From: Hamilton County, TN
Maria, Dustin, Lily and Baby Rosita
You can imagine the bond a mother creates with her child after carrying her baby for several months. Many mothers come to the Ronald McDonald House with great relief knowing they will be able to stay close to their newborn baby in the hospital just across the street. Maria and Dustin have felt that relief twice as they were able to stay at the Chattanooga Ronald McDonald House in 2015 when their daughter Lily was born and then again when their daughter Rosita was born on May 4.
Maria and Dustin didn’t know about the Ronald McDonald House when their first daughter, Lily was born. Maria shared how it felt to find out about the House for the first time:
“When I had [Lily] I knew she was going to be in the NICU and I was worried because I felt like, ‘what am I going to do, I can’t just leave her.’ Then the social worker came in and told me about the Ronald McDonald House. I was just blown away and I couldn’t believe it. I said ‘You mean there’s somewhere I can stay and still make my way over to see her every day?’ I mean it was just a blessing. Then when we got to RMHC it was just amazing! The only thing you have to worry about is just walking across the street to see your baby. I mean all of that was just so comforting and made me feel better and made me worry less. It’s an amazing place.”
Though Lily was born 29 weeks early at 2 pounds and 3 ounces, she didn’t have severe complications. Altogether, she spent two months in the hospital as she recovered from jaundice, BRADYS and learned to eat and breathe on her own.
The hardest part for Maria and her husband was “leaving them there and not being able to take them home. Knowing they had to be there, but it’s hard to be a part. If I hadn’t been able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House and see them like I did every day, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night. “That’s the great thing about the Ronald McDonald House, the fact that it’s so close to the hospital, I mean you don’t even have to drive and go far”
When Rosita, little sister, was born at 33 weeks she weighed 6 pounds and 12 ounces. Though she didn’t have many complications, doctors still felt she needed more time in the NICU before going home. Maria and Dustin felt relieved when they learned they would be able to stay at the House once again.
After staying for the second time around Maria shared how grateful they were. “The fact that I knew everything was going to be okay and I knew I was going to be able to go to the NICU every day and see her. It was just worry free from then on. There’s no other place I would rather be than there because it’s so close to your child and you’re able to go and see them every day.”
After only a week at the House, Maria and Dustin received news that their little girl was ready to go home. Rosita was able to recover from jaundice and learned to feed within a week. She was released on Mother’s Day!
RMHC of Greater Chattanooga 