As Parkes couple Christine and Matthew Little celebrated the first birthday of their youngest daughter Evie, they reflected on what was an anxious wait this time last year.
And how Ronald McDonald House Central West in Orange, that helps so many families like them, was around the corner when time was critical.
An ultrasound revealed Christine had placenta praevia when she was 20 weeks’ pregnant, which is when the placenta has implanted at the bottom of the uterus covering part or all of the cervix.
Initially it wasn’t anything to worry about because the placenta can move as the uterus grows but as the weeks passed, it wasn’t budging and soon became a grade-four praevia.
She was deemed a high-risk pregnancy which meant Christine couldn’t give birth in Forbes and couldn’t give birth naturally.
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It also meant that every time she had a bleed - caused from the placenta tearing as the baby grew, its chances increasing the further along the pregnancy - she had to try to get herself to Orange Hospital, over an hour away.
“It actually became quite scary,” Christine said.
“I had three bleeds, always late at night, one at 31 weeks’ pregnant, then at 35 weeks and 36.
“I was booked in for a caesarean at 37 weeks.”
When Christine had her second bleed on November 13 last year, doctors at Orange Hospital encouraged her to stay close by.
“They told us often a small bleed can trigger a bigger bleed and with us living an hour away made it risky,” she said.
“They really wanted me to get as close to 37 weeks as possible.
“So it meant we needed somewhere to stay.”
Christine had already been in Orange Hospital for three nights at that point and said doctors offered her to stay until the baby was born.
But with her husband Matt travelling over from Parkes and her two-year-old daughter Sophie at home, another option came to mind.
Ronald McDonald House.
“It meant we could all be together,” Christine said.
“I’ve been very fortunate through my work at the Parkes Champion Post to know in detail about this place and the incredible work they do for hospital patients and their families.
“But seeing it and experiencing it myself, we were completely blown away by the set up and how much support they really do provide.
“And we saw first-hand the generosity from all angles - from the volunteers who give their time, businesses who donate food and supplies, surrounding communities who donate what they make like toys, clothes and blankets.
“All who help keep it open and operating.”
Ronald McDonald House is a stone’s throw away from the hospital and as predicted, Christine had another bleed five nights later.
“It was a massive relief and comfort to hop in that car and drive around the corner to the hospital, rather than trying to work out how I was going to get myself to Orange from Parkes at 8.30 at night,” she said.
“I had four days to go until the caesarean and they kept me in hospital after this but Matt and Sophie still needed somewhere to stay if they wanted to be close by.”
They were able to remain at Ronald McDonald House - meals were taken care of, they had somewhere to watch TV or read while they waited, Sophie had toys to play with and a playground to play on.
“They made us as comfortable as possible and gave us a gift bag of donated hand-made items for the new baby, even one for Sophie so she didn’t feel left out,” Christine said.
“We were given this big, beautiful brown bunny for Evie, knitted by a member of the Parkes College for Seniors who I know donate so much to this charity and have done so for years.
“We are so incredibly grateful for all of the support we received.
“There are families who still don’t know this place exists and it is there for people who really need it, so I’m hoping our story will help spread the word.”
Christine had Evie at 9am, at 37 weeks, on November 24 last year.
Parkes and Forbes remain at the top of the list with the most families to utilise the services of Ronald McDonald House in Orange.
