We boarded the train...Morgan and I spent the next three hours talking and watching the scenery as it passed by the window. When we weren't talking I was thinking of what would happen when we got there. I found myself worrying about things and wanted to make sure I could have everything we needed at the Ronald McDonald House after his surgery. I was unsure of how many things would work...how would I get food for him after the surgery, with no one there to help with him? I wondered how he would feel after, how much pain he would have, and what would we do with a whole week in NYC? Little did I know that I did not have to worry about anything... it would all work out fine. Before I knew it were were there!! The train pulled into Penn Station. I can not believe we are here!!!
We were able to get our bags off the train and head into the station. I had thought we would take the shuttle across town and then subway uptown. That was the original plan but we decided to go up and catch a cab to the RMH. We pulled up infront of the house and unloaded. We went to the check-in area and spoke to Lucy, she was wonderful! She said our room would be ready in a few hours that we could leave our luggage there and after we went to Dr. Romo's office we could move in to the room that would be come our home away from home.
We left the RMH and walked across town to the Dr. Romo's office. I remember feeling so excited this was really happening! When we walked into the office we were greated by Michele and told to have a seat in the waiting area. There was another family in the waiting area, and we found out later that their son was having the same surgery also. Dr Romo walked in and went around the room greeting all of us, hugging the boys, like we were old friends. He explained where the other family was supposed to go to meet with the surgeon that would be operating on their son. He sat down beside Morgan and talked to him as if he knew him. Diane came in and introduced her self also. I could not believe how friendly everyone was. We were given our instructions for the next day, where to go and when. They also gave us spending money for transportation and grocery store gift cards. This was way more than I expected. They took Morgan back to take before pictures and I thought this time next week we will be seeing a whole new Morgan. I took pictures of Morgan with Dr Romo and Diane. I wanted to make sure to have pictures of everything so Morgan would never forget the wonderful gift he was about to receive. We left the office and we were on our own for the rest of the day.
We went back to the RMH and got the whole tour. It was a huge place with rooms for 84 families. Most of the families were there while their children were in treatment at the hospitals that were close by. Many had cancer, and I remember thinking how wrong it is that we need a place that large for families to stay while their children are having treatment...this was such a sobering thought. I felt alitttle out of place...my son was healthy...but at that time I had no idea the impact meeting all of these wonderful familes would have on us.
Our room was really nice, it resembled a hotel room, with a private bath, twin beds, a sofa, dressers, and television. We went to the dining area and checked out the kitchen area. We were each assigned a locked cabinet to keep our groceries, a bin in the refrigerator and freezer marked with our room number. We found a grocery store that accepted the gift cards we were given was just up the street. I tried to buy things that might be easy for Morgan to eat after surgery, not knowing how he would feel. As we were putting our groceries away we met one of the beautiful little girls that lived at the RMH. This beautiful little girl came ino the kitchen and tugged on Morgan's shirt and smiled this huge smile. She said "Thank you!" Morgan said he had a pin he received at the front desk of "Grimace" the purple character from McDonalds. She pointed to it and asked where he got it so he took if off his shirt and gave it to her. Her name was Stella, her little brother Gage has Fanconi Anemia. He was in treatment at Sloan Kettering Memorial so Stella and either her Mom or Dad would be at the house depending on who was staying with Gage in the hospital. We were told later by Stella's dad Matt that she most likely has the gene for Fanconi Anemia. This was the first of many families we would be touched by that week....surgery tomorrow....
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