My family and I are from the Wood River area, and on October 8, I was life-flighted to Boise because of my blood pressure. I was 33 weeks pregnant, and because of preeclampsia, the doctors decided to induce my labor at 34 weeks. My baby girl, Yarelli (we call her Gigi), was born early and is now in the NICU, where she is getting the care she needs.
Gigi weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces when she was born on October 17, 2026, and she has been trying her best these past few days. She was on oxygen for a little while, but the doctors recently took it off to see how she would do on her own. Hearing that news made me so happy. They have also talked about possibly starting breastfeeding if she continues to do well. I’ve been able to hold her and change her diapers, and I’m just grateful for those little moments with her. We don’t know how long she’ll need to stay in the NICU, so we’re taking things day by day.
Being here has been hard, especially with everything my family has been going through lately. We have been doing our best to manage the bills and keep everything together, but sometimes it feels like just when we’re starting to get ahead, something else happens. With Gigi in the hospital, and no clear timeline for when she’ll come home, there is a lot of uncertainty right now.
Thank goodness for Ronald McDonald House Idaho! We wouldn’t have been able to afford another place to stay. Having somewhere to stay close to my baby has helped us so much and allows me to focus on being here for her.
My mom and my five-year-old daughter, Addeleni, have been here with me, and having them by my side has meant so much. My partner works in Utah and tries to visit on weekends, but it’s hard for him to be here as often as he’d like. My mom and Addeleni will be heading home soon, so I’ll be here with Gigi until we know more about when she can come home. The doctors are also monitoring my blood pressure, so we both still need care while we’re here.There is a lot we don’t know right now, but seeing Gigi make progress gives me hope. I’m so thankful for the staff at Ronald McDonald House and everything they do for families like ours. We’ve been at the Ronald McDonald House: Boise for 14 nights now, and everyone has been amazing, and all the help makes a real difference. We’ve had a difficult few months, but we’re doing our best, and I’m grateful we have a place to stay while my little girl gets stronger. For now, I’m taking things one day at a time and hoping for the day we can all be together at home.
– Orozco Family | 17 Nights at the Ronald McDonald House: Boise | Hailey, Idaho
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