The Malaghan Family

In early March, Elizabeth and Patrick were happily pregnant and planning the May arrival of their son, Camden. One day, everything changed and their journey at Ronald McDonald House began.

“I had a great pregnancy, but then all the sudden was having pain in my belly. It was difficult to wrap our heads around. It was very scary and unexpected. I went to the Emergency Room at L&M Hospital and they transferred me to Yale within the hour. The initial goal was to get me to 34 weeks.

I didn’t know anything except that I would be staying at the hospital until they told me otherwise and then 4 days later (at 30 weeks gestation) we had the baby. I tried to stay calm, but it was definitely a roller coaster.

A social worker mentioned the Ronald McDonald House. We weren’t sure what the process entailed. We knew it was nearby, but that was really all we knew. Prior to the Ronald McDonald House, we thought about all the details and the added expenses... All the stuff you don’t want to have to think about when you’re going through something like that. To have Ronald McDonald House as an option, you can turn your mind off and know there is something for you. We didn’t have to worry about what our next steps had to be.

Recovering from a C-section, it provided the perfect distance to be able to walk without needing a wheel chair. We can literally see our baby’s window from ours. We couldn’t be any closer, unless we were in the hospital.

Having all the accommodations has helped us stay in a routine. A place to do laundry, eat meals, and park. The meals have been awesome! It’s offered everything we need and more. Being an hour away and not having to commute, has been a huge weight off our shoulders.

Our days at the hospital are inconsistent, so we’re thankful for having the consistency of the Ronald McDonald House. We have good days and bad days at the hospital, but knowing everything will be the same here has been nice.

You don’t experience the RMH unless you have a child in the hospital, but we’ve told everyone nothing but good things. People have been curious to hear about it, so we were able to tell them about the accommodations and how convenient it’s been.”