Olivianna

After two weeks of failed ER and pediatrician visits, nonstop crying, and not eating nor sleeping, Olivianna was diagnosed at 6 months old with a brain tumor in her right lateral ventricle, along with hydrocephalus. During her four-hour tumor resection surgery, she suffered from an intraventricular brain hemorrhage, ultimately leading her to code (stop breathing) on the operating table. The OR nurse said she is one special miracle to have made it out of the operating room. The hemorrhage caused Olivianna to lose her vision, and she was then diagnosed with Cortical Vision Impairment. 

For Olivianna, the aftermath of all of this currently consists of a shunt in her brain to control her cerebrospinal fluid, a Mic-Key button in her tummy to take her feedings and medications, and global developmental delays. She cannot stand or walk YET, cannot talk YET, and suffers from epilepsy. She is currently on 10 different daily meds and a ketogenic diet, and she has occupational, physical, speech, feeding, and vision therapies to help this pint-size hero have the best quality of life possible. In the past 2 1/2 years she has had a total of eight surgical procedures, 16 MRI’s, 10 CT scans, three nuclear tracer procedures, seven LTM’s, three sleep studies, four EEG’s, two swallow studies, two ambulatory EEG’s, countless blood draws, and has been put under anesthesia 24 times. No child should ever have to go through any of these things.

Despite the many obstacles that life continues to throw at her, she fights, she is strong, she is resilient and such a happy little girl. Olivianna WILL continue to thrive and kick butt!
After all, not all heroes wear capes. Some wear curly haired pigtails! — Hildie, Olivianna’s mom