When Trisha and Scott Waterman’s daughter was born prematurely, they were filled with uncertainty. “Knowing we didn’t live close enough to the hospital to spend quality time with our daughter in the NICU and commute, the nurses gave us information about the Ronald McDonald House.” A room at RMHC-EIWI allowed them to stay close to their daughter in the NICU and keep their older children close. Their older kids loved the many play areas, and Trisha and Scott loved that their boys could be carefree knowing they were with mom and dad. Their NICU stay overlapped with their oldest son’s birthday, but RMHC-EIWI staff had it covered. “It was so sweet when the door was decorated for our oldest son’s birthday! It made him feel so special!” recalls Trisha.
The evening meal was a huge relief to Trisha, “It was so nice to be able to come ‘home’ and have a meal that I didn’t have to think about, prep or cook!” The community atmosphere was a boon during the difficult moments. “We enjoyed seeing the diapers other NICU families had pinned to their doors, showing the sizes of their babies. It was so encouraging to see babies comparable to Annie’s size doing well and going home,” said Trisha.
Finally, after almost 3 weeks at the Ronald McDonald House they were able to take their baby home! This sweet family is enjoying life at home, watching their children grow.
–The Waterman Family
