Newsletters and Communication
House Newsletter
The House Report
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Recent Mailout
December, 2009
I couldn't believe how nice it was and how kind and generous everyone was to us...
Dear friends:
August of 2008 was the scariest time of my life. I was pregnant with our second child and had gone to see my gynecologist at the beginning of the month for a routine blood pressure check. I couldn't believe what I heard. He told me it was so high I had to immediately go to Guelph General Hospital. I did, of course, but a few days later my blood pressure was still climbing so the medical team at Guelph thought it best to transfer me to McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton.
I remember thinking "I'm going to have this baby now, but it's too soon". I was so scared and worried.
Over the next week I had non-stress tests, blood work and ultrasounds and was told to keep track of the baby's movements. On the morning of Friday, August 18, I realized my baby was not moving and I knew something was wrong. The baby's heart rate started to drop and my doctor told me they had to deliver this baby immediately. I though they were kidding and asked if they coud wait the 40 minutes for my husband to make the trip from our hometown of Cambridge. I was told that we couldn't wait.
Everything was happening so fast....at 1:47 p.m. our beautiful daughter Savannah Machado Dutra was born weighing only 2 lbs 1 oz. I knew this was not normal and all sorts of fears rose up in my mind.
On April 11, I was discharged from the hospital; however, Savannah was not. I was told that Ronald McDonald House had a room where I could stay. This was so unfamiliar to me. I remember crying as I left the hospital and feeling nervous about not being in the same building as Savannah, but the house was just a short walk from the hospital. In fact, I could see it from there.
The minute I walked into the house my worries were gone. My husband Eric and I were able to stay close to Savannah, and our older daughter Chloe was able to come and stay with us. I cried when I saw our room. I couldn't believe how nice it was and how kind and generous everyone was to us.
Over the next five weeks Savannah stayed in the NICU and the rest of our family stayed at Ronald McDonald House, truly our "home away from home". At one point they discovered there was bleeding in Savannah's brain, which meant there was a possibility of brain damage. On June 9, Savannah was transferred to Guelph General Hospital where she stayed one week. When she was finally discharged she weighed 4lbs 11oz and we were so happy to have her home!
When she was only four months old we were told that our little angel Savannah has Hemilpegia Cerebal Palsy. We will handle this one day at a time.
There are no words to express our thanks to Hamilton's Ronald McDonald House for all of their hospitality and support. They made my whole family feel welcome and safe. To show how grateful our family is we participate in the Home for Dinner program and I am planning a fundraising party to raise money for the House. I hope you too will consider giving to this wonderful house this holiday season. They made our whole experience so much easier.
Paula Dutra, Cambridge