Olivia M. - Quilt Finished in 2008
Born: December 22, 1995
Illness: Hydrocephalus and Cerebral Palsy, Extensive allergies to most antibiotics
A Thank You From Olivia's Family!
May 10, 2008
Olivia received the Quilt and she absolutely LOVES it! It fits great on her bed and she decided it is a great size to bring with her everytime she is hospitalized!!
She has picked out her favorite squares (which was most to all of them). She also loved seeing where they were from!! She was excited to see Brazil and Ireland....
Olivia and Cathy
This is Olivia. Thanks for the quilt. It is very cool! I love dogs and every square makes me smile. I will bring it with me when I am in the hospital, it will make me feel better.
Olivia M.'s Story
Written by Olivia's mom in 2008
Olivia was born at only 29 weeks, which caused a bilateral grade II intra-ventricular hemorrhages (also known as brain bleeds), which developed post hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (excess spinal fluid in the brain). Olivia underwent surgery to receive her first VP shunt at 10 months of age. A VP shunt is a system that drains the excess cerebral spinal fluid from her brain to her abdomen. Many children, after they receive a VP shunt, only need to return occasionally throughout their lives to have shunt revisions as they grow. Unfortunately, for Olivia, she has had to suffer her entire life from complications with her VP shunts resulting in the 60+ brain surgeries she's had to undergo to try control her complex medical issues.
Some of those issues are Chiari decompression and cranioplasty with duroplasty, which are used to accomplish a cranial expansion. This is where they actually remove sections of Olivia's skull and added titanium plates and composite in effort to make more room for her brain. In February 1999, Olivia developed an MRSA Staph infection following a shunt revision. She was treated with antibiotics but became very sick following the treatment. In short, the treatment resulted in an allergic drug hypersensitivity reaction, which basically burned and blistered her body, inside and out, causing her liver and digestive system to fail and a fever reaching 106.9. Even the medical staff was amazed by her recovery. During that year alone, Olivia remained in the hospital for over 200 days.
After this severe reaction, Olivia developed a latex allergy, multiple antibiotic allergies, and sensitivities to most adhesives such as band-aids or medical tape, which make it tricky at the hospital after her surgeries. They now have to use cotton bandages and gauze on Olivia, as the adhesives on tapes and other bandages actually blister and tear off her skin.
In addition to that, Olivia also has minor Cerebral Palsy and has had to undergo a surgery called a Bilateral Tibial Ostotomy, which is a repositioning/rotating of tibia bones in her legs.
Olivia does her best to be a normal, active kid when she is not in the hospital, or at home suffering from excruciatingly painful headaches. Like her older sister, Olivia is a club swimmer and credits Traci for teaching her to swim and encouraging and supporting her along the way. When she's not in the water, Olivia enjoys playing with her friends, and playing with her two dogs!
