people need to listen to this and go, man, my troubles aren't as bad as what Ash has gone through or I'm not No, it it it's about no, we're we're all going through things, but it's all about being connected, holding on to God, trusting God in and throughout the the The good in life and then also the the struggles and the difficult things that we go through and and through that God's refining us, right? Like he's he's he's reshaping us and molding us to be more and more like Christ. James one, you know, c consider it pure joy when you go through trials of many kinds 'cause it's it's producing perseverance and building building your faith. Bro, thank you so much, Ash. This has been such a good chat, bro. I I'm yeah, you're an inspiration. And I know I know you're a humble guy. You don't you're so modest. You Ashley: Likewise. Aaron: always are you always I always even growing up, you're always so modest. No man, just put the attention off me. Put the attention off me. But no, bro, God is God is glorified in in what you're doing and what you've gone through and how you're living your life. and you are absolutely bro, an inspiration. And so I wanna I wanna thank you so much for coming on here. I love you a lot, man. And yeah, we'll definitely have to I can't wait to catch up in person. It's gonna be it's gonna be great. So thank you so much for being on. Ashley: Think says you're the best, you're the man. Aaron: You're the best, bro. Thank you. All right, guys. Thanks so much for listening to Reshaped and make sure you go follow on all the stuff, all the socials and all the things like that. Ash, my brother, appreciate you. We'll see you guys in the next one. Bye bye.