Jessica was born into the world eight weeks premature. Shortly after her birth, she was diagnosed with an intra-ventricular hemorrhage in her brain. Intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a type of bleeding from the fragile blood vessels in the brain. These blood vessels are especially fragile in premature infants. In the worst cases of bleeding, the blood may leak into the brain tissue. The hemorrhages also can cause blood clots that can block the circulation system for the cerebrospinal fluid. This blockage is called hydrocephalus. Unfortunately, Jessica did develop hydrocephalus and she needed to come to Shands Children’s Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville to be treated by the some of the top neurosurgeons in the nation. The UF surgeons and team of UF physicians that provided expert care for Jessica scheduled surgery for her. She had surgery to place a permanent shunt in her brain to relieve the fluid and keep the pressure in her brain under control. The surgery was a success. Today, Jessica is a vivacious young girl. She loves to swim and ride her bike, but most of all she loves looking at life with a positive attitude.

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