Update March 29

They took the breathing tube out Thursday morning after they did a repeat CT to check for bleeding. There was no bleeding but some increased inflammation so they started her or a course of steroids (her we go again with the moodiness..ugh :) JK) She was not able to eat until Friday. That made for a rough night Thursday night, but we got through it. Jen's sister and mom have been helping out too. She did sleep off and on a lot Thursday because of all the meds and anesthesia she got. Friday she was able to eat and they moved her out of PICU to a regular room. Julie's right eye is turned inward a lot more than before surgery and she has a right sided facial droop and slurred speech because of it. The doctors feel that once some of the swelling goes down and the nerves move back into their normal places over the next few weeks, this should all improve. She is not able to sit up as well as before surgery but it is still better than it was before she had the biopsy. She is very weak and can not even stand as well as before...again this should get better. The neurosurgeons say that it was Julie who decided she wanted the tumor out, since when they went back in the second time and it would not stop bleeding until it was gone...LOL The surgeons also stated that they were able to access the tumor with out really disturbing the nerves that were being effected by the tumor.

The plan not is to start radiation next week. We meet with her Radiation doctor tomorrow...I will keep you all posted...Deidra