About 8-10 hours later, we were finally allowed to see her in the PICU. What a sight. She wasn't awake yet and didn't know we were there. It felt very scary but the nurses assured us that she was doing just great. I spent the night just outside PICU in a large waiting room. I tried to sleep on a vinyl fold out chair with many other people in the room. It felt very uncomfortable. Sometime during the night, I buzzed my way into the PICU to check on her. I think she had been awake but was sleeping when I got in there. Around 7am the next day, she was awake and talking. She was very thirsty, as I remember. Aunt Linda arrived during the early morning hours and they "tried" to play cards. 
Julia spent six nights at the hospital. I finally was allowed to sleep in the room with her. She moved very slow, but otherwise did very well. Kaitlyn stayed with me one night; Mike visited when he could. Nick moved into the dorms while I was in Ann Arbor. Tim started football. She started second grade a week later than her friends. 
The great news is that she recently had a follow-up visit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. She sees a Pulmonary Hypertension Specialist every 9 months. They do an echo cardiogram each visit. On this last visit, Julia was put on the treadmill and hooked up to various machines that measured her oxygen outflow, her blood pressure and her heart rate. They took her to the point where she could not go any longer. SHE DID FANTASTIC! They are thrilled with her progress. Her "numbers" (meaning her blood pressure in her pulmonary artery) has been the same or stable for the last three years. Dr. Hirsch feels this is an indicator that we can expect it to remain the same. Hurray for you, Julia! All the prayers from family and friends were answered.
7 comments:
Praise God!! We love our little Julia!!
Keep up the good work Combes family!!
Wow, I can't believe it's been 3 years since her surgery. I remember going in to see her in the PICU when she was hooked up to everything. It was scary.. but Julia was so brave through all of it. Although, we still can't talk about when she had her "tuba" out!
She is doing so great now that I forget about her heart condition. It's good to look back and see how far she has come. Love you, Julia!
This is the happiest news for one of the happiest girls I know.
To think that Alla's dreams for her came to such beautiful fruition.
I was just remembering and thinking how that one action - Alla giving me Julia's photo - made all the difference in the world, to so many people.
Isn't God good!
Just followed the link from Annie's post. What a great story!
Julia has come so far!
I also followed the link from Annie's post. A wonderful story with a very happy ending.
This is awesome news!!!
I remember when Alla and me went to visit orphanage and talked about her needing family. This is great happy story ;-)
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