Olivia — A Heart Transplant Superhero!

Olivia has been a true heart transplant superhero! We’re overjoyed she got to go home healthy and happy with her loving parents.

When you donate to The Alyssa House, you help families just like this!

“October 10, 2018: Olivia Rose is born. Our very first child. For a while, everything seemed to be normal. We had our baby home for a little over a month and then it happened…

“She was sick — or so I thought. I noticed her wheezing and called the nurse triage line for advice. After talking to the nurse and describing everything I saw, she instructed me to go to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Urgent Care immediately. I went and had Olivia evaluated and the doctor sent us home with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis, otherwise known as a baby cold.

“I took her home and watched closely over the next few days. Two days later, Nov 26, 2018, Olivia couldn’t hold any milk down and eventually she lost her appetite completely. I called her pediatrician and asked that he see her that day. He evaluated her and said, “I’m calling an ambulance to come pick her up because she isn’t breathing right at all.

“We went to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, CKHD, and they admitted her. She was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. She stayed at CKHD for exactly one month before they decided she would need a heart transplant.

“Dec 26, 2018, Olivia is transported to UVA. The medical team was amazing! They all treated Olivia as their own baby and made my husband and I feel like family.

“March 12, 2019: Olivia is given a second chance at life. She received her new heart and set the record for post-transplant recovery time! Two weeks after surgery she left the hospital to come stay at the Alyssa House, which has been an amazing resource. This has felt like our home away from home and they helped us in our transition from hospital to home. We cannot even begin to express our gratitude.”

Thank you so much,

The Bailey Family