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• ECSO: Truck Stolen In Bratt, Note Left Behind Claims Woman Was Attacked, Kidnapped
• Two Northview High Career Academies Create Food Cart
• Special Election To Replace Matt Gaetz In Congress Set For April Fools’ Day
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• Truck Driver Airlifted After Crash On Quintette Road

Hope For Olivia

This week brought good news for the Bush family and their simple Christmas wish — a cure for Olivia.

We first introduced you to Olivia back in early December. Olivia Bush, 6, is blind, able to see only a little light with her left eye. She has a shunt to drain fluid off of her brain, and has frequent seizures.

Just before Christmas, Olivia and her family traveled to Miami Children’s Hospital hoping to find a cure for her seizures. While in Miami, Olivia was monitored by a 35-lead EEG and a video camera with doctors hoping to capture data from a seizure. On the Tuesday night before Christmas, she had a seizure that was captured on the EEG and video, according to her father Tad Bush.

That information has allowed doctors to schedule surgery for Olivia in early February, news the Bush family learned just this week.

“I am so excited about this!  I am so happy that if all goes well, Olivia could finally be seizure free! Maybe no more meds?  Praise the Lord!” said Olivia’s mom Amber Bush.

A scan of Olivia’s brain is pictured, and Amber Bush offers this explanation:

“The black on the pic is dead, useless brain.  It does nothing, has no electrical activity….nada…just there taking up space.  So, basically, Olivia has half of a brain.  How amazing is that! She is such a miracle. The docs told us that if an adults brain looked like that, they would be a vegetable!  Wow, isn’t God good!  Her brain has reassigned all of that dead part to other parts of her brain.  That is why they aren’t for sure what the part of her brain where the seizures are coming from controls. The more I look at it the more I see God in Olivia!”

NorthEscambia.com  will continue to follow Olivia’s hope for a miracle. We first introduced our readers to Olivia back in early December. That story is below.

Olivia Bush’s story started July 22, 2003, almost four months before there should have been a first chapter in her life. Born at just 22 weeks, she weighed only one pound six ounces. She stayed in the NICU three and half months, defying doctors and coming home two weeks before her due date. Olivia is the second youngest baby to ever survive at Sacred Heart Hospital.

The current-day chapter Olivia’s story is perhaps best told by her mother, Amber Bush:

“Olivia is now 6 years old. She is blind and can only see light with her left eye. She has a shunt to drain fluid off of her brain, and has frequent seizures.

“Our little miracle girl started first grade this year and loves to go to school. She is spoiled rotten by everyone she meets and has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. She loves to rock and spin and everything needs to be fast. Roller coasters, throw up rides, and bumps are her friends. Olivia doesn’t meet a stranger. She has the greatest smile and laugh and always brightens our day. She is such an inspiration to everyone she meets, and she has come such a long way. Her favorite song is the BIBLE and she tells everyone to sing it to her.

“After enduring the NICU, she came home on oxygen and a heart monitor, and doctor after doctor. Then started the therapy. She is still in physical, occupational, speech, vision, and mobility therapy.”

Now, Olivia is heading to Miami Children’s Hospital. She will see the same doctor that cured the seizures of her cousin, Northview High student Nathan Therrell.  NorthEscambia.com introduced our readers to Nate in November of 2008 when he was on the sidelines as Northview’s waterboy. After undergoing surgery at Miami Children’s Hospital, Nathan played in Northview’s Garnet and Gold Game in May of 2009, void of seizures. (Read about Nathan here.)

Olivia will be in Miami Children’s Hospital December 14-16 for a battery of tests that her parents hope will end with a successful treatment plan. It’s their Christmas wish.

“Pray for guidance in this matter and that the seizures will subside,” mom Amber said. “Please pray for Olivia. She has come such a long way, and we are so thankful. God has truly blessed us with a living angel and we are very grateful.”

A successful benefit car wash for Olivia Bush was held in Century on Saturday, December 5.

Pictured top: Olivia Bush with a therapy dog at Miami Children’s Hospital. Pictured top insets: Olivia at the children’s hospital. Pictured  top inset: Olivia was just one pound six ounces when she was born at 22 weeks. Pictured bottom inset: Olivia Bush at six-years old. Pictured below: Tad, Olivia, Simon and Amber Bush.Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.