Free Care Fund: Parents say UPMC Children's Hospital staff made all the difference in baby Rosie's recovery
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- We're gearing up for the 69th Annual KDKA-TV Free Care Fund Telethon on Thursday, Dec. 8. The Free Care Fund at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh ensures that no child is ever denied medical care.
Amanda McQuillan and Adam Revetta are proud parents of two little boys, 3-year-old Ezra and 18-month-old Winston. So, when they found out bows and flowers would likely cover their latest addition, they were surprised.
"Super surprised because after having two boys you just expect you'll have another," Adam said.
"And whenever it was a girl, we both were shocked and taken back and very excited," Amanda said.
They say everything went smoothly, from the pregnancy to the birth of their baby girl, Rosie, in July.
But when they came home from the hospital, the initial time spent at their Coraopolis house as a family of five was cut short. When she was less than two weeks old, Amanda noticed something was off about Rosie while giving her a bath.
"She was just twitching. It was something little in her arm, nothing too crazy. Just a little twitch," said Amanda.
The couple brought their newborn to the pediatrician, where the twitching stopped. But when they came back home, Rosie's condition worsened. They packed what they could and took their daughter to the ER at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
"I think at that time we were trying to convince ourselves, better safe than sorry, better to go in, get it checked out and them say everything is fine and just come on home like it's a normal day," Amanda said.
So, what they thought was going to be at most a one-day visit, turned out to be a 22-day stay at the hospital. During that time, Rosie had numerous tests, including an MRI.
"Her brain and the lining of her brain was swollen," Amanda said. "So, if you have Acute Meningitis, the lining of the brain is swollen, and if you have Acute Meningoencephalitis, your brain is swollen; and unfortunately, she had both."
At the hospital, Rosie continued to have seizures and had to be put on a ventilator. Her tiny 7-pound body was covered in tubes and wires.
For the couple, every day was excruciating. Amanda stayed with Rosie while her husband, Adam, traveled back and forth to keep their family updated.
"Fortunately, we had a lot of great doctors that really gave us things or me things in layman's terms. I also had her really start to explain things so that it kind of made you feel a little better about things," said Adam.
Over time, Rosie's condition improved. And after several procedures, she was no longer seizing, and she was breathing on her own. But with weeks of uncertainty and the stress of the situation weighing heavily on the couple, it was the kindness of a UPMC worker offering to handle Rosie's appointments that brought Amanda to tears.
"It just made the difference because we went through so much and we were so overwhelmed, so just having somebody say, 'I can take this weight off of you,' is huge," she said.
Now, at 4-months-old, Rosie is doing well. She's on anti-seizure medicine and is only getting stronger. As for Amanda and Adam, they say the support they received is something that will stick with them for life.
"There's so many nurses and clinics and secretaries and housekeepers that we'll never forget," Amanda said.
You can help make sure kids just like Rosie get the care they need by donating to the Free Care Fund during our 69th Annual Telethon on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 4 until 8 p.m., right here on KDKA-TV.