Brian Jordan and Tia Tennant went in for a 20 week ultrasound not expecting anything out of the ordinary. While Tia was getting her ultrasound it was discovered the baby was missing its nasal bone which could be a sign of Down syndrome. Brian and Tia traveled to Iowa City on the recommendation of the doctor to get further testing where it was determined their baby had Trisomy 21, a rare case of Down syndrome, as well as a noticeable heart defect. Weeks later, Tia underwent more testing when doctors noticed the baby wasn’t being as active as it should be and was under respiratory distress. Tia immediately had an emergency C-section and gave birth to a daughter named Kayrene. After birth, doctors diagnosed Kayrene with Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder (TMD), also known as TMD Leukemia. Kayrene was admitted to the NICU and her parents were ready to be by her side.
The couple from Bellevue, Iowa was relieved to learn from a social worker about the Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City. Now they wouldn’t have to travel hours each day just to see Kayrene, “When you have a sick child staying in a hospital hours away, you start to add up the cost of hotels, fuel, and everything under the sun. If we didn’t have the Ronald McDonald House I don’t know what we would have done. It saved us financially and allowed us to spend more time with Kayrene.” said Tia. Because they were saving money, Brian was able to take a month off work to be there for his daughter and his family. Their son Jerrick was three years old at the time, and when being away from home that long, it was nice to have the whole family under one roof. Tia explained, “Because our son is so young and the seriousness of Kayrene’s condition, he wasn’t able to stay in the hospital room. Ronald McDonald House is the reason we didn’t have to leave him behind in Bellevue. RMH helped us stay together as a family.”
After 70 days, Kayrene was able to go home and even though hospital visits aren’t quite done yet, Tia realizes how lucky they were to be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. “We were a family going through such a hard time, and all of the stresses of life were washed away thanks to the Ronald McDonald House. Kayrene needed our full attention and love. Through donations, volunteers, and a caring staff, we were able to be there for our daughter when she needed us most. You never know what life is bringing your way, but whatever happens, Ronald McDonald House will be there for your family in almost any way possible.”
