Complications Kept Asher in the Hospital

Asher is a lovable 4-month-old from Eldon, Missouri. Today, he is happy and healthy, but only a few months ago, he was fighting for his life.

Shortly after he was born, Asher was whisked away from his parents with a suspected diagnosis of down syndrome. As a result, he was transferred within hours of his birth to the NICU at MU Health Care’s Women and Children’s Hospital in Columbia, Missouri.

Upon his arrival, doctors found many complications stemming from his diagnosis. In addition to having Down Syndrome, doctors also found that Asher had two holes in his heart, high pressure in both his lungs and heart, and an enlarged liver, spleen, and kidney. This unexpected news was shocking to Asher's parents, Sarah and Shane, and they had little time to prepare for the long journey that was ahead of them. “I had not showered since I had birth or had something to eat in a couple of days,” Sarah said.

During one of the most terrifying times of their lives Sarah and Shane relied on the Columbia Ronald McDonald House so they could be by their son’s side and give him all the love and support that he so desperately needed. Staying at the House helped ease their stress and financial burden. It saved them trips to and from home and provided them with much-needed pick-me-ups, including our Lunch on the House program which delivers meals straight to the hospital, along with warm meals at dinner time. “I was exhausted when I first came to the Ronald McDonald House,'' Sarah said, “The House made me feel more human.”

Sarah and Shane left their hearts at the hospital every night but having a room to stay in at the House ensured that they were able to get all the self-care they needed, so that they could continue being strong for Asher.

Asher is currently four months old and is doing much better! He has been able to begin eating with the help of a G-tube, one of the holes in his heart has completely healed, the pressure in his heart and lungs is gone, and he is attending therapy to help with his motor skills.
Your support makes a huge difference. Asher always had his parents close by thanks to you!