Meet the Zyla Family
From Courtenay, BC
When baby Rosie was only 3 days old, her parents found out that she had a heart defect, and that she would need open heart surgery at 4-6 months of age. “Everything was a blur,” remembers mom Tara Zyla about those early days.
First, they were worried for Rosie. Her heart defect was common in babies born with Down Syndrome and doctors assured them that everything was routine, but the prospect of open heart surgery at only 4 months was a frightening one.
They also wondered where they could afford to stay in Vancouver. While staying outside of the city centre would be more affordable, they didn’t want to be far away from Rosie at any time.
Then, one weekend they got the call from the hospital: they needed to be in Vancouver at 8 AM on Monday for surgery. On the day before they were supposed to leave, they were relieved to find out there was a spot available for them at Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon.
During most of their 3-week stay, Rosie was recovering from surgery and complications in the ICU, while RMH BC helped to take care of the Zylas during this stressful time. Staying at RMH BC covered the basics – where to park, where their next meal was coming from – so that they could better focus on taking care of their new family.
“It was such a lifeline,” Tara shared. “It was all we could do to manage what was going on. You’re afraid that you’re going to lose your child but having a safe and comfortable place to come home to: you can’t put a price on that.” Even something as simple as being able to spend some time under a tree after a long day meant the world.
While Rosie was in the hospital, her parents could use their time at the House to de-stress through programs such as Massage Therapy, and when Rosie was finally allowed out of the hospital, they had safe and inviting places to spend time with her, such as play areas in the House or walks to the park.
Another thing they didn’t expect was the community of support in the House, with other families who were experiencing similar journeys. “What I didn’t feel like sometimes is talking to friends with perfectly healthy children, and having people come to visit can be exhausting,” says Tara. “The other families here were so grateful to be at RMH and bonding over that, and it makes you feel less alone.”
Now that she’s back at home, Rosie loves being outside, going for walks and trips to the beach, and she loves the swimming pool! “There are so many things we physically couldn’t do before her heart surgery,” says Tara. “It’s amazing to watch her progress.”
Looking back, the Zylas are grateful for their home away from home: “If anything happens with Rosie’s health and we need to come back, we know we’ll be taken care of.”