AlohaFrom Our House to Yours www.RonaldHouseHawaii.org Newsletter of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Hawaii October 2012 Waiting for Koamalu Updated October 5, 2012 Koamalu is still too small to get on transplant that he needs. It will the transplant list. He needs to weigh probably take place at Stanford 22 pounds, and five months after being Medical Center or Seattle Children’s born, he’s just halfway there. So Hospital. Both places are familiar with everyone waits and hopes. Koamalu’s Koamalu’s case and he has even gone twin brother Hayden continues to through testing at Stanford. progress, doing a little better than A year ago, back in Kailua-Kona, Koamalu, but he has also had serious neither Jade, 18, nor Les, 22, could difficulties at times. Their young have ever imagined where they would parents, Jade Iaukea-Shimizu and Les be now and what they would be doing. The sudden change in their lives began Koamalu is holding on. the day Jade found out that she was Wish List Huihui, have been unwavering in their expecting. Les remembers it well. “We Gift Cards tireless efforts on behalf of their were both scared. We didn’t know who Restaurants babies. to tell. We didn’t even know what to do Wal-Mart For the moment, the couple’s life next. I had never even baby sat Costco mostly consists of long hours at the before.” K-Mart hospital followed by anxious nights Then came a double-shocker. They Target huddled together with Hayden at the learned that Jade was expecting twins. Sam’s Club nearby Ronald McDonald House. But Longs Drugs they have been anything but spectators Supermarkets on this journey. They have already Gasoline gift cards taken the battle to UCLA Medical Prepaid phone cards Center in Los Angeles during Jade’s Movie Tickets pregnancy, where the diagnosis of Household Items Twin-To-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Paper Plates was confirmed and a procedure Ziploc bags performed on the unborn twins to give Garbage bags each their own flow of blood. (10 gal., 13 gal., 33 gal.) Koamalu has what is called “short Jade and Les spend many hours each day Aluminum foil gut syndrome.” He was born with only encouraging Koamalu in Intensive Care. Plastic food storage containers 10 percent functioning intestines. One Food Items of the complications of this condition is When the surprise subsided, they Canned Goods that a baby’s liver begins to fail soon as found that they eagerly looked forward Ketchup well. So it’s a delicate race to 22 to the future together with their Sugar pounds, and if they can nurse along his babies. Cooking oil liver until then, he should be a But it started to get complicated Soy sauce candidate for the life-saving double about 20 weeks into Jade’s pregnancy. Fresh fruits & vegetables “The doctor told us that one of the Frozen meals (microwave) twins (Koamalu) had a fluid buildup in Saimin his abdomen,” says Les. “He gave him a Individually wrapped snacks 20% chance to make it, and he gave his Rice brother Hayden a 50% chance to Miscellaneous survive. He said that if Koamalu would Rolls/sheets/books of Forever pass, then Hayden would probably pass postage stamps with him. In the ultrasound, we could Xerox paper (8.5 x 11) see that their umbilical cords were Office supplies getting tangled up.” When everyone realized how fragile her pregnancy was, Baby Clothes 0-12 mo. (new) Hayden and Les grab a nap at the Ronald McDonald House. Continued on page 2 Message from our President Aloha, Hawaii’s donation to RMHC-HI was more than $45,000! 2012, our 25th anniversary year, is Check out some photos from the event on page seven. turning out to be all that we had hoped 2012 will also be remembered as the year that we cre- for. We have been able to share the ated “Helen’s Corner”, a beautiful and special section of our Ronald McDonald House story with Hawaiian Garden on the Judd Hillside House grounds. countless people; express our grati- Helen’s Corner was dedicated to honor the memory of tude to our loyal supporters for their Helen Asakura, a long-time supporter of the Ronald McDon- 25 years of caring; and reconnect and ald House. Attending the dedication was Helen’s daughter strengthen our relationships with many Jerri Chong Ann Asakura, who herself has served on the RMHC-HI of the special families that have Board of Directors. Also on hand were many of Helen’s stayed here since we opened in 1987. friends from McDonald’s of Hawaii, who provided the fund- Taking Ronald McDonald with us on road trips to major ing to create Helen’s Corner. It is a beautiful area to shopping centers on Oahu and the neighbor islands this match the beautiful memories that we have of Helen. year has been truly special. We have held Saturday events But the year is at the Kahala and Windward Malls; Hilo’s Prince Kuhio Cen- not over yet. There ter; Lihue’s Kukui Grove Center; and Kahului’s Queen Kaahu- are still opportunities manu Center, featuring the Ronald McDonald Show, along for you take part in with other great entertainment and activities for the kids. our anniversary. We At each stop we felt so welcomed and everyone we met have our 25th An- seemed eager to better understand how we help families niversary Gala coming and to learn how they can show their support. Next, we will up on November 18; be at Kona Commons, in Kailua-Kona on December 1. the yearly Christmas A real highlight this year was being selected by the dinner and toy drive employees of Bank of Hawaii to receive a share of the pro- on December 5 at ceeds from their annual Community Walk. This fun event Murphy’s Bar & Grill; Helen’s Corner was held at the Honolulu Zoo with bank personnel and their and much more. I families rallying together to enjoy the walk, entertainment, hope you will be there to help us put the finishing touches displays, and food. When all was said and done, Bank of on a year to remember! Koamalu continued Ronald McDonald House, and before we knew it, we had a Jade was immediately flown over to Kapiolani Medical place to stay. Not just any place either, a wonderful place. Center on Oahu for bed rest. After holding on for a total We really enjoy being here. We made so many friends.” of 46 days, Jade gave birth to Koamalu and Hayden by “If not for Ronald McDonald House, sadly, we would caesarian section on April 7, nearly two months have had to go home and be miserable without our babies. prematurely. That just wouldn’t be right because you need to be near Hayden came out first and he had his heart murmur, your child in the hospital,” adds Les. which went away after a few days, but Koamalu needed The couple’s situation has had a profound effect on immediate intervention. “The second Koamalu came out, them. “At first I wondered why God gave us sick babies, they started draining the fluid that Les says. “Was he punishing us? But had built up in him,” Les says. before long I realized that God gave During a diagnostic test, they them to us because he knew that discovered the undeveloped willingly, we will do everything we can intestines. “So the doctor had to use for them. I am so happy these babies what was left, and connect him up as came into our life. We didn’t realize best he could,” tells Les. “But that it before, but we really weren’t wasn’t enough intestines left for him complete until our boys got here.” to survive. So he would ultimately “I’m still scared,” says Jade. “But need a transplant to save his life. I’m excited. I mean, it’s tiring but That was so hard for us to hear. I it’s not hard. I really enjoy having thought I was having a bad dream.” them around.” But through all of this, Les and “I know I will find a way to take Jade have been able to remain good care of my family,” concludes Jade and Les with Hayden at the Les. “As my dad used to tell me, ‘The optimistic. Ronald McDonald House. And they have a stable temporary road to success is always under living arrangement and safety net. “We weren’t sure what construction.’ There might be detours and it might get we were going to do after the twins were born,” says Jade. bumpy. Some people might pass you along the way. That “One of our neighbors had a preemie and they stayed at doesn’t mean that, at the end of the road, you’re not going the Ronald McDonald House, and they were telling us about to get to your destination.” it. So when the time came we asked the hospital about the 2 From our mailbox Dear Ronald McDonald House Staff, To the staff of Ronald McDonald House (both venues), Thank you so much for taking care of me when I had kidney failure. You guys are so nice to everyone, and We are thankful with grateful hearts for all your help and helpful, and caring and a lot more too! Tome you are my efforts for us, especially for Jason! heroes because you guys treated me like family and took Update on Jason: He’s a joyful one, already 3 1/2 years old, care of me on Christmas, even though I was sick.