ONE DAY
AT THE RONALD McDONALD HOUSE OF CHARLESTON
6:30 AM A small group gather in the kitchen fixing Styrofoam cups of coffee to take with them to the hospital. Words of comfort and reassurance are given to a father whose two year old will have open heart surgery this morning.
10:00 AM Going home! The family of a one-year-old boy with asthma is going back home; their child has recovered from this attack. His big blue eyes smile over a busy pacifier, and his hand, still ringed with a hospital bracelet, dutifully waves bye-bye at mommy’s request. The volunteer calls a new mother with a premature baby to tell her we have a room open.
11:30 AM A phone call comes in from a mother that stayed with us last month with her seven-month-old baby. She has just spoken with the doctors. Her baby is not gaining weight, and she needs to go back in the hospital. The volunteer offers support as she puts another name on the waiting list.
12:30 PM Our two-year-old girl is out of surgery earlier than expected. Her tiny heart has been repaired. She is in intensive care, vital signs are good, and doctors are pleased. The family, relief giving way to exhaustion, sit down to lunch.
2:00 PM Time out from doctors and nurses, a four-year-old girl with leukemia comes to the Ronald McDonald House between treatments. Enjoying her respite, she busies herself with Easter eggs and ice cream, and forgets about shots and medical procedures for a while.
3:00 PM Halting and teary eyed, a mother explains that her two-month-old has a rare form of brain tumor. The doctors have not given her much hope that her baby will live. Next to her, her mother sits quietly sobbing. The mother, father, and both sets of grandparents have taken turns sitting up ‘round the clock, each coming to the Ronald McDonald House to rest for an hour or two.
3:30 PM A group of ladies from a local church arrive to cook dinner for the families. The kitchen is bustling with activities, as these ladies prepare a meal.
5:00 PM Dinner is served. Families arrive, a few at a time to enjoy the meal prepared with love. The grandparents of the child with the brain tumor fix a plate to take to mom in the hospital.
7:00 PM Two dads watch TV together. Each has a baby in neonatal intensive care. Neither dad has been able to hold his tiny infant. They talk about hospitals and nurseries during the commercial breaks.
9:00 PM The mom with the two-year-old with a brain tumor calls home. Her sister is caring for her 4 year old son. She tells him she loves him, and that she will be home as soon as possible. She promises he can visit her in Charleston on the weekend.
10:00 PM The family whose child had heart surgery return from the hospital. They raid the refrigerator for leftovers from the dinner, and enjoy a relaxed meal. The next few days are critical ones. They strike up a conversation with the mom of the child with a brain tumor. Both remark that they never knew there were so many sick children.
12:00 AM The two dads decide to walk over to the hospital to visit their babies and give the moms a much-needed rest.
3:00 AM The hospital calls. The two year old that had heart surgery is not doing well. The family rush to the hospital.
5:00 AM The two year old with heart surgery is stable and doing well. Mom and dad return, and share coffee with a couple whose child is having her third heart surgery. Together, they pray for their children.
