Another Long Day, Sunday, November 25

I am getting a little better.  Last night I was awake with my mother until about 4am because I had bad back pain where I had my surgery and my nausea was worse than normal.  I walked around the seventh floor twice today with my walker, and I walked another time about half way holding my dad’s hands.  It is like I am learning to walk again.  I do not have good balance yet and my back hurts when I walk.  I will keep working on it everyday.  I spent all day with my parents and brother Nicholas.  My dad went to Franklin Street Pizza again today and brought a whole pizza back.  I could only eat one slice.  He also went to Harris Teeter and brought me red grapes and strawberry jello.  The hospital seems to have only green and orange jello but red is my favorite.  I ate some jello and quite a few grapes today.  My appetite is not back yet.

We went to the teen playroom again today.  It is only open from 2-4pm on the weekends.  My dad and mom played pool and air hockey, and Nicholas played a video game.

Dr. Campion who is my surgeon will come see me tomorrow.  He has to look at my back and also check my left knee because it feels numb.  I hope he says I can go home.  I really miss home.  My parents think I might get out of the hospital in one or two days.  On Tuesday it will be 2 weeks since I came to Chapel Hill for my surgery.  It has been 11 days since I had my surgery.

I am very sad to know that Micah died.  I did not meet him or his family but I knew about him from my parents.  My parents told me that a lot of people on my blog site were praying for Micah.  That was very nice.  He was down the hall from my room in ICU.  It is just so sad that he died because he was too young.  I feel sorry for his parents and his sister and I will pray for them and I hope you will too.

I have to go to sleep now.  Good night.

Julia

Micah Arrants Passes Away on Thanksgiving (11/25)

Eight days ago we asked everyone who was praying for Julia during her surgery and recovery to also pray for Micah Arrants, a 17-year-old teenager from Concord who was in ICU with Julia.  Micah was a healthy and strong athlete who began suffering from a rare blood clotting disorder in October.  Micah’s story was told to us by his mother and sister outside of the ICU.  After Julia was discharged from ICU last Monday, it was difficult to obtain any information on Micah’s status.  I tried to locate his family several times outside ICU but was unsuccessful.   The hospital staff could not provide me any information due to HIPAA privacy laws.  Sadly today I learned that Micah passed away on Thanksgiving Day.  It leaves one with a heavy heart to witness a bright and inspiring young man whose life has been cut short.  I can only try to imagine how his parents and sister are coping with their loss.  Please keep Micah and his family in your prayers, pray for Micah’s soul and for his family’s peace and comfort.  You can read Micah’s obituary at this link: http://www.legacy.com/Link.asp?I=LS000098540914X.  This only begins to tell the story of this wonderful young man.  Life is precious.

Harry (Julia’s father)