Episode 25 - Social Media Influencer

Clearly KC host Dr. Melissa Barnett OD spends some time with Ash Arellanes, digital content creator and enthusiastic KC advocate.  Ash shares her journey of vision loss until she finally was diagnosed with keratoconus.  She remembers how she experienced relief to finally have an answer along with confusion and loneliness of having a condition she knew nothing about.  Ash had an existing online presence for her dog, Demi, and she started using her social media to share stories of life with keratoconus. Through her TikTok account, @demi_the_vlog_dog, Ash educates and entertains her 320,000 followers, including many in the keratoconus community. 

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
Welcome to episode 25 of the Clearly Casey podcast, featuring information about life with keratoconus.
I'm your host, Dr.
Melissa Barnett, and today is International Women's Day.
.999So it's a special honor to be joined by Ash, who is a social media influencer and leading advocate for Keratoconus.

(00:26):
.999Welcome Ash. 6 00:00:28,4.999 --> 00:00:29,114.9995 Hi Melissa. 7 00:00:29,114.9995 --> 00:00:31,125 It's so amazing to be here with you today.
I'm so excited to chat.
I'm so excited to have you.
.999Tell us a little bit about yourself and your struggles leading up to your diagnosis of Keratoconus.
I am 27 years old, and I was diagnosed six years ago when I was 21, I had just had my first baby whenever things really progressed, keratoconus progression. 12 00:00:55,119.999 --> 00:00:59,69.999 the struggle to get diagnosed was, probably one of the hardest things in my life. 13 00:00:59,119.999 --> 00:01:02,629.999 And that's what I do on social media is to get the word out there about keratoconus. 14 00:01:02,629.999 --> 00:01:14,919.998 So people know what to look for and when they're going to the doctor and they know something's wrong, maybe mention keratoconus and hopefully catch keratoconus before you end up with such a severe case like myself. 15 00:01:16,104.999 --> 00:01:16,764.999 Wow. 16 00:01:17,164.999 --> 00:01:18,964.999 That's such an inspiring story. 17 00:01:19,4.999 --> 00:01:27,684.998 So prior to your pregnancy, did you have eye exams? Did you wear glasses or contact lenses at all? Yeah. 18 00:01:27,714.999 --> 00:01:28,464.999 Great question. 19 00:01:28,464.999 --> 00:01:28,934.999 So I did. 20 00:01:28,935.099 --> 00:01:30,35.099 I have a piece right here. 21 00:01:30,75.099 --> 00:01:31,525.098 Of course people can't see it at home. 22 00:01:31,525.098 --> 00:01:34,545.098 This was my last pair of glasses, just the lens. 23 00:01:35,75.098 --> 00:01:35,455.098 Yeah. 24 00:01:36,355.098 --> 00:01:40,845.098 I wore glasses for years and it got to the point where my glasses weren't working. 25 00:01:41,295.099 --> 00:01:46,755.099 And I had gone to an eye doctor and I was like, Hey, I need a new pair of glasses. 26 00:01:46,755.099 --> 00:01:47,605.099 I was in high school. 27 00:01:47,605.199 --> 00:01:49,335.099 I was like, I can't see the board. 28 00:01:49,335.099 --> 00:01:50,495.099 I'm having trouble driving. 29 00:01:50,505.099 --> 00:01:52,955.099 And he's like, well, we'll get you a new script and we'll get you on your way. 30 00:01:52,975.099 --> 00:02:02,445.099 And I remember being so excited when that script came in, I was going to be able to see, and I put these glasses on and it didn't make much of a difference. 31 00:02:02,475.099 --> 00:02:08,905.099 And I said that to my doctor, I was like, Hey, I don't know if I need to like wear these longer, but I don't really see much of a difference. 32 00:02:08,905.099 --> 00:02:10,755.099 And he was like, well, you have to wear your glasses. 33 00:02:11,95.099 --> 00:02:15,345.099 For your glasses to work and that was the start of my keratoconus journey. 34 00:02:15,425.099 --> 00:02:23,175.099 I kept going to doctors because I was having trouble seeing, it was getting worse slowly and I was just getting really stressed out. 35 00:02:23,185.099 --> 00:02:32,975.099 At one point I had a corneal tear and I went to an emergency appointment with some random optometrist because my eye hurt. 36 00:02:33,835.099 --> 00:02:40,925.099 I got in with him same day and he looks at me I was at the time wearing, I don't even know if I should say this on this right here. 37 00:02:41,105.099 --> 00:02:41,815.099 Oh, You can share. 38 00:02:42,225.099 --> 00:02:43,725.098 Uh, this is a big no no. 39 00:02:43,725.099 --> 00:02:44,565.099 Nobody do this. 40 00:02:44,675.099 --> 00:02:47,475.099 I was wearing a friend of mine's contacts. 41 00:02:47,575.099 --> 00:02:48,525.099 We weren't sharing. 42 00:02:48,545.099 --> 00:02:49,755.098 She never wore them before. 43 00:02:49,995.099 --> 00:02:50,805.098 Don't do this. 44 00:02:51,145.098 --> 00:02:51,325.098 Correct. 45 00:02:51,355.099 --> 00:02:52,5.098 Don't do that. 46 00:02:52,285.099 --> 00:02:53,534.999 But I could see, I could see guys. 47 00:02:53,534.999 --> 00:02:55,74.999 And I was like, wow, this is just where I need it. 48 00:02:55,74.999 --> 00:03:03,759.998 I just need a, you know, And so I had been wearing them, but I had no proper training on contacts because I never had an optometrist sit down with me and be like, this is how you do it. 49 00:03:03,759.999 --> 00:03:04,689.999 This is what you're supposed to do. 50 00:03:04,699.998 --> 00:03:05,649.999 Someone just handed me a pair. 51 00:03:05,649.999 --> 00:03:06,639.999 And I was like, this is great. 52 00:03:07,209.999 --> 00:03:11,369.999 That caused a corneal tear because at the time, I didn't know I had keratoconus. 53 00:03:11,879.999 --> 00:03:15,909.999 However, keratoconus causes thinning of your cornea, as we all know. 54 00:03:16,209.999 --> 00:03:21,909.998 And I guess at that point, my cornea was quite thin and I had something rubbing on it all the time. 55 00:03:21,959.998 --> 00:03:25,579.998 And, that led me to getting a corneal scar. 56 00:03:26,179.999 --> 00:03:28,609.999 And still, Keratoconus was not caught. 57 00:03:28,969.999 --> 00:03:39,269.998 This was longer than six years ago, this was almost ten years ago now, maybe Keratoconus wasn't talked about more, I'm not sure, but I don't know. 58 00:03:40,249.999 --> 00:03:42,829.999 I think you brought up some great points there. 59 00:03:43,419.999 --> 00:03:45,459.999 One, don't wear someone else's contact lenses. 60 00:03:45,489.999 --> 00:03:45,699.999 Yeah. 61 00:03:45,839.999 --> 00:03:46,399.999 Don't do that. 62 00:03:46,929.999 --> 00:03:47,389.999 Don't do that. 63 00:03:47,699.999 --> 00:03:48,489.999 That's awful. 64 00:03:48,529.998 --> 00:03:49,359.999 Uh, contact lenses. 65 00:03:50,729.999 --> 00:03:53,609.999 It's important to see your eye doctor, to be fit. 66 00:03:53,639.999 --> 00:03:55,439.999 We evaluate the health of the eyes. 67 00:03:55,549.998 --> 00:04:03,529.998 It's not just the vision and the comfort, but we're actually evaluating your ocular physiology to make sure that the contact lenses are the right ones for you. 68 00:04:04,154.998 --> 00:04:08,494.998 But also just the important point of the timing of your diagnosis. 69 00:04:08,834.998 --> 00:04:16,434.998 So with our patients, that's really common in the late teens or early twenties for things to be changing. 70 00:04:16,434.998 --> 00:04:19,434.998 So that's a good call out to all the practitioners out there. 71 00:04:19,834.998 --> 00:04:28,164.998 If there are changing prescriptions, changing glasses or contact lenses, or things just aren't right, or the vision is not a crisp and clear. 72 00:04:28,569.998 --> 00:04:29,519.998 2020. 73 00:04:29,519.998 --> 00:04:30,579.998 It's kind of blurry. 74 00:04:30,869.998 --> 00:04:32,919.998 Then we should all be thinking of keratoconus. 75 00:04:32,959.998 --> 00:04:43,139.997 So I'm trying to educate everyone that we should be looking for keratoconus in every single patient and ruling it out, just like we should be ruling out dry eye in every single patient. 76 00:04:43,619.998 --> 00:04:47,489.998 And hopefully awareness is getting better, but I still think that we have. 77 00:04:48,54.998 --> 00:04:56,104.998 Jointly, the opportunity to share that we should be evaluating and thinking about keratoconus for all of our patients. 78 00:04:57,324.998 --> 00:04:57,894.998 Absolutely. 79 00:04:58,174.998 --> 00:04:58,714.998 Thank you. 80 00:04:58,784.998 --> 00:05:01,524.998 Thanks for sharing that part of your story. 81 00:05:01,614.997 --> 00:05:08,794.998 Now, I'm so interested in what motivated you to start sharing your experience online with others. 82 00:05:09,759.998 --> 00:05:26,29.998 When I finally got this diagnosis, I went into my doctor's office and it had progressed to the point where my visual acuity was hand motion and going into the office, I got lost going in because I couldn't see anything and I knew something was wrong. 83 00:05:26,479.998 --> 00:05:33,799.998 I just didn't know what so sitting down and getting this keratoconus diagnosis I felt great peace because I had answers. 84 00:05:33,849.998 --> 00:05:34,809.998 I knew what was going on. 85 00:05:34,809.998 --> 00:05:41,354.998 I knew I wasn't crazy It wasn't all in my head, but I also felt a great deal of loneliness and confusion. 86 00:05:41,364.998 --> 00:05:49,564.997 I wanted to connect with somebody, I had never heard of care to what care to who and to sit down and just be like, I don't know anything about this. 87 00:05:49,604.998 --> 00:05:50,764.998 I want to know more. 88 00:05:51,44.998 --> 00:05:54,474.9975 I want to sit down with somebody who knows what's going on and just talk about this. 89 00:05:54,474.9975 --> 00:05:55,484.9965 Like, this is crazy. 90 00:05:55,534.9965 --> 00:05:57,804.9965 Hard plastic contacts going in my eye. 91 00:05:57,934.9965 --> 00:06:03,974.9965 Like what? And so I had a social media, platform for my dog. 92 00:06:03,984.9965 --> 00:06:05,434.9965 Cause I am a dog person. 93 00:06:05,914.9965 --> 00:06:06,954.9965 Her name is Demi. 94 00:06:06,954.9965 --> 00:06:08,854.9965 That's where Demi the vlog dog came from. 95 00:06:09,304.9965 --> 00:06:14,414.9965 And I was like, you know what? These contacts are so cool and I think Keratoconus is such an interesting thing. 96 00:06:14,674.9965 --> 00:06:15,654.9965 I want to talk about this. 97 00:06:15,664.9965 --> 00:06:17,144.9965 So I made a post. 98 00:06:17,414.9965 --> 00:06:19,84.996 I was like, maybe this could help somebody. 99 00:06:19,84.996 --> 00:06:20,544.9965 Maybe I'll find somebody like me. 100 00:06:20,894.9965 --> 00:06:23,704.9965 And who knows? Maybe it'll help somebody get a diagnosis. 101 00:06:24,174.9965 --> 00:06:30,299.9965 And so I started sharing a little bit about scleral lenses and Keratoconus and It took off. 102 00:06:30,349.9965 --> 00:06:33,139.9965 People were messaging me saying me too. 103 00:06:33,159.9965 --> 00:06:36,299.996 Oh my gosh, I've never met somebody who wears these contacts too. 104 00:06:36,299.996 --> 00:06:39,219.9965 Or I've never met somebody who needed corneal cross linking too. 105 00:06:39,219.9965 --> 00:06:43,389.9965 And we were able to connect and kind of hold each other's hands through this process. 106 00:06:44,39.9965 --> 00:06:48,704.9965 Yeah, that's how I got to social media and it just, Took off from there. 107 00:06:48,704.9965 --> 00:06:56,824.9965 I never, I never shut up about it since so well, you're doing such great work sharing your story and really helping others. 108 00:06:56,824.9965 --> 00:07:03,284.996 And I know many of my patients have never met anyone else with keratoconus and it's amazing. 109 00:07:03,314.996 --> 00:07:08,994.995 So the National Keratoconus Foundation, of course, is a wonderful resource to connect all of us. 110 00:07:09,794.996 --> 00:07:16,394.996 And you sharing your story with others, it really helps to make everyone feel like we're all part of this community. 111 00:07:16,404.996 --> 00:07:17,294.996 We're not alone. 112 00:07:17,844.995 --> 00:07:28,259.896 And especially for my patients, I never want them to feel alone in their journey because being diagnosed with keratoconus and everything that follows is quite a journey. 113 00:07:29,419.996 --> 00:07:29,799.996 It is. 114 00:07:29,869.996 --> 00:07:30,239.996 Yes. 115 00:07:30,729.996 --> 00:07:33,689.996 I understand that you have a nonprofit organization. 116 00:07:33,959.996 --> 00:07:35,349.995 Tell us a little bit more about that. 117 00:07:36,349.996 --> 00:07:36,869.996 Yes. 118 00:07:36,909.996 --> 00:07:37,739.995 She's brand new. 119 00:07:37,899.996 --> 00:07:43,809.996 I just finally got my EIN and it's called the Angel Eyes Foundation. 120 00:07:44,289.997 --> 00:07:55,314.998 My goal, I know it's going to take a while probably to be able to do this, but I just want to help as many people as I can, even if it just ends up being one person Knowing I did that will be very fulfilling to me. 121 00:07:55,604.998 --> 00:08:07,44.998 My goal with this foundation is to provide financial support to those who need scleral lenses, any specialty lenses or related procedures, corneal cross linking, Intax, things like that. 122 00:08:07,314.997 --> 00:08:19,84.997 With my social media, I get a lot of comments from people, inboxes, people saying, I want these, I need these, I'm living my life not to the fullest because I can't afford these lenses or I need CXL my visions. 123 00:08:19,344.997 --> 00:08:21,124.997 Declining and they just can't afford it. 124 00:08:21,124.997 --> 00:08:22,204.997 And that's so heartbreaking. 125 00:08:22,254.997 --> 00:08:23,394.997 I've been fortunate enough. 126 00:08:23,414.997 --> 00:08:24,414.997 I have a platform. 127 00:08:24,414.997 --> 00:08:28,254.997 I've been able to crowdfund for, my own pair a couple of years ago. 128 00:08:28,644.997 --> 00:08:32,164.996 And then this year a company reached out to me and was like, we'll pay for them. 129 00:08:32,554.997 --> 00:08:36,404.997 I understand that it's such a privilege and not everybody can do that. 130 00:08:36,754.997 --> 00:08:42,454.997 And I feel like it would be wrong of me to call myself an advocate and to sit here and take from a community and not give back. 131 00:08:42,884.996 --> 00:08:45,324.996 So that's why I've started this. 132 00:08:45,574.997 --> 00:08:46,504.9965 It's very hard. 133 00:08:46,504.9965 --> 00:08:47,994.996 It's the hardest thing I've ever done. 134 00:08:48,404.996 --> 00:08:52,404.996 But I'm determined and persistence will get me to where I want to be. 135 00:08:52,504.996 --> 00:08:54,484.996 Yeah, that's just a little bit about it. 136 00:08:55,984.996 --> 00:08:57,544.996 Oh, that's so wonderful. 137 00:08:57,554.996 --> 00:08:58,834.996 I have so many questions. 138 00:08:59,684.996 --> 00:09:08,324.996 First of all, how can we support this? So say we want to donate to the Angel Eyes Foundation, where do we go? That's a great question. 139 00:09:08,344.996 --> 00:09:09,564.996 As I said, she's brand new. 140 00:09:09,604.995 --> 00:09:12,574.996 I'm applying for 501c3 status next week. 141 00:09:12,959.996 --> 00:09:14,79.996 So that'll be great. 142 00:09:14,399.996 --> 00:09:19,519.996 After I get that application and I get approved, then I plan to get the website up. 143 00:09:19,919.996 --> 00:09:24,29.996 So she's legally recognized as a nonprofit, but we're not quite ready. 144 00:09:24,279.996 --> 00:09:26,379.996 Once it is up, I've already bought the domain. 145 00:09:26,459.996 --> 00:09:29,449.995 It's the website is called www. 146 00:09:30,199.996 --> 00:09:31,739.996 theangeleyesfoundation. 147 00:09:31,749.996 --> 00:09:32,199.996 org. 148 00:09:32,569.996 --> 00:09:40,879.996 And You'll be able to find a donation link and hopefully be able to donate there that is wonderful. 149 00:09:40,969.996 --> 00:09:51,84.996 And have you reached out to different manufacturers of different lenses to get support yet? That is a wonderful, idea. 150 00:09:51,844.996 --> 00:09:53,244.996 There's a lot I want to do. 151 00:09:53,464.996 --> 00:09:56,394.995 Starting out, there's just so much that needs to be done. 152 00:09:56,774.996 --> 00:10:00,164.996 Obviously that is a great thing to do and I will be doing. 153 00:10:00,374.996 --> 00:10:03,744.996 I think it's very important that I get the ball rolling and then. 154 00:10:04,99.996 --> 00:10:04,849.996 I talk about it. 155 00:10:04,849.996 --> 00:10:06,139.996 Everybody who hears about it. 156 00:10:06,139.996 --> 00:10:07,9.996 Just talk about it. 157 00:10:07,9.996 --> 00:10:11,689.996 Get the word out that it's going to exist and hopefully it'll fall into the laps. 158 00:10:11,919.996 --> 00:10:14,89.996 Well, we have a great community. 159 00:10:14,129.996 --> 00:10:25,219.896 So all the specialty labs out there, take a listen and support and we'll definitely share the word through the national as well. 160 00:10:25,599.996 --> 00:10:31,309.996 It is so wonderful because specialty lenses and scleral lenses can really change lives. 161 00:10:31,359.996 --> 00:10:39,689.995 I truly believe that they not only change the life of the patient, the person, the individual, but also their family. 162 00:10:39,759.995 --> 00:10:54,19.995 So many of my patients, They're able to work or go to school or do whatever they want to do with these special lenses, and it not only changes families, it changes communities and changes lives, and it's absolutely incredible. 163 00:10:54,19.995 --> 00:11:05,369.995 It's such an honor for me to be able to be involved in this and teach other doctors how to fit lenses and it's definitely one of my favorite things that I do and I talk about lenses quite a bit, too. 164 00:11:06,59.995 --> 00:11:12,39.995 I think there's something so beautiful when you meet a practitioner who is so passionate about what they're doing. 165 00:11:12,349.995 --> 00:11:15,309.995 I still remember the doctor the same day that I was diagnosed. 166 00:11:15,399.995 --> 00:11:18,969.995 I tried on my first pair of scleral lenses and her name was Dr. 167 00:11:18,969.995 --> 00:11:20,379.995 Reyes in San Antonio, Texas. 168 00:11:20,379.995 --> 00:11:22,19.996 If you hear this, I love you so much. 169 00:11:22,49.995 --> 00:11:22,609.995 Thank you. 170 00:11:23,59.995 --> 00:11:27,679.995 I will never forget looking up and seeing her face being the first face I seen. 171 00:11:27,964.995 --> 00:11:47,274.995 And just us staring into each other's eyes and we both cried like it's such a special moment to see the world again and I'm, just incredibly thankful for everybody who takes the time to learn because I know it has got to be a hard thing to Fit somebody with such specialty lenses, especially such complex cases. 172 00:11:47,654.995 --> 00:11:57,134.9945 And I'm just so grateful for everything you guys all do, especially people who are advocating people who are spreading the word about Keratoconus, National Keratoconus Foundation. 173 00:11:57,134.9945 --> 00:11:58,834.995 I love you guys so, so much. 174 00:11:59,174.995 --> 00:12:08,384.995 I always tell patients when they reach out, they're like, do you know anything about this? This, this, I always refer them to the National Keratoconus Foundation because that is where you're going to get up to date research. 175 00:12:08,384.995 --> 00:12:09,484.995 You can find out information. 176 00:12:09,484.995 --> 00:12:10,434.995 And there's, I believe. 177 00:12:11,314.995 --> 00:12:14,574.995 Just a plethora of educational resources there. 178 00:12:15,409.995 --> 00:12:18,219.995 Oh, yes, that, that is correct. 179 00:12:18,269.995 --> 00:12:20,519.995 And KCF is so incredibly helpful. 180 00:12:20,559.995 --> 00:12:25,729.995 And I will tell you that even though I've been fitting scleral lenses for many, many years, I still cry. 181 00:12:26,489.995 --> 00:12:26,949.994 I cry too. 182 00:12:27,639.995 --> 00:12:28,669.995 We all cry together. 183 00:12:29,469.995 --> 00:12:34,619.995 And then it's like my 8am and then I just I'm like, Oh, I've been teary the whole day. 184 00:12:35,169.995 --> 00:12:36,9.995 These are so great. 185 00:12:36,39.995 --> 00:12:36,719.995 You can see. 186 00:12:36,929.995 --> 00:12:40,579.995 No, yeah, we're right there with you. 187 00:12:42,249.994 --> 00:12:59,329.995 So what is the message that you want to share with everyone? When you talk on social media, if you could have three key points, what would you share with everyone? or you can go into as many as you want, but maybe three, maybe three. 188 00:12:59,409.995 --> 00:12:59,809.995 Okay. 189 00:12:59,809.995 --> 00:13:02,469.995 I think number one, I don't care who you are. 190 00:13:02,549.995 --> 00:13:08,389.995 If you are able to see your eye doctor at least once a year, please, please. 191 00:13:08,809.995 --> 00:13:13,379.895 Two, if you are diagnosed with keratoconus, please. 192 00:13:14,209.995 --> 00:13:18,899.995 Don't give up and follow your eye doctor's instructions. 193 00:13:18,999.995 --> 00:13:25,409.995 I get a lot of people that reach out and they say, I need this, this, or this, and I'm so scared. 194 00:13:25,409.995 --> 00:13:26,209.9945 I don't want to do it. 195 00:13:26,209.9945 --> 00:13:27,499.995 And they asked me my opinion. 196 00:13:27,499.995 --> 00:13:28,809.994 I'm like, I can't give you my opinion. 197 00:13:28,809.994 --> 00:13:29,809.994 I'm not an eye doctor. 198 00:13:30,39.995 --> 00:13:31,489.995 They know what's best for you. 199 00:13:31,499.995 --> 00:13:32,379.994 You need to listen. 200 00:13:32,559.994 --> 00:13:35,399.995 I know it's scary, but they're not going to steer you the wrong way. 201 00:13:36,49.995 --> 00:13:38,909.995 Three, talk about it. 202 00:13:38,919.995 --> 00:13:42,669.995 Talk about keratoconus, talk about the importance of regular eye exams. 203 00:13:42,669.995 --> 00:13:44,169.994 There's so many. 204 00:13:44,514.995 --> 00:13:45,624.995 Eye conditions out there. 205 00:13:45,914.995 --> 00:13:51,314.995 And so many of them, if caught early can lead to a better outcome. 206 00:13:51,364.995 --> 00:13:55,754.995 You don't really realize the importance of your vision until you're losing it. 207 00:13:56,84.995 --> 00:14:00,24.995 And once it gets to a certain point, sometimes you can't get that back. 208 00:14:00,44.995 --> 00:14:01,594.995 And that's scary to me. 209 00:14:02,384.995 --> 00:14:04,104.995 And just don't lose hope. 210 00:14:04,114.994 --> 00:14:09,974.995 You know, always help others when you can help push others, you got me. 211 00:14:10,714.995 --> 00:14:11,344.995 You're doing great. 212 00:14:12,114.995 --> 00:14:12,734.995 You're so sweet. 213 00:14:13,734.995 --> 00:14:22,744.9955 Don't miss the value of being someone's hand, to hold, you may feel like you're alone. 214 00:14:23,129.9955 --> 00:14:23,869.9955 But you're not. 215 00:14:25,779.9955 --> 00:14:28,769.9955 Oh, that was so wonderful and such great advice. 216 00:14:28,769.9955 --> 00:14:30,159.9955 I completely agree. 217 00:14:31,559.9955 --> 00:14:38,559.9945 The importance of an eye exam is so critical because we can find more than 270 diseases in the eye. 218 00:14:39,109.9955 --> 00:14:42,649.9945 And eye exams can start as early as six months of age. 219 00:14:42,649.9955 --> 00:14:44,269.9955 We do everything objectively. 220 00:14:44,889.9945 --> 00:15:01,69.9955 And for all the practitioners out there, please be thinking about keratoconus in every single exam and making sure That if there are prescription changes, glasses, contact lenses, vision's not clear enough to be thinking of and evaluating for keratoconus. 221 00:15:01,829.9955 --> 00:15:11,859.9955 So, Ash, thank you so much for inspiring us and for all the work that you do, and thank you for joining us on the Clearly KC podcast for all of our listeners. 222 00:15:11,879.9955 --> 00:15:14,649.9955 Thank you so much for joining us on Clearly KC. 223 00:15:15,29.9955 --> 00:15:20,369.9945 Please listen to all the episodes of the Clearly KC podcast on Podbean or your favorite podcast app. 224 00:15:21,24.9955 --> 00:15:25,434.9955 To subscribe and get future episodes and Ash, we're going to be in touch. 225 00:15:25,474.9955 --> 00:15:27,644.9955 I'm going to help you with your plans. 226 00:15:27,674.9955 --> 00:15:28,714.9955 Can't wait to do that. 227 00:15:29,254.9955 --> 00:15:30,754.9955 For now, I'm Dr. 228 00:15:30,754.9955 --> 00:15:31,524.9955 Melissa Barnett. 229 00:15:31,764.9955 --> 00:15:33,454.9955 See you next time on Clearly Casey.