When Alison’s son Donny was life-flighted to Columbus from Michigan, she and her husband felt overwhelmed, scared and hopeful all at the same time. After nine months of treatment in Michigan, Donny would now receive a more specialized level of care.
As Alison and her husband David were walking outside the Columbus Ronald McDonald House after arriving, they saw their son’s helicopter flying up to the hospital. They were relieved: their son had safely arrived at his new care facility, and they had smoothly checked in to their new home-away-from-home for the foreseeable future. Things were beginning to look up.
Donny’s Battle
Nine months beforehand, Alison had given birth to Donny at 28 weeks pregnant. He was 1lb 12oz and faced severe health challenges.
While in gestation, the placenta had not been working properly, not getting Donny the nutrients he needed. He was born with a hole in his heart as well as Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), a serious lung condition that requires ventilation. On top of that, he had contracted an infection as well.
At two months old, Donny came down with pneumonia. The care team decided to life flight him from the hospital he was born at in Saginaw, Michigan to the University of Michigan hospital.
While in Ann Arbor, Alison and David stayed at the local Ronald McDonald House for seven months. There, they found support beyond measure. While their son fought for his life, they had a place to sleep, eat, do laundry and rest without having to worry about anything other than caring for Donny.
At the University of Michigan hospital, Donny remained stagnant in his improvement. He couldn’t get off the ventilator, so doctors suggested a tracheostomy to help him breathe better.
However, the trach tube wasn’t the final answer.
“A lot of kids can get a trach and go home,” explained Alison. “But the severity of the lung disease that he had just didn’t allow him to really be stable for a long time.”
Donny’s doctors consulted with doctors from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and suggested to Alison and her husband that, if they could make the trek, they should transfer down to Columbus.
Move to Columbus
For the next year, Donny received treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital while his parents stayed at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House.
“I don’t know if we would have been able to transfer him there as a family if the Ronald McDonald House wasn’t there,” Alison shared. “I’m just really grateful that the Ronald McDonald House exists, because he would not have been able to get the level of care that he did without you guys.”
At the House, Alison and David were able to rest and take care of themselves so they could be there for Donny. Alison got her workouts in, and the couple loved to play pool in the basement while they did their laundry. They even added trinkets to their room to decorate it, making it feel more like a home.
Alison and David tried to make the most out of their time in Columbus. They fell in love with the area, and it began to feel like home.
“I liked Columbus. It really became home for me.…I was there because my son was in the hospital, but I was also able to get out and do somethings once and a while.”
Thanks to generous donors of RMHC, Alison and David were able to go to a few Columbus Blue Jackets games as well as the Columbus Zoo. These small excursions helped bring some normalcy to their lives in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Donny’s Progress
Over the next 12 months, Donny slowly improved, growing into a smiling, happy baby. He even celebrated his first birthday party in Columbus, with RMHC coordinating his cake and cupcakes.
In total, Donny spent 697 days in the ICU. Now, he’s a happy toddler finally back home in Michigan. Alison shared that he is constant smiling, and he plays all day every day. Alison and David even plan on taking a trip this summer to Columbus to show their son all the parts of the city they had come to love such as the parks and the zoo.
Finding Community
During her time at the two different Ronald McDonald Houses and the three different NICUs, Alison found comfort and support through a group of moms with children going through similar situations. Many of their children had BPD as well, and they could relate to Alison in ways nobody else could.
From that community, she got the idea to create a podcast for mothers and families that navigate the ICU and raise children with medical complexities.
“The community aspect is so important, and it’s really hard to find, especially when your kid has a really rare condition, and you don’t know anything about it.”
Thus, the Trauma Mamas Podcast was born. With each episode, Alison interviews a mother or family member with a medically complex child, sharing their story so that others can find community.
“In each episode, we share stories of love, advocacy and hope even when it feels like all is lost. Our goal with Trauma Mamas is to offer resources, hope and a supportive community for those who need it most. Through shared experiences and meaningful conversations, we want to uplift and connect parents who are fighting for their children’s health and well-being.”
You can listen to the Trauma Mamas podcast wherever you get podcasts and at the buttons below.
Thank you, Alison, for sharing your family’s story.