NewsRadio Savannah and our sponsor The Dewitt Tilton Group introduces you to our final family and their Ronald McDonald House Of The Coastal Empire experience:
It has been a roller coaster of a journey, but nonetheless an absolute blessing in disguise. Our journey started like any other pregnancy. My husband, Jimmy and I were over the moon expecting a baby. The excitement grew with each passing week. When we found out we were having a girl, we both knew that having a girl was going to cause a greater problem.... SHOPPING!!! I went straight to TJ Max and came home with bags full of baby stuff. At that moment Jimmy knew that this baby would be spoiled.
It was not until the day I received a phone call at work from my OB asking if I could come into the office to discuss the genetic testing lab results. I immediately knew something was not right and my heart stopped. It was then that my doctor told me that my genetic testing came back positive and there is a 66% chance that our baby girl would be born with down syndrome. My world went silent. I was speechless as I did not know what to ask, say, or do. After crying my eyeballs out in the breakroom, I finally built the courage to call Jimmy and inform him that we had a "high probability" of having a child with down syndrome. We both sat on the phone crying and just wondering how & why us? Receiving this news felt like our world had shattered into a million pieces. Like all parents, all we wanted was to have a healthy baby. We decided we did not want any further testing. No matter what the end diagnosis would be, we were going to keep our baby. Everyone kept telling us that our journey was not going to be easy. We began to dig deeper into our faith and knew deep down inside that God had a plan and there is a purpose for everything.
Over the next few weeks, I received several phone calls from a genetic counselor and a perinatal navigator. We had our first clinic visit at Memorial and received news that our “high probability” percentage of our baby girl having down syndrome had increased to 95%. Later in the pregnancy we met with the neonatologist team which included Dr. Fagiana. She went over what to expect during delivery and all the risks and possible health concerns that are associated with kids with down syndrome.
I had three scares throughout my pregnancy. I had covid twice and fell at work. One thing we knew for sure was that our little girl was a fighter! These are the moments that we knew God was sending us a message. We fell hard but our faith got us back up and stronger than ever, hence, Lilliana's middle name, Faith.
On January 24, 2022, Lilliana Faith was born. With the first cry came an instant indescribable love. A love that overshadowed her diagnosis and everything that I had endured during my pregnancy. She was perfect! It was not long after her birth that Lilly had to be admitted to the NICU. Lilly's was in the NICU for 63 days, 63 days that I had not been home even after Jimmy had returned to work. Thankfully, the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) was able to accommodate Jimmy and me. We met some amazing people throughout our journey but there was one family staying at the RMH that really impacted us in a way that we will forever hold dear to our hearts. I would see the mom come into the house and gather dinner and leave immediately to go back to the hospital. One night she was speaking to the house manager and was crying. Her daughter was in the hospital and the doctor had mentioned there was nothing else they could do. That was when I found out her daughter also had down syndrome. I did ask the mom for her child's name so I could keep her in my prayers. I then learned her daughter’s middle name was also FAITH! I was speechless. A few days later, their daughter gained her angel wings.
The RMH means so much to my family, that words fall short to begin to describe our experience and gratitude we have towards this organization. A place we called home for 63 days, which welcomed us with open arms. A place where families like us do not have to worry about a thing. The RMH makes sure your sole focus is being there for your loved one. The staff was always there for us during our highs and lows and let us not forget sweet Willow, the house therapy dog. Willow would greet us at the door and always gave us the best cuddles. The staff became our family, especially since our stay was during the covid pandemic.
On March 28, 2022, it was finally time to take our baby girl home. Once again, an exciting time but also a scary moment because Lilly had been diagnosed with a heart condition and was sent home with oxygen and a feeding tube. We were told that Lilliana would have to have open heart surgery to repair the holes in her heart. We had several specialists to follow up with and it was not until Lilly turned 4 months that the cardiologist referred us to CHOA in Atlanta for surgery. During our visit to Atlanta, we were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Egleston.
Fast forward to today, Lilly continues to amaze us. She has endured two surgeries, is no longer oxygen dependent, is weaned off all her heart medications and is drinking full bottles. She has recently graduated to yearly visits with the cardiologist and her feeding tube has been removed. Lilly has shown us what it means to be a fighter! Lilliana has taught us more about ourselves, our faith, being thankful for our blessings, and understanding the assignment God has chosen for us. We will forever be grateful for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Thank you to everyone that contributes to make this charity so amazing for families and their children. We are thankful, grateful, and blessed to be able to share our story.
How to help:
⏰ Accepting monetary donations between Now - December 11th, 2023
📍 Please deliver all cash, check, and gift card donations directly to iHeartMedia Savannah, 245 Alfred Street Savannah, GA 31408
💳Forms of donations accepted:
- Click here to make an online donation to the RMH. Add "Shop With A Cop" in memo.
- Checks made out to Ronald McDonald House with "Shop With A Cop" in memo.
- Visa, Master Card, AmEx or Target cards.
- Cash
Sponsored by The Dewitt Tilton Group!