Benefitting
FAMILY PROFILE
The Family of Pepper Jo Home: Walnut Grove, MO (Greene County)
My husband and I went into labor and delivery for an induction birth of our sweet Pepper Jo. She needed to come early for medical reasons, but she was full term and healthy so we weren’t expecting any major issues. After being released with a failed induction and three long days of labor, we finally came back a second time for another induction. Then, our lives were forever changed when our first born came into the world. We spent two blissful hours snuggling our newest family member. When we were taken to the recovery room to meet our families, suddenly something wasn’t right. Our baby wasn’t breathing just right and her oxygen levels were dropping. Nobody really knew what was happening, so nobody was saying anything to comfort our fears. She was whisked away into the NICU and we were left in a room confused and broken-hearted. We had no idea what was going on or what our new role was as unexpected NICU parents. EVERYTHING was put on hold and nothing else mattered. Instead of recovering from delivery, we spent our time walking miles in the hospital to see our baby girl. Selfishly, it was heartbreaking to go back to the maternity ward for checkups and hear other parents next door with their roomed-in babies while ours was struggling. Our little girl was suffering from her stressful entrance into the world. She was poked and prodded with IVs and antibiotics. Her little body was just exhausted. We were quickly approached by a social worker about staying at the Ronald McDonald House. As nervous as I was to even leave the hospital, we decided to stay so we could be close. The floor fell out from our feet so quickly and they were right there to catch us. The feeling of “home-away-from-home” was intensely comforting every time we opened the door. We didn’t do much more than shower and sleep at the Ronald McDonald House, but it was a comfortable bed, a hot shower, and a place to stay close to our new baby. We were so blessed to have our baby graduate from the NICU in just 7 days. Many families aren’t that fortunate, but RMH is there for them all the way through. When you stay in the House, it’s a humbling feeling hearing the doorbell ring and knowing another new family is being swept up in their gracious arms. Pepper is now nine months old and a perfectly happy, healthy, sassy little girl! We celebrate every day we have with her and will ALWAYS cherish the selfless miracle we received. My husband and I stayed in the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield, MO for a week, but the gratitude we have for that week will stay with us for a lifetime.
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