For years, my wife and I were told that having a child probably wasn’t in the cards for us. So, when she surprised me with a positive pregnancy test, it was surreal. My first thought was, “No, this can’t be real. Are you sure that’s not a false positive?” Once we knew it was real, the excitement hit. I was going to be a dad! We were going to be parents!
As the pregnancy progressed, we learned that our son, Oliver, was growing more slowly than expected. Near his due date, doctors in La Grande, Oregon, noticed something unusual and sent us to Boise for further care. We packed the car and made the drive that night, not knowing what was ahead.
On the morning of the 16th, doctors discovered that Oliver was very small and that his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck three times. Each contraction was cutting off his blood supply, so the decision was made to deliver him by C-section. At 1:20 that afternoon, we heard our little boy cry for the first time. He weighed just over four pounds.
Oliver faced a few challenges in the NICU, including difficulty regulating his blood sugar and feeding on his own. He needed a feeding tube to help him get the nutrition and strength he needed. We spent 25 days in the NICU, taking things one day at a time and hoping to bring our boy home soon.
We live in Baker City, Oregon, and a nurse friend told us about Ronald McDonald House: Boise. With Oliver in the NICU and my wife recovering from childbirth, having a place to stay close to the hospital was a huge blessing. I stayed at the House first, and my wife joined me after she was released from the hospital. It meant we could focus on Oliver and each other instead of worrying about where we would stay or making the long drive back and forth.
The staff made us feel welcome, and we especially appreciated how they checked in on us and showed genuine care. Maren was the first person we spoke to. Paul was always excited to see us and made sure we knew he was thinking about our family. Those small moments of kindness meant a lot during an uncertain time. One of our favorite memories was bringing Oliver to the House in his car seat before we left. The staff had seen pictures of him throughout his NICU stay, and getting to introduce them to him in person was special.
Today, as Oliver approaches his first birthday, it’s amazing to look back and see how far our little guy has come. We feel incredibly fortunate to have him home and growing stronger every day. Ronald McDonald House Idaho was a huge blessing to our family. Having a place close to the hospital and people who genuinely cared made a difficult experience a little easier. We will always be grateful for the support we received and for the opportunity to focus on what mattered most: being there for our son.
– Hoover Family | 22 Nights at the Ronald McDonald House: Boise | Baker City, OR
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