When their newborn son was rushed into a battle for his life, the Navarette family traveled from Bakersfield to Pasadena in search of the care that could save him, and the support that would help them endure the scariest moment of their lives.
When Elsa when into labor with her second child, the Navarettes were excited to welcome a baby boy into the family. Ultrasounds and prenatal doctor's visits had shown nothing wrong with the baby, so when the doctors took him from her immediately, Elsa was shocked, scared, and heartbroken.
Elsa’s son Phoenix had been born with a congenital heart defect that had gone undetected throughout her pregnancy. He was immediately transferred to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital because he urgently needed lifesaving medical equipment that was not accessible in Bakersfield.
Jeffrey, Phoenix’s father, rushed to meet his newborn son at the hospital. His world was spinning. He was terrified, alone, and didn’t understand the medical terminology that the doctors were using. At seven days old, He didn’t understand how everything had changed so fast. He had gone from ready to welcome home a healthy, beautiful baby boy, to praying that he would survive open-heart surgery, while his wife recovered in another hospital hours away.
It wasn’t until days later that Elsa was finally able to see her son. “Seeing my baby hooked up to all the machines that were keeping him alive was heartbreaking,” she shared.
For Phoenix’s condition, there is no cure. He will have lifelong complications and may need a heart transplant in the future. At 8 years old, Phoenix has had three open heart surgeries at the LA Children’s Hospital. The treatment is scary; the recovery is hard, but with the help of Ronald McDonald House Pasadena, having family nearby has helped ease the pain.
“It has truly become a second home to us and gave us the opportunity to meet other families going through similar situations,” says Jeffrey. “At the end of a long hospital day, being able to have a place to go home, rest, shower, eat and sleep is priceless.”
The Navarette Family continues to travel to LA for appointments, but for now, some normalcy has been restored to their lives. Although the road that lies ahead is uncertain, Phoenix and his family find comfort in knowing that they can always find love, support, and family at their home-away-from-home in Pasadena.
