APRIL 2022
97 Nights
Family Story
The Rodrigo Family After several years of misdiagnosis, 16-yearold Jose “Tony” Rodrigo was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in August 2020. Tony’s chronic stomach problems were initially attributed to celiac disease, and being unable to nail down the right combination of foods, he endured the pain for years.
with a COVID-19 diagnosis,
resulted in Tony being airlifted to Fargo in October 2020.
His mother, Nyomi Pimiento,
was by his side for 10 straight days, which included two
surgeries to treat his inflamed intestines.
Nyomi often jokes that Tony,
meek and mellow-tempered, is a perfect child.
The day her parents arrived, they checked
“Tony is a great kid. He is always willing to
time at the hospital by Tony’s side, she did
into RMHC. While Nyomi spent most of her
help,” she said.
return to the house occasionally to shower
emergency room in Dickinson, North
As Nyomi prepared for her parents, Tony’s
ensure that someone was always keeping
family initially thought was appendicitis.
sought help from hospital staff to find a
with specialists, Tony was diagnosed with
to the Ronald McDonald House in Fargo
a breath of fresh air—to talk about how your
time.
revolve around a sickness, and focus on
In the fall of 2020, he landed in the
and rest. She switched off with her father to
Dakota, with unbearable pain that the
grandparents, to come up from Texas, she
watch over Tony.
Following a week of appointments and tests
place for them to stay. The hospital’s referral
“It was nice just to be able to get out and get
provided stability during a very uncertain
day was going, a conversation that didn’t
Crohn’s disease and spent the next several months
in and out of the hospital. A more serious bout of
related symptoms, along
“It was a complete blessing to have that location available to us,” Nyomi said.
something else,” Nyomi said.
Home cooked meals in the family kitchen were also a highlight for the family.
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