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Thursday, March 3, 2016

Pulmonary Hypertension and No Surgery

Julie was flown over to Denver Monday night with a flight nurse, arriving at the Aurora Anschultz Campus, where the University of Colorado Hospital is located, along with Children's Hospital. She flew with Full Armor.  Thank you, friends and family, for holding her up in prayer.

A shunt revision, for Julie, with many complications due to spina bifida, is no longer a viable possibility at her age and stage.  Over the past 48 hours, she has been and is still being evaluated by seven medical specialty teams.  She is on contact precautions this morning, meaning gloves and gowns are required by anyone entering her room, and remains in the ICU.  I will get breakfast in one of the dining areas prior to going into her room.  Then back to gown and gloves and reading to her before leaving her room again for lunch.

But the good news is that her involved problems have led the neurological and cardiac teams to a likely reason for her shunt related pressure problems: atrial pulmonary hypertension.

Mayo Clinic has a video explaining this medical complication, but I cannot seem to find the link on this iPad to make it work on the Blogger platform.  If googled, it is easily found.

Treatment to get this pulmonary hypertension under control will require medications to draw off fluid from around the lungs, decrease of salt intake, weight loss and fluid restrictions, along with a usual cardiac diet.

Julie will remain here at University of Colorado Hospital for a few more days, and more tests.

Word Chum friends, playing words will be one of my activities on schedule today.  It would be for Julie also, but we are having issues with charging her device.  Must charge up her Kindle Fire so she can get back to work with Word Chum power!  In the meantime, we will be reading aloud.

PS:  I drove over Vail Pass yesterday to get here.  The Pass had high winds and blowing snow, and I was driving the seventh car in line behind four snow plows, so I felt led over in a special way on dangerous highways



12 comments:

  1. You must be exhausted! Lots and lots of prayers for both of you!

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  2. Dr David Badesch is literally a life saver!! My husband,a Dr also nearly died..it was Dr Badesch and his team who solved his problems!
    You are at the best place possible for excellent care for your child!

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  3. wow, God bless! may God continue to keep you all in His care! This is not easy, but God is with you!

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  4. Keeping you in our prayers

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  5. What a drive you must have had, Nancy!
    I have to take Bill to the airport on Saturday morning. Maybe I could meet you somewhere near Children's and we could pray together?

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  6. Oh Nancy, just returning to blogland after a looong break and came here to "see" you. So sorry to read about all Julie (and therefore your mother's heart) is going through. I will pray for both of you! "He is before all things and in Him all things hold together." Col1:17

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  7. Prayers for you both-When I scrolled down and saw your shot of the highway, my first thought was "good grief" she was near me!! I'm in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Calif. The highway to our home looks just like that ! White knuckles and prayers all the way up the mountain or down as the case may be !! Take care and know others are thinking and praying for you and yours.

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  8. Oh my goodness Nancy....thinking about you and praying for both you and Julie!

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  9. Nancy thank goodness you have access to such excellent medical care; just said a prayer for you/Julie. Although the journey must have been treacherous for you - the snow plows seem like guardian angels were nearby. Betty

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  10. Oh dear friend, I am praying that Julie gets some relief VERY soon! Sending HUGS and PRAYERS across the miles!

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  11. Dear Nancy,
    Joining my prayers to all the others for both Julie and you, and for all those who love you both. Having a diagnosis now, and Things to be Done about it,
    must be a great comfort to you. I'm sure she is getting wonderful care there.
    I'm sure my sister will continue to be on board with the WWF games; she says you are a fierce competitor, and she's learned a lot from you. Will check back to your blog to see how she's doing, and will continue praying.
    Carol

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  12. My goodness. What a roller coasting ride she's been having. I'm glad there are caring, specialized doctors working hard to figure out what's going on and how to remedy it. Hugs to you all.

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