Thirty weeks pregnant with various complications, I boarded a helicopter for an emergency trip from St. Luke’s Wood River Valley to St. Luke’s Boise. Over a month later, and just shy of 35 weeks, our second son, Cal, arrived via C-section at 5 lbs. 1 oz. We were fortunate that he was overall very healthy, almost immediately breathing and regulating his body temperature on his own. Cal struggled to eat on his own, however, so he stayed in the NICU for his first 28 days, during which time our family was fortunate to live at the Ronald McDonald House. Christmas Eve, Christmas, my birthday, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day all came and went and RMHC of Idaho was our home throughout.
Eleven months later, our family looks back on Cal’s first month with profound gratitude. While we faced many challenges and questions we couldn’t answer or control throughout our days, we were fortunate to start and end our days in a place where we felt at peace. We never wanted for a single meal or a comfortable night’s sleep. During the happiest of all seasons, our tree (yes, we had our own tree provided for us) overflowed with presents and stocking stuffers; all through the incredible generosity of staff, volunteers, and donors. More than anything, we were able to focus all our time and energy on our sweet Cal and his big brother, Brooks. There was not a single detail overlooked.
We remain overwhelmed by our experience and reflect every day on the people behind the scenes who made an unsettling time for our family positively unforgettable.
~ Dobbie Family | Hailey, ID | 25 Nights at the House
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