Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona: Family Stories

A beautiful baby girl was born, Carley Breanne. She was born without a pulse and she was not breathing. She was revived but needed blood. She was flown from Safford to UMC in critical condition and was not given much of a chance to survive. Today we take her home smiling, crying, and kicking just like a little baby girl should. We lived the days between with faith and hope and we truly believed that we would take her home. Our Lord is merciful and hears our prayers. We know that more than ever now. God bless you all at the Ronald McDonald House during our stay. It was comforting, pleasant, and full of love during a time in which we needed it most. God bless this house. Never lose faith and always believe, because miracles do happen.

When the Lopez Family first arrived at the Ronald McDonald House in February 2005, their youngest child, Adeline, was being evaluated for heart transplant surgery at University Medical Center. Two of their three children suffer from a serious heart defect, and both would need donor hearts in order to survive. In April 2005, their 15 year-old son, Adolfo was placed on the waiting list for a heart, and the family prepared for a long wait. In August, Adeline’s condition had deteriorated, and on August 24th, she was added to the list as well. Exactly 24 hours after being added to the transplant list, Lupita Lopez received the call that would change their lives forever. “They called me…and said that a donor heart was ready for Adeline, and she was air-lifted to Tucson within an hour for her transplant surgery.” Over the next 94 days, Lupita, Adolfo and sister Thaide called the Ronald McDonald House their full-time home. Like many fathers of Ronald McDonald House families, Adolfo Sr. remained at home in Dateland, working and maintaining the family home there, visiting each weekend, helping to keep the family together. Thankfully, Adeline’s transplant was successful, and in November, they returned to their home to wait for news of a heart for Adolfo. In April of 2006, the call finally came that a donor heart was available for Adolfo, and the family returned once again to the Ronald McDonald House in Tucson. For the next 112 days, the family called RMH their home-away-from-home, before Adolfo was discharged, and just in time for the new school year, the Lopez family returned home to resume their normal lives.

My son, Connor, age 3, was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor on January 13, 2006 and since that time has had two surgeries and five rounds of chemotherapy. We have been in hospitals most of the time during the last seven months. On July 3rd, we came from our home in Chandler, Arizona to the UMC where Connor received a Stem Cell Transplant that we hope will be his final treatment for this terrible disease.

A UMC staff person at the hospital told me to look into the Ronald McDonald House as a place to stay. What a godsend that turned out to be. From the moment we first walked into Ronald McDonald House, the most compassionate and caring people have welcomed us. During this time of such great stress it is comforting to have a place to stay where you are made to feel so welcome by people who really care and understand what you are going through. With the great medical treatment that Connor has received, and the help from good and caring people like those at the Ronald McDonald House, I feel that Connor is well on his way to recovery and will have this all behind him soon.

Since Connor has being going through his treatments for cancer I have come to realize how many good people are out there to help parents in my situation. Right near the top of that list is the RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE.

In January 2003, Barbara and Brandon made their fourth visit from Yuma to the Ronald McDonald House in just over a year.

Previously guests at the House for 22-month old Brandon’s open-heart surgeries, they didn’t think twice before coming back when Brandon needed to have his tonsils removed.

“The Ronald McDonald House is the most marvelous place,” Barbara said. “Everyone here genuinely cares. Every time I come back it’s like I’m coming home. I think of it as my home in Tucson.”

Brandon and his sister Britanie also think of the House as a home away from home. Oftentimes, Britanie asks to accompany her mom and brother on their trips to Tucson.
“She knows that Brandon is having surgery, but she doesn’t understand what that means,” Barbara said. “She likes to come to the Ronald McDonald House because she knows she’ll get candy.”

The abundance of candy is not the only thing that makes the Ronald McDonald House sweet. Children and adults, alike, know that in this House every guest becomes a part of RMH’s constantly growing, loving family.

“When I come back from the hospital after a bad day, I never feel like I’m burdening anybody,” Barbara said. “There’s always a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. It’s like coming home to family – you can always share how you feel.”
Not only has the whole family benefited from the warm, loving environment at the Ronald McDonald House, they have also taken part in helping other families who have sought refuge at the House from the twists and turns life sometimes brings.
In the past, when they have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, Brandon has been the “therapeutic baby” for families of other hospitalized children, according to Barbara.

“Moms who had babies going into surgery and who felt blue would come over and hold Brandon,” she said. “He would smile and show his dimples and it seemed to make them feel better. He has always been the happiest, most delightful child.”

Now back in Yuma, Barbara plans to continue to support the Ronald McDonald House by spreading the word about its mission and services.

“I have friends and family all over the United States collecting pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House,” Barbara said.

Shaela

For Megan, the daily visits to the Ronald McDonald Family Room are the fuel she needs to keep going, to keep fighting for the fragile life of her daughter, Shaela Jade.

Shaela, now 15 months old, is in the constant care of University Medical Center, where nurses work to maintain her daily nutrients as her immune system works to overcome the tremendous blows it has been dealt since she was born.

The tiny little girl has spent only two months of her life at home. When Megan was seven months pregnant, Shaela stopped moving. Doctors discovered intestinal obstruction, a condition called meconium ileus. After an emergency delivery that same day, Shaela was put into surgery. Weeks later, she needed additional surgery and still later, it looked as though she would need a liver transplant.

After months spent traveling between UMC and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota it was finally decided that Shaela did not need a liver transplant. She was moved back to UMC where she and Megan have been since the beginning of summer.
Sometimes brief, sometimes longer, Megan’s time in the new family room allows her a small respite from the halls of bustling doctors, the rooms filled with foreign machinery and the stress of practically living in the hospital.

“It’s hard to explain, but when you have been in the hospital for a long time, it becomes second nature to you, you learn to adapt,” said Megan. “This room has become part of my life.”

Just a door off the hallway, the Family Room is pleasant and calm. The refrigerator is stocked with drinks and snacks. Megan can rent movies, browse the Internet, phone relatives, read books and magazines or perhaps most importantly, just catch her breath. Yet, volunteers are needed to constantly staff the room and at this point, they are desperately needed in the evening and on weekends. Without them, the room stays closed, unavailable.

“I just want the volunteers to know how much they mean to parents like me,” said Megan. “This is something that parents look forward to. It is very important to all of us.

“It’s a lifeline for us.”

Drew

My name is Drew Howlingcrane. I’m seven years old. I came to Tucson from Prescott, Kansas for conductive therapy. I have cerebral palsy. I was born three months premature. I have two sisters Jamye, 26, and Tricia, 19. I have three nephews, Brady, 7, Sawyer, 4 and Grant, 1.

One of the things I like to do is dance at Pow Wows. I’m a grass dancer and hope to, one day, dance traditional like my Dad, Tim. I like watching movies like Veggie Tales, Winnie the Pooh and Buzz Lightyear. I have a horse named Dusty. She’s a mini, only 38 inches tall. I love talking to people and telling them stories. I’ll be in first grade in the fall.

I came to Tucson to learn to walk better with canes instead of my walker. I’m learning but it’s very hard and I walk slow, but I’ll get there. The thing I like most is trains, any kind of trains.

I hope to get to come back next spring in 2002 for more therapy, so I guess we’ll meet again. Thanks for letting us stay here at Ronald McDonald House and helping us not feel so homesick.

Thank you all.

Drew & the Howlingcrane Family

Cesar

Within two hours of his birth our son, Cesar, was transported from Puerto Penasco to Hermosillo because of a defect in his lower intestinal tract. When the doctors operated they also found a malformation in his trachea, which required another surgery. We have been very grateful to see him grow to be a happy, beautiful, two year old in spite of his health problems.

We were not sure where to turn next, knowing Cesar would need more medical treatment to continue growing normally. We were told of a program called “Manos de Ayuda” which helps children in Puerto Penasco get medical treatment. We thank God and Manos de Ayuda for bringing us to the Ronald McDonald House and the wonderful doctors here in Tucson. We are staying at Ronald McDonald House while the doctors test Cesar and decide the best treatment for his condition. God has truly blessed our family by surrounding us with so many people who care.

Thank you,
Jesus & Maria