We met with Dr. Hernandez in the morning--a follow-up from the fall surgery. He felt very good about the progress thus far, and referred to Adam's one seizure as a "freebie" since the day that it occurred had been so long and somewhat stressful on all of us. That was great news, as we weren't sure if the one seizure meant that it would be likely to lead to a returning pattern of regular seizure activity. We said brief hellos to the neuropsychologist (Dr. Gabriel) and the neurosurgeon who did the fall surgery (Dr. Donohue). In addition, one of the nurses carefully went over the consent document for the surgery itself...lots of information to take in. Good thing I'd stopped on the way to the appointment at the hospital Starbucks for a caramel machiatto!
Following all of the appointments we headed out and found a lovely little restaurant for lunch, Lili's Bistro, fairly near the hospital. The service was very friendly...and apologetic after our waitress dumped a glass of iced tea in my lap! She offered us a free dessert for our inconvenience, and we happily took her up on that...yum!!!
After a suitable resting out period in the afternoon, we enjoyed another dinner provided by the Ronald McDonald House volunteers. This is the most time that any of us have spent actually at the house, even though Brian has stayed here on both of our other week-long stays. It is really a wonderful resource for families--and a nice facility as well! There are about 40 rooms, which is bigger than I initially thought it might be. Dinner is provided every evening by local volunteers, snacks are usually available, and there are lots of spaces for families to congregate and spend time. Adam and I wandered about and took a few photos so that you can get a sense of how it looks around here.
Here we are! Settling in to our "home away from home."
Up on the 2nd level deck overlooking the inner courtyard/play space. Adam posing with one of the guard owls...supposedly meant to scare away other birds, which were actually fairly plentiful. :-)
Another view looking over the courtyard.
Brian and Adam enjoying the lovely and mild evening.
Lots of play equipment...Adam decided he was a little too big to play!
A lovely little statue in the courtyard...lots of memorial moments around the place. It is evident that that the house has been a meaningful haven for many families through the years...and their memories of little loved ones are tucked here and there. It feels celebratory rather than sad...and special to be sharing this space where so many families have experienced such a range of emotions while their children were being tended in the medical facilities nearby. 
The halls are lined with fantastic photos of children being children! This is one of my favorite ones...Adam was willing to pose with this darling picture.
Lots of attention to detail...the game room has hand painted sports murals on the wall.
The main stairway down to the 1st floor entrance area. I love all of the natural wood!I hope that you enjoyed our little photo tour of the Fort Worth Ronald McDonald House...and can picture us in our temporary home. We'll continue our adventures tomorrow with an appointment with the surgeon, pre-op procedures and instructions, and an MRI.
1 comment:
Thank you for the lovely tour. It is much nicer and larger than I imagined, which was more a revamped tract home! A lot of thought as to what parents in your situation would need is evident. God surrounds you with evidence of His love.
Love, Grandma, etc.
Post a Comment