Oliver’s Story

Site created on May 4, 2019

Friends & Fam,
I'm starting this site to update you on Oliver as it has become apparent that we are going to be on a journey here with our sweet little Ollie! :) We are so blessed with friends and family who are so present and with us during a difficult season. Here is a the background of where we have been and I'll update as we move forward.

When Oliver was born on March 8th, immediately doctors and nurses were struck by how loud and labored his breathing was. We were told he had a floppy larnyx, which is very common diagnoses in babies and typically they outgrow so we headed home thinking this was nothing to be too concerned about.

When Oliver was 3 weeks old, the breathing got worse and we noticed some major swelling on the left side of his neck. Our pediatrician sent us to the ER where Oliver had his first of many ultrasounds. They discovered a mass on his neck called a Lymphatic Malformation. From what we have learned,a LM is a mass made up of tons of lymph vessels. In a normal person, the lymph vessels are straight vessels that Lymph drains from. In Oliver, his lymph vessels look like a mass of spaghetti therefore the lymph fluid gets stuck and swells inside his neck. Because of Olivers age and size, this has presented a major problem for his tiny airway. The mass pushes against his airway and causes his breathing to be compromised. This has been a huge source of anxiety and stress for us as parents, as we are constantly monitoring his breathing and discussing what is "normal" and what is not..

Because of the type of mass this is and the risky location, we have been told removing it is not an option especially when he is this young. To treat it, doctors do a surgery where they drain it and do sclerotherapy which is supposed to shrink the mass and scar it over. Unfortunately, because of his size this involves intubation for many days. It also can take multiple procedures before being completely resolved. So far, Oliver has had this done 3 times. This is a rare type of mass and even more rare to need intervention so early. We have doctors at U of M and doctors at Spectrum in GR co-managing this for us. Unfortunately, he has spent 14 days of his short 8 week life in the hospital but we are thankful to be so close to 2 amazing children's hospitals who are loving our little boy so well!

I'll continue to update here so that it can be easily forwarded on to friends and family - thanks for continued prayers. They are felt!

Jenna, Kyle, Luke, Bennett and Oliver

Newest Update

Hail to the little victors!

Journal entry by jenna tyler —

Kyle, Oliver and I ventured over to see the amazing Dr. Green at U of M for another follow up and ultrasound today. Good news showed that while there is some fluid still in his neck mass, it has collapsed significantly. He scoped Oliver (He sticks a tiny camera through his nose down into his throat. Oliver hates this of course but it’s over quick!) He saw no signs of Oliver’s airway being obstructed right now. 

We learned that while there is some major improvement, we probably aren’t completely in the clear on this and will likely have trouble when he gets a cold or illness since this is his lymphatic system.  The mass grows proportionately to the rest of his body so even when he’s a bigger baby/kid it could still cause him problems (this is different than what we had understood before...it feels a little disappointing to know that it could effect him for a long time still. We thought as he grew, the mass stayed the same size and wouldn’t effect him as much. Not the case....it’s a confusing world talking and working with so many doctors!)

We have decided with our doctors to not treat it right now since he is not having any symptoms.  We will do another follow up in August. They cleared us to travel so we are looking forward to some family time at table rock over the 4th of July! 

He is FINALLY growing and on the charts in the 3rd percentile...we’ll take it! 😀

Thank you friends for asking and praying for him! We are grateful. 


Read More of the journal titled "Hail to the little victors! "
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Oliver Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Oliver's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Leave a comment of support for Oliver

Did you know? A quick comment, no matter the situation (positive or negative), can boost morale by 28.2%.

Comments Hide comments

Load more comments
Read More Journal Entries

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

Personal Fundraiser
Support Links
Helpful Requests
Go to Ways to Help
SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top