Domovina uredništvo
Omiljeni hrvatsko-australski umjetnik Charles Billich prošao je teške trenutke nakon zaraze covidom na Floridi. O svemu više u facebook postu Stevea Ravicha:
UPDATE ON BILLICH HOSPITALISATION IN FLORIDA
Dear friends,
I have been inundated with calls and messages of concern about Christa and Charles Billich. I apologise for not being able to respond to you all personally promptly and will give you all this detailed update by starting with some very positive news. Thank you for reaching out.
Both Charles and Christa are now recovering in a Florida hotel room where they are receiving medication and treatment until they are fit to travel home to Australia.
On the first of January, Charles Billich tested positive for COVID. After only having very mild symptoms during the day, he woke up just after midnight being unable to breathe and needing immediate medical attention. Charles was urgently rushed to the Good Samaritan hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida USA where he was put on oxygen in the Intensive Care Unit.
By the following day, Charles was finally able to breathe with only some discomfort and remained on oxygen while he was being treated with anti-viral medication.
Christa originally tested negative but by the following morning, she also had symptoms and was later admitted to hospital where she was also given oxygen, treated with medications and put on a drip.
It was a very traumatic 48 hours and we were extremely concerned about their conditions. I monitored their progress with the hospital and thankfully after the initial scare, Charles and Christa have both been recovering strongly and with the assistance of the Australian Embassy, they were relocated to a hotel room where they will complete the remainder of their treatment and recovery.
In the true Billich spirit, he started talking about creative subjects in his poetic fashion and Christa being her true positive self said ‘haha did you think my way will be on the history channel’? She has no plans on leaving the camera lens behind anytime soon.
I would really like to start by thanking our dear friend, Senator Hollie Hughes who assisted me as soon as I made contact. The Senator immediately contacted the Australian Ambassador to The United States Arthur Sinodinos who promptly called me and thus the process began of assistance began. The Australian Embassy in Washington DC and Honorary Consul in Miami have since been assisting me in communications with the hospital in an effort to bring Charles and Christa home safely as soon as they are no longer contagious, have completed the quarantine requirements and are fit to fly.
I have to say that we are so fortunate to be from Australia and to have the missions that we do all over the world providing assistance to Australian citizens and residents abroad. We very much thank the Australian Government and the Australian Embassy for the support. Also many thanks to people like Ves, Felicity and Cr. Vincent De Luca who was on call at all hours volunteering his assistance.
Christa and Charles would also really like to thank the Good Samaritan for the care and treatment for which they are forever grateful.
I also need to thank all of you that have reached out to me over these sleepless days while I have been coordinating matters in the USA out of Sydney and needing to stay awake for duties in Australia which also included babysitting the Billich’s fur family Charlie, Duke and Tilly.
We are so grateful to all of you for the many calls and texts offering your support.
Steve Ravic
https://www.facebook.com/638322214/posts/10158642526422215/
