Malia’s journey started way before she was even born. Her momma Olivia Shelley has been fighting to save Malia since she was 18 weeks along. Olivia’s water broke at work and she was rushed to the hospital where the Doctors kept telling her that Malia had a heartbeat but Olivia didn’t have any more amniotic fluid. The Doctors then told Olivia and Brian that they would have to induce labor and their sweet Malia would not survive since she was at the gestational age of only 18 weeks. Thankfully her OBGYN Doctor came in and said since Malia’s heart was still beating they would not deliver her. Olivia was told to stop working and be on bedrest for the rest of her 22 weeks of pregnancy. No more working. Olivia and Brian were reminded that with how low she was on her amniotic fluid there is still a chance Malia would not survive. Olivia wasn’t going to give up that easy so the wait began.
On December 9, 2015 at 24 weeks Olivia started to notice something wasn’t right and she and Brian rushed to the hospital. They checked on Malia’s heartbeat and it was still going. Just like Olivia wasn’t giving up neither was Malia. The Doctor told Olivia she would have to stay in the hospital for the rest of the pregnancy. Two whole months Olivia had to stay put in that hospital bed.
Finally on January 29, 2016 Malia made her debut. Brian and Olivia knew she would go straight to the NICU as soon as she was born so Brian headed off with Malia while Olivia was put back in her room. Waiting to see her sweet Malia the doctor and Brian came into the room to explain that since Olivia had low amniotic fluid Malia’s lungs hadn’t developed and she was slipping away fast and not much hope for her to survive. But, as you can tell from this story Malia is a fighter and she had different plans then the doctors did. Twenty-nine days in the NICU Malia was on a ventilator and fought her way off of it. She has a long road of recovery ahead of her but with the great parents who don’t give up on her she will not give up on them.
As friends of Brian and Olivia we have set up this 5k to help them to pay for some of their overwhelming medical bills and give them one less thing to lose sleep over.
For the whole story as well as updates on Malia visit her Facebook page.
For the whole story as well as updates on Malia visit her Facebook page.
