Oh What a year!

Olivia started out her life on February 7, 2008 at 2 lbs 4 oz. and 13 ½ inches long. She was on medication for low blood pressure and on a ventilator to help her breathe. Olivia was given two doses of surfactant to help her lungs. She was on IV feedings and had catheters in her cord where her feedings and blood transfusions were given and blood was drawn for tests. Over the course of the first month Olivia was given 7 blood transfusions. At four days old it was determined that Olivia had a PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosis). That is a blood vessel in the heart that babies need in the womb, but is supposed to close itself after birth. Olivia’s didn’t close itself, and medication was given to close it. At eight days old it was determined that the PDA had closed enough that surgery wasn’t necessary. Then at 9 days old Olivia finally got her first feeding of breast milk through her OG tube. Her feedings were started at 2 ml every three hours and increased as she tolerated them. At 11 days old a PIC line was inserted so that her catheters in her cord cold be removed. That line caused her leg to swell and needed to be removed. A new line was inserted the next day and the catheters were finally removed. At two weeks old, Olivia was started on steroids to help her lungs. After a week on steroids her lungs had improved enough she was taken off the ventilator and put on CPAP. Olivia was also started on high blood pressure medications at that time. At one month old Olivia’s PIC line was removed. Shortly after that Olivia was able to try High Flow instead of CPAP for short periods of time each day. At just shy of two months Olivia had officially doubled her birth weight. Just after two months Olivia was seen by the geneticist and diagnosed with achondroplasia. Around that same time Olivia’s nasal passages became irritated and inflamed causing her to need a modified method of CPAP. They used a mask that covered her mouth and nose, and ran from the ventilator. As her nasal passages recovered she was able to transition back to high flow more often. At three months Olivia was given her own room in the NICU and at three and a half months she was able to try her first bottle. She loved it! She slowly began taking more and more of her feedings from a bottle. At four months Olivia was transferred to a different hospital so that her pulmonologist could begin managing her care. While there she transitioned well to high flow, completely off the CPAP, and eventually to a small amount of oxygen. Finally on June 25, and almost five months old, Olivia came home from the hospital. She had a home health nurse stop for a short visit twice each week, and was on nine medications. She was at that point taking about 60% of her feedings from a bottle. That number slowly declined and on July 31, Olivia had her G-Tube placed. Once Olivia was at home she began to receive birth to three services. She gets PT and Speech once each week, and will soon begin OT services as well. Olivia has made much progress over the last year. She rolls, pushes up and back, babbles a lot, and has recently started pivoting. Currently Olivia weighs 12 lbs 11 ½ oz and is about 23 inches long. She is now only on five medications, but follows up regularly with nine different doctors. What a year it has been! Olivia has been through so much and come so far!

My pregnant belly just days before Olivia was born

Tiny Olivia just a couple of days old

One of the first times Olivia was really awake

Olivia made these cards for Joe and I for Valentines day. That is my engagement ring on her hand print

Olivia's PIC line and her swollen leg from the first one that didn't work

On the CPAP

We could finally see her precious face on the high flow

On April 19 Olivia ditched the isolet and got a crib

Olivia's own room in the NICU

What a ham!

Olivia LOVES being naked!

Happy 1st Birthday Beautiful Girl!