17 Dec The Meijerink Family

Our 10-month-old baby was diagnosed with bronchiolitis caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Virtually all children get an RSV infection by the time they are 2 years old. Most of the time RSV will cause a mild, cold-like illness, but it can also cause severe illness that requires hospitalization. We assumed we would visit the local emergency room, stay the night for observation, and go home the following day. But that was not to be. She didn’t respond to the treatment, and as we scrambled in the windy, early morning hours to transport our daughter to MUSC Children’s Hospital, neither of us thought about the whirlwind of logistics associated with what would become a weeklong hospital stay. I only had the clothes on my back, not even a coat to fight the winter cold. After admitting her to the neonatal intensive care unit, we finally caught our breath, and luckily, a volunteer with MUSC Children’s Hospital contacted RMHC Charleston on our behalf. What a blessing! This House truly has the wellbeing of and compassion for families at the core of their existence: kind words, friendly staff and volunteers, delicious home-cooked meals, fun activities, and sweet Gardy, the Housedog, welcome you each and every day – 24/7. In spite of the mental and physical exhaustion parents experience, while they watch their child fight a serious illness or injury, RMHC Charleston ensures that families always have a place to rest, relax, and be close to their child. Thankfully, our daughter recovered completely. While our stay at the House may have been short, RMHC Charleston remains a positive memory during a dark period in our lives. When I packed our things to return home, I’m pretty sure we left something behind at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston: a piece of our hearts now resides there.