James Rothgeb was born on July 1, 2008, at 27 weeks gestation. He weighed only 1 lb. 11 oz. As a result, James spent the first three months of his life in the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Because James was unable to leave the hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, Charles and Heidi Rothgeb, James’ parents, needed to stay close to him. They found out about our lodging facility, the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville, which is just blocks from where James was in the hospital.
For three months, Charles and Heidi went back and forth between the Ronald McDonald House and the hospital caring for James, who was fighting off multiple infections and pneumonia. The Rothgebs appreciated the House in all kinds of ways. They loved talking to other families in similar situations because they found that people back home didn’t quite understand what they were going through in Charlottesville. Charles and Heidi cherished the relationships they built here. They leaned on other families during their challenging times with James and they allowed others to lean on them when they needed to. The Rothgebs found it extremely hard to leave this sense of community when it was time for them to return to their home.
Finally on October 10th, 2008, James was ready to gohome! Although he is still on oxygen, he is a bubbly, active baby. He currently weighs 11 lbs. and loves to bounce in his exersaucer and make “conversation”.