HeartBeat A publication of Ronald McDonald House Charities ® of St. Louis SPRING/SUMMER 2013 • 314.773.1100 • www.rmhcstl.com
The Barnfield Family
ST. LOUIS
OUR HOUSE BECAME “HOME” TO THE BARNFIELD FAMILY FOR SIX MONTHS.
Alec (left) and Brody (right) Barnfield smile for the camera in December 2012.
Last winter, Lisa and Marty Barnfield could not believe it when they learned they would be having not one, not two, but three babies. They were surprised and nervous, but above all, they felt blessed. However, in June 2012, doctors informed them that the babies would arrive early but were too tiny to be delivered in their small hometown of Puxico, Missouri. Lisa was taken by ambulance to SSM St. Mary’s Health Center in St. Louis. Five days later, on June 20, Alec, Brody and Cale – their “ABC” babies – were born at just 24 weeks, weighing 1.5 pounds each. The newborns were transported to SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, while Lisa remained at St. Mary’s in critical condition.
Sadly, just four days after he was born, their son Cale passed away. The Barnfields traveled to Puxico for his funeral but had to return to St. Louis shortly after since the other two babies were still in the NICU. On her drive back to be with Alec and Brody, Lisa learned there was a room open at the Ronald McDonald House, where she could stay just two blocks from the hospital. “Marty and I felt so fortunate to have the RMH available to us,” says Lisa. “There is no other way we would have been able to afford to stay with our boys every day. Having a warm bed to go home to each evening was such a relief.” Unfortunately, Marty could not stay with her, as he had to continue working in
Puxico. As months passed and the babies remained in the NICU, Lisa also had to return to work. So in August 2012, her parents, Larry and Shirley Crank, also from Puxico, moved into the RMH without hesitation. For the next five months, our House became their home Sunday through Friday, when Lisa and Marty could travel to St. Louis for the weekend. “I have no idea what we would have done without the Ronald McDonald House,” said Shirley during her stay. “People who didn’t know us four months ago are now taking care of us every day.” Nearly a year has passed since the boys were born. They have overcome countless challenges, including months on a ventilator and several surgeries. But after a few bumps in the road during December, the Barnfields and Cranks received the greatest gift of all: both boys were released from the hospital. “We truly believe these babies are miracles, and we feel so blessed to finally have them both home,” says Lisa.