Jaxon Phillip

“I have struggled most of my life to have children. After losing two babies to lost pregnancies, I was over the moon excited to learn I was expecting a baby boy. When I was 6 months pregnant, I separated from my husband and moved back with family to the Fort Wayne area from Atlanta, Georgia. I had my beautiful baby boy, Jaxon, on January 10^th at 39 weeks and 1 day. He weighed 9 lbs. 7.3 oz and was just perfect!

At two days old, I knew something wasn’t quite right; he wasn’t eating much and started vomiting. The next morning, the nurse told me Jaxon had a bowel obstruction and was moved to the NICU. I was so scared – my baby boy got taken from me and I didn’t know if he was going to make it. He had surgery right away, and I got discharged so I could spend every minute with my baby boy.

I couldn’t stand to be apart from him, especially with his upcoming surgery and unknown diagnosis. The nurse gave me information on the Ronald McDonald House and explained how it would allow me to stay at the hospital and be close to my son.

Unfortunately, there was a wait list for a room at the Ronald McDonald House. While I waited, I slept on the couch in my son’s room. I wasn’t leaving his side if I could help it. Within 48 hours, I received a call that a room at the Ronald McDonald House was ready. I wasn’t expecting it to be so soon! A Ronald McDonald House volunteer came to the NICU

floor and brought a wheelchair for me as I was still recovering from my C section. He comforted me with exceptionally kind, friendly chatter during the walk to the Ronald McDonald House. Once

there, he gave me and my Mom a complete tour. For the next 45 days the Ronald McDonald House gave me a calming peace, a quiet place to get away and decompress, and get much needed sleep without beeping monitors and crying babies. The Ronald McDonald House gave me my sanity and a refuge for me to grieve during times I wasn’t sure my son would survive. The biggest gift the House gave me was a support system in an otherwise very lonely time. The volunteers welcomed me with open arms, comforted me, and were genuinely interested in my son’s story. They listened as if there was no one else in the room. Also, my Mom drove daily to be with me and my son in the NICU. She doesn’t drive at night, so if it weren’t for the Ronald McDonald House, where she slept most every night, I would have only had her support 4-5 hours a day and there were a great many days where I needed her. You afforded my family the opportunity to be together. And for this I am forever grateful.

Jaxon went on to have not one but two surgeries while in the NICU. He fought through the surgeries and a terrible infection. Through it all, I was able to be by his side every single day because of the Ronald McDonald House. We were ecstatic to be discharged after a long, grueling 45 days in the NICU.

Sadly, that’s not the end of our story. Jaxon was in and out of the hospital three more times as he endured another surgery, had medicines regulated and ultimately received a G tube. This was really hard for me to accept because this procedure meant my son was officially diagnosed as being special needs. The volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House graciously sat at the kitchen with me as I poured my heart out. They lifted my spirits and let me know everything was going to be okay.

We are finally home to stay. Jaxon is thriving, and we have made it through to the other side. We couldn’t have done it without the Ronald McDonald House and the amazing people who work there; thanks to the staff and volunteers, I was given peace, comfort, solitude, and compassion. My family is forever grateful,” says Michelle.