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4 months ago
17
A fit and healthy young Aussie traveller has been placed in a coma after a simple case of Bali Belly triggered dangerous seizures.
Julia Barresi, 19, had been feeling ill for several days while holidaying on the Indonesian island with friends before suffering a series of seizures on July 1.
She was rushed to intensive care and given anti-seizure medication before being flown home to Australia and transferred to The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Her mother Jen Barresi said Julia had been put in a coma and was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.
'She's a healthy, vibrant, switched on, beautiful human being. She's my best friend in the whole wide world,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
'She's never had a seizure. She's had health issues when she was younger but she's perfectly healthy now.'
The heartbroken mum said she had booked a flight to Bali to help Julia recover from her illness before she got a harrowing phone call.
'Julia and I were communicating constantly and on Monday (July 1) she just didn't seem good so I booked a flight to come over first thing Tuesday,' she said.
Melbourne woman Julia Barresi, 19, had been feeling ill for several days while holidaying in Bali with friends before suffering a series of seizures on July 1
Julia, pictured with her brothers, grandfather and her mother Jen Baressi (front right), was rushed to intensive care at a Bali hospital and given anti-seizure medication before being flown home to Australia and transferred to The Royal Melbourne Hospital
'And then her beautiful friends rang me. They called me and said, "she's having seizures" and I just said, "get her straight in the cab, don't wait for an ambulance and get her straight to the hospital".'
Ms Barresi said she did not believe her daughter had done anything that could have triggered the seizures.
It's understood low sodium levels caused by the illness she suffered is believed to have been a factor.
'She's not a big drinker. I don't even think she would have drank much at all because she was sick, so she wouldn't have touched it,' she said.
'She's very careful with her food, with hygiene, the water, everything. So there's nothing that she's done to cause what's happened.
'I know her. We live together so we know each other inside out.'
Her mother Jen Barresi said Julia had been put in a coma and was scheduled to undergo an MRI. Julia is pictured with her father Francis
Ms Barresi is hoping her daughter is well enough to celebrate 20th birthday on July 29. 'She's a healthy, vibrant, switched on, beautiful human being. She's never had a seizure,' Ms Barresi said
Julia's friend Stephanie Michielin has started a GoFundMe to raise money for her medical bills which may not be covered by her insurance.
She said the flight back to Australia could cost the family up to $170,000.
Ms Barresi has since praised the team at Medical Rescue, based in Queensland's Burleigh Heads, for how they handled Julia's flight home.
'Medical Rescue coordinated and executed Julia's evacuation with such professionalism and compassion. We were continuously updated throughout the journey and they made the process much less stressful and traumatic,' she said.
Ms Barresi is hoping her daughter is well enough to celebrate her 20th birthday on July 29.
'She's a very loved young lady,' she said. 'I'm not just saying this because I'm her mother, if I wasn't her mother, I would want to be her friend.
'She's been through hell and back but she'll bounce back. Anyone who knows Julia knows how special she is, she doesn't have a nasty bone in her body.'
Ms Barresi has since praised the team at Medical Rescue, based in Queensland's Burleigh Heads, for how they handled Julia's flight home (she is pictured being loaded onto the plane)
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