McKenzie

The birth of McKenzie Reese Kaylor on September 12, 2006 was a dream-come-true for McKenzie’s parents, Jeremy and Kelli and first-time Grandmother, Jane Kaylor.  Family members were happy beyond words but their joy quickly turned into dread shortly after McKenzie’s first pediatric exam the next morning.  For over 16 years, Jane Kaylor, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga has been telling people that “you never know when you will need the Ronald McDonald House because life can change in a minute.”

The Kaylor’s family’s minute came around midnight when their doctor told them that baby McKenzie needed to be transferred to NICU at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger for tests to determine what was wrong.  By noon the next day, it was determined that McKenzie had contracted Strep B Meningitis and the antibiotics they started as soon as problems developed were working.   For the next 16 days, the Kaylor family went through the full NICU experience—visitation times, doctor’s rounds, feedings, baths, IV’s coming out. During the waiting and prayers, McKenzie’s grandmother, Jane and her Dad Jeremy had a moment to think about their life at the Ronald McDonald House which began in 1990.  How they had lived through the experience of having a daughter and sister who was treated for leukemia for six years and ultimately died.

Jane says the Kaylor family has a new understanding of what Ronald McDonald House really means to new parents.   “What a comfort it was to us to know the House and Family Room were there, that we wouldn’t have to think about being very far away from McKenzie.  Ronald McDonald House is truly a port in during a personal storm.”

McKenzie is perfectly fine now despite the rocky start.  The Kaylor family is grateful for the Ronald McDonald House family, medical caregivers and friends who prayed for her and are thankful to God for keeping McKenzie, happy and healthy.