Wednesday, 28 March 2012

28/03/12

Yesterday, after a few more tests of Julie being fed small amounts of a variety of foods (from grapefruit segments to a sweet biscuit), Julie was given the good news that she can now eat food - whatever she wants as long as it is nutritional.  This news was given shortly before Angie arrived to visit - complete with freshly, home baked chocolate brownies. 

At the time, Nurse Sam (female) was preparing Julie for a return visit to the balcony to drink in the outdoor air and feel the natural breezes on her face.  So off the entourage went: Sam wheeling Julie in the hospital chair-bed, me wheeling the backup supply of oxygen in case it was needed, and Angie carrying the home-baked cookies.  Ang said that this was another sister who bakes: thus we have had delicious carrot cake baked by her Mum, muesli slices by her healthier sister, and now choc brownies by her other sister who enjoys a bit of indulgence.   Many many thanks to all of them.  Julie savoured the cookie complete with her first cup of tea for a long time.  I might add that Sam and Val also enjoyed a cookie!  Sam is another excellent nurse who is also a good lipreader. 

Julie was without the ventilator for 3 hours in the morning, then went back on it for an hour, then off for another three hours and so on.  It is still harder work for Julie to breathe alone, thus the help from the ventilator.
 
Julie's first shopping order was for grapefruit juice, a grapefruit, an apple, a banana and some cheese and biscuits.   I am hoping the morning nurse today finds the food.  '

Dr Vernon Hill called in to see Julie.  There could be a delay for her going to the spinal unit: it appears there are five on the waiting list, and they have a restriction on how many with tracheostomies they can have in the unit at any one time.  So we are assuming that once Julie's tracheostomy has been removed, she will have a much better chance of going to the spinal unit to start all of that hard work aimed at getting her limbs working.

On that note, I will close.  I am returning to Townsville tomorrow, and hopefully Norm will resume his updates, filling you in on the latest developments in the medical side of Julie's progress.

Best wishes, Val




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