The Story of Julie

My granddaughter, and daughter to my youngest son, Julie, was born a few months early at 1 pound, 1 GRAM. That was 2-1/2 years ago in July. She was immediately put on life support... and EVERYONE we knew was praying that she would live. The doctors gave NO hope of her living more than a few days. My son, Bob, and his SO were at the hospital every day even though they had an hour drive to get to the hospital... and the same to get back IF the traffic was good. Those were definitely hard times!

Julie stayed in the PICU and NICU until January (six months!) when she finally got to go home. But not without TONS of hospital equipment. Because she had been born prematurely, her lungs had not developed properly. She was on constant oxygen and a few monitors... which were NOT enough. A week after her release, SHE STOPPED BREATHING! Bob did the best he could after calling paramedics to give CPR. Thank goodness for TV shows because he kept her alive. Julie was airlifted BACK to the hospital. But, because of the time she hadn't been breathing, there were problems....

At the hospital, a tracheotomy had to be performed which meant MORE constant oxygen. Somehow, Julie lost her ability to swallow so she has a "breathing barrel", as I call it, which constantly needs to be sucked out to prevent liquid build-up. Without the swallowing reflex, she needed a feeding tube (attached through her belly button) and still has it to this day. Needless to say, she can't speak... because of the trach. She also is a "special" child. Her brain lost too much oxygen when she stopped breathing and lost some of her mental facilities.

Thank goodness there were no more non-breathing incidents! Today, Julie has gone through countless therapy sessions, both for breathing, swallowing, and for walking. She finally started walking a few months back! She's a terror now, LOL! There's a home-care nurse at their place for 16 hours a day except on weekends, so that the parents can shop, clean, sleep. Everyday she learns more and more. We are all hoping the trach will be removed one day. The doctors and the hospital have taken TOTAL blame for the problems created AFTER her first release from the hospital!

This is our Julie... she lives a hard life but she is sooooooooooo loved!

Kit used is Secret Garden (freebies) by Jenni at Chaos Lounge
Font used is decemberice by Eric Mynahan

Ciao for now. I'm off to clean the house!