Olivia was told to ‘go home and rest’ after she went to hospital with headaches and blurred vision. Three weeks later she died – and her devastated family now wants answers
The family of a young mother who lost her unborn child and was declared brain dead days later have spoken of their crushing grief.
Olivia Harlow, 25, died eight days after she and her partner Ryan Stephenson named their baby girl Adeline.
In a series of events that has left her family baffled, Olivia went to the Royal Brisbane Hospital with a headache and blurred vision.
The mother of one, who was 34 weeks pregnant at the time, was told to go home and rest after tests returned positive.
Stefanie Harlow, Olivia’s sister-in-law, said the expectant mother noticed Adeline wasn’t moving two weeks later and was rushed back to the hospital on June 16.
“They did a scan and saw my baby had died,” Harlow told Daily Mail Australia.
After giving birth, Olivia spent several nights in hospital before being given a “full bill of health” and discharged.
But a few days later she went back to the hospital and told the doctors that she still didn’t feel well and was suffering from severe headaches.
Olivia Harlow, 25, died just eight days after losing her unborn baby. She is pictured with her long-term partner Ryan Stephenson and their daughter Evaliah
Olivia is pictured with her youngest brother Ryan
“The doctors looked at a scan they had done two weeks earlier and said there was no need for further testing,” Harlow said.
‘They said she was probably still stressed from what she had been through and basically sent her away.
‘The next day Olivia was found unconscious in her room by her partner and was rushed to hospital, on a ventilator.
More scans were taken there and tumors were found in her brain.
‘There was a huge bullet lodged in the back of her head, almost the size of two golf balls. This bullet was pressing on her wiring, causing her to stop breathing and stop sending signals to her body to pump blood.’
Scans showed Olivia was brain dead and her family made the heartbreaking decision to take her off life support on June 24.
Mrs Harlow said there were more questions than answers.
Pictured are Olivia, Denim Cooke and her mother Jill Rapmund
“Her brain has been sent away for further testing, which could take up to two years to get answers. We don’t understand why she has been sent away so many times and no one has done anything. We feel like nothing has been done,” she said.
“She was only 25, she was otherwise fit and healthy. We shouldn’t be in this position where we’re resting her. It’s a bit of a medical mystery.
“We asked the doctors and they said they couldn’t explain it. In 26 days she had nothing left and then suddenly she was full (of tumors).
‘The first scan they did had a low level of radiation, so the quality wasn’t great, but it should have shown something. [The doctors] said they just couldn’t explain it, that they had never seen anything like it.
“Unfortunately, the coroner couldn’t give us any report.”
Mrs Harlow gave birth to her sixth child, a girl, the day after Olivia’s family decided to take her off life support.
Olivia is remembered as a caring and loving mother, partner, friend and family member
Olivia is pictured with her older brother Chris (who is standing next to his wife Stefanie Harlow), her father David, her mother Jill and two younger brothers Scott and Ryan
She chose ‘Alivia’ as her daughter’s middle name as a tribute to her sister-in-law.
“I guess I was Olivia’s big sister,” Mrs. Harlow said.
‘There’s nine years between her and her brother, so we’re a little older than her, but yeah, I remember doing her hair before she went to school.
“She asked me to braid her hair and I was going to take her to school. I just can’t believe it, no one should ever have to bury their child. I feel really sad that in her last days she lost Adeline and then we lost her.
“I just can’t imagine what her last thoughts were. I don’t even think I can go there.”
Mrs Harlow said she wished the family had been aware of Olivia’s headaches so they could have pushed for more tests.
“We feel a little guilty. Why didn’t she contact us?” she said.
“We could have pushed a little harder to get more done. Her pain threshold is pretty high, so her saying something is wrong is not her thing.
Olivia was a fit and healthy mother of one child who had her whole life ahead of her, her family said.
“Normally she wouldn’t complain. So to be rejected three times, after the all clear, isn’t really good enough for us.”
The family started with a GoFundMe to raise money for Ryan, who is now raising their four-year-old daughter Evaliah on his own.
He is very busy. Everyone has been very helpful which is good but “Of course there’s nothing that can bring them back,” Harlow said.
‘Olivia had the potential to do so many things. She could have done anything she wanted. Growing up she was athletic, good in school, she was modeling, she was just really perfect and kindhearted. She definitely didn’t deserve what she got.’