THANK YOU!

We want to thank everyone who has helped us since Olivia's birth and during her stay in the hospital. So many have been so generous to us in numerous ways: watching Addison whenever we needed, bringing care packages to the hospital, cooking meals, giving us gift cards, clothes and blankets for Olivia, donating items for the craft fair fundraiser, organizing fundraisers, making food for the fundraisers, running in Olivia's honor, money toward medical expenses and a tremendous amount of prayers. Without your love and support I'm not sure how we would have made it.

Special thanks to:
My cousin Missy for organizing the Craft Fair Fundraiser and the Sloppy Joe Feed in Palisade.
Willow Ridge Assisted Living of McCook for raising funds for Olivia.
Co-worker Stacie Higgins and Tammi Thompson of Nebraska City, running distance races in Omaha & Lincoln in Olivia's honor, collecting pledges as they train and race.

The letter below was at fundraising events to thank everyone as we were unable to personally attend, it also helps explain Olivia's condition and our hope to be home very soon!

On May 7, 2010 Olivia Renae Sherman joined us 6 weeks premature due to a blockage in her intestines, a common problem in Cystic Fibrosis babies. She underwent surgery at Children's Hospital in Omaha that evening, removing a significant amount of dead instestine and undergoing several blood transfusions. On May 12th Olivia was officially diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to build up and clog organs in the body, particularly the lungs and pancreas. When mucus clogs the lungs, it can make breathing very difficult. The thick mucus causes bacteria, or germs, to get stuck in the airways, which causes inflammation or swelling and infections that lead to lung damage. To prevent this from happening Olivia began chest compression treatments and breathing treatments within 2 weeks after her birth, which will continue all her life. These treatments are done a minimum of 2 times a day for about 40 minutes to help clear her airways and break that mucus, preventing any infection.

Mucus also blocks the digestive tract and pancreas. The mucus stops digestive enzymes from getting to the intestines. The body needs these enzymes to break down food, which provides important nutrients to help her grow and stay healthy. Olivia will need to replace these enzymes with medicine taken with every meal and snack, which helps to digest food and get proper nutrition.

Olivia's continues to recover at Children's Hospital from her bowel surgery. Her bowels are slowly adapting to where she is able to take more food each day and has begun to show steady weight gain, which is significant for any baby with CF. After being in the NICU nearly 8 weeks Olivia moved on June 29th to the hospital floor to continue her recovery.

We are so appreciative to everyone who has helped us during this time and for all your thoughts and prayers. We are very blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives! Thank you!

The Sherman Family-Vanessa, Scott, Addison & Olivia