06 Mar Household of 2 Becomes Family of 6
You know when you’re sitting at the gate, and the pilot is giving you safety instructions. ‘Put on your air mask first before assisting others.’ Well, being in this situation is like that, except you can’t put the air mask on.
Melissa and Bob Beadle had tried for several years to have a child, but they struggled with infertility. They decided to try one last time, and in November 2015, Melissa found out she was pregnant. The next month during a routine sonogram, they saw four babies on the screen!
The Beadles made the decision in February 2016 to have the babies at a Cleveland hospital. The hospital near their home, a one and half hour drive from Cleveland, didn’t have enough staff or the experience of delivering quadruplets. Every Friday they would visit Cleveland, until at 21 weeks in her pregnancy, Melissa came to Cleveland to wait for the babies to arrive.
Since their insurance wouldn’t pay for a hospital stay until 23 weeks, Melissa stayed at a hotel for two weeks, a major expense, while her husband commuted back and forth to work.
On May 1, 2016, Geo, Gia, Leo, and Lea were born at 28 weeks, weighing in at 2.2 to 2.9 pounds. The Beadles knew they would need to stay in Cleveland while the babies grew. That’s when Melissa’s dad told her about the Ronald McDonald House. Because both work, they had never been eligible for any kind of assistance, so they weren’t sure they would be allowed to stay. Melissa’s mom called with the happy news! The Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland had a room for them. It was just the support they needed.
When you’re in a medical situation with your children, you have so many emotions, and you feel overwhelmed. You’re so lost because you’re caught up in it. The Ronald McDonald House helped us feel connected again. The hospital cared for our children. The House cared for us, their parents.
“When we first arrived from the hospital, I just didn’t know what to expect. It was pouring down rain, and I had to use the House wheelchair because I was so sick. The rooms were clean and homelike.”
Bob, who worked the entire three-month stay, appreciated that Melissa was safe and with other people—her parents, House guests, staff, and volunteers. When a local television station tried to get the scoop on the quads, the House protected their privacy. Melissa made friends with another NICU mom staying at the House, and they still text each other today. And they appreciated the free shuttle that gave them rides to and from the hospital, even late at night.
The last baby went home in July of 2016. They are now healthy and happy 10-month-olds, each with his and her own personalities. Mom and Dad are forever grateful to the people who helped them during their time of need. “Day after day I felt like I was never going to go home,” Melissa Explains. “But the Ronald McDonald House embraced us and helped us through this journey.”
At 10 months, the babies are thriving. Geo has four teeth. Lea, the smallest baby, is the most feisty of the bunch. Gia loves Elmo. Leo, who was the last baby to go home, is the only baby with blue eyes. (The rest have brown.) His first love is Cookie Monster. All the babies love Sesame Street and Baby Einstein. They’re now eating cereal and bulking up…from two to 14-16.2 pounds.
