Olivia's Story

On February 7, 2008 Olivia was born twelve weeks early. We had received 16 inches of snow in less than twelve hours, the plows had been called off the roads for the night, and my water broke. I was taken by ambulance to the Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital where Olivia was delivered by emergency c-section. She weighed only 2 lbs. 4 oz., and was just 13 1/2 inches long. Olivia was transfered almost immediately to the NICU at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison. Olivia was on the ventilator for just over three weeks. She was extubated on March 1, 2008, and breathing with just the help of a CPAP. In early April, the neonatologists called Dr. Rice and Dr. Pauli for genetics consult, and on April 8, 2008 Olivia was diagnosed with Achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. This explained many of the difficulties that Olivia was having. Olivia remained at St. Mary's Hospital until June 6, 2008 when she was transfered to American Family Children's Hospital, where she was seen by the pulmonary team daily. Olivia finally came home from the hospital on June 25, 2008.

Olivia looking up at Mommy!


Extubated and on the CPAP



On to the High Flow Nasal Canula