Julia is Paul's granddaughter in Virginia. She's 5 or 6.
Here's the email that we just received:
I just got home from the Urgent Care Clinic with Julia. She had a fever since Tuesday, that just kept getting worse. 103.8 yesterday and this morning. Finally last night, I put all of the pieces together from the past week. (I feel foolish for not having done it earlier, but that's how hindsight is I guess.)
Anyway, at breakfast last Thursday, we saw a fully blood-engorged tick walking across our table, near Julia and Chloe, that had obviously fallen off of one of them. I checked them over and couldn't find any marks. At the time, Julia said she had been scratching a mosquito bite behind her ear. Friday, I checked her over again because of the fever, but I had forgotten about the "mosquito bite!!" So, last night I noticed the bulls-eye rash behind her ear. I took her in 1st thing this morning, and I was hopeful that the mark and fever would be enough to convince the Doctor to put her on anitbiotics immediately. Thankfully it was! The test won't be in for a week. But to us it's clear! Lyme Disease! (He tested for Strep also. Negative.)
So, please ask the Lord to have mercy on Julia and heal her body. I know that often a good dose of anitibiotics will work on healthy children with Lyme exposure. Also, pray with us that this will not turn into chronic lyme disease. I know we all know someone who is dealing with it, and it is not easy.
Thanks, everyone, for your prayers! We are praying for you too!
May the Lord Bless you all with abundant joy today!
Marla
Ohhh Pat so sad!!! Yes Praying.
Pat it would be nice if you could put a picture of Julia here in this topic so folks know who this wee lass is!
Judy's right, it would be nice to see a picture of Julia, but of course we don't need that to offer heartfelt prayers for a sweet little girl. Prayers for fast and complete healing for Julia, for peace and strength for Marla, and for wisdom for the doctors.
Father, I present little Julia to You today. I know You know all about her and all those who are around her. In Your mercy, Father deal healingly with her I pray. And, Father, grant that in some way known only to You this entire incident may result in her being drawn to You through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Even though I'd like to show you who Julia is, I will honour her Mummy's request not to put her photo on the net.
Please continue to pray.
Praying here for Julia.
Pat, it is understandable in this day and age that parents are reluctant to have the children's pictures posted on the net and of course their wishes are to be respected. The wonderful thing is, our God knows who she is and what she looks like. And He knows her needs and her family's needs and will supply those needs in abundance.
Here is the latest regarding wee Julia:
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your prayers! And for asking others to pray. We had a scary weekend, but now things are much better! She is very active, and slowly getting her appetite back.
Saturday, and through the night, it got so bad!! I was thinking, "This wicked, wicked Lyme!" I know that about it, but to see it in action... With Tylenol, her fever hit 105. Her knees started to feel it, she couldn't walk on them. she complained of pain at the now full blown Lyme Disease bullseye.
We were all going to stay home from church today, in case we had to take her to the ER. (It wuld really have to be bad for us to do that!!)
Anyway, through the night her fever broke, and today she is weak but much improved. The antibiotics are doing their thing. I hope they can pull it off completely! I am set up with Kefir, homemade bone broth, & homemade sauerkraut, but who knows if the antibiotics will flush out all of my efforts. Our diet is very good, and she is very healthy, but I have better plans for her diet. I don't want to have any regrets that I didn't do everything in my power to strengthen her immune system right now! Although, her tummy is disturbed, so I have to be very careful as I get her taking anything in again!
Pat, since then I learned that I should take it easy on the kefir right now with her, because some believe that it can actually counteract the antibiotics. I don't know, so I'm just going to give her a little bit every day or so. I was ready to "booze her up" with it before I heard that caution!!
As for Julia, we are still praying that the antibiotics will do their thing completely, so that she will not haev any recurring Lyme problems. The chances of a full recovery for a child -- caught early -- are very good.
Thanks again!!
Love,
Marla
Praise God for this.
Thank You for answered prayer Lord!