UPDATE ON FRIDAY EVENING (11/16, 10pm) & JULIA’S WORDS OF INSPIRATION

Julia is sleeping right now.  Her brothers John and Nicholas came up early this evening with Grandparents Brown.  They were able to see Julia for 5 minutes as it is limited in ICU.  Nicholas could not see her as children under 12 are prohibited in ICU during flu season.  Nicholas was a little upset but a Wendy’s double hamburger made him happy.  They will be here through the weekend.  Grandfather Brown will drive to Raleigh in the morning to pick up Christina from school - she is working to wrap up a big engineering project for presentation next week.  We are happy that all the kids will be here together tomorrow to spend some time with Julia and us.

Today had its difficulties and was a tough one for Julia but she is making some progress.   She will remain in ICU through the weekend.  She will continue to receive respiratory assistance as she is not able to breath on her own yet.  We are continuing to monitor her blood gas levels as they have gone back up so we know that she is not getting her breaths deep enough into her lungs.  The nurses will continue to draw blood every couple of hours to measure the blood gas.  Another chest x-ray will be taken in the morning.  Julia’s breathing and lungs are the focus now.  Antiobiotics and other fluids will continue.  The swelling in her face and neck is dropping but her legs remain very swollen and we have massage wraps working on her legs tonight.

Julia has not been able to speak much.  When we took her breathing mask off this afternoon, we were able to understand a few words and she told us “Why do I have to do this” and “how much longer”.  The difficulty breathing and her pain are hurting.  We try to comfort her with a few words and hold and rub her hands and feet.

Please remember her and pray for her as you get into the busy weekend.  If you are in church on Sunday, pray for her, and if in an Orthodox church, please light a candle also.  Believe it that your prayers have been heard.  Angels and saints have heard your prayers.

We want to close tonight with some quotes from Helen Keller, a person who inspired Julia when she read her biography as a young child.  These words we believe describe the essence of Julia’s character in the face of adversity.

• I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad.  Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers. 

• Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.  Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

• Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything good in the world.

• Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

We will update Julia’s Journal in the morning.  Good night and on behalf of our angel, thank you.

Harry and Regina

Julia’s Pictures from Greece (11/16)

UPDATE ON FRIDAY IN ICU (11/16, 2pm)

To all of Julia’s friends, or as one person likes to call it “Julia’s Army”, Julia continues her battle, and she is fighting.  We remain in ICU in stable condition and have worked through more issues today.  Julia rested well last night with heavy sedation.  They were busy early in the morning working several times to get fluids out of Julia’s lungs.  She was extubated this morning (ventilator tube was removed) around 10:30am.  That was an important event and the ICU team was prepared for all options with several specialists and ICU nurses in the room.  Because Julia has a narrow mouth and airway, the doctors must be prepared to re-intubate her with special equipment if any issues develop when they remove the tube.  This team here at UNC works very well together, and now we believe our decision to have the surgery here instead of Charlotte was the right one.  It was a decision we debated for quite some time over the past year as we evaluated each option but the team approach here at UNC gave us greater confidence.  Both her surgeon in Charlotte and Dr. Campion here at UNC are excellent surgeons, we just like the team system here at the University hospital.

After the tube was removed, Julia initially struggled to breath and began to hyperventilate causing her blood gas levels to drop so that they had to work on her manually for a period and she needed to get a CPAP machine hooked up to assist with breathing by giving her oxygen and pressure to her lungs.  The chest x-rays still show some areas of collapse in her lungs and fluid so the plan is to keep her on the CPAP machine until tomorrow, continue to measure her blood gas, respiration and oxygenation levels, and take further x-rays.  Not sure when the chest tube will be removed but for now it appears that area is healing as it should.

Julia’s blood pressure has stabilized and has now moved from low to high due in part to the activity today and her body working to adjust to her pain and her breathing.

Julia has been in much more pain today as they lowered her pain medication levels early this morning in order to get her ready for extubation of the vent tube.  They need to do this so that she is not too sedated while working to get her lungs to function on their own. She has indicated to us with finger squeeze communication that her back hurts a lot and her eyes have poured quite a few tears.  The center back along the spine line is where the majority of the surgery was performed.

Julia still is not able to open her eyes on her own except a time or two when you see a line of her eye peeping out as she comes out of her sleep mode and sedation.  We just hold her eyelids open for a few seconds so she can see us and she nods she is okay.

The plan today is to monitor and work on pain management and respiration.  Julia will remain in ICU likely through tomorrow and maybe until early next week.  Just don’t know for certain and as we discuss with Julia “one day at a time”.  We keep Julia updated on what day it is and the time – she knows it is Friday and that she is in her second day of recovery.  We are by her bedside as we send this message , and she knows all of you are praying for her – we have told her numerous times.  There is a certain peace and comfort as we sit with her and hold her hands.

Thank you for all your continued and overwhelming love, support, faith and prayers.  As we have said before, we know it makes a difference for Julia.  Your postings to Julia’s Journal will be a strong source of encouragement and healing for Julia when she is able to read them.  All messages from children to adults are appreciated.  We will pray for God’s blessings for you and your families.

We will update Julia’s Journal this evening after we have met with Julia’s surgeon and settle in for the night.

Harry and Regina