When Kathryn Patty walked into the Sleepy Hollow Ronald McDonald House on February 20th she was struck with emotion. Only a few short years ago she had stayed at the very same house, in the very same room with her second daughter, and now found herself in a familiar, yet terrifying situation.

“It was overwhelming. It kinda brought back some bad memories, but at the same time it was relaxing because I was in a familiar place,” Kathryn remembered. “It was very scary.”

Just over six months into the pregnancy, Kathryn and her husband Joseph were shocked by the news that their 3rd child, Saige, would be coming much earlier than anticipated.

“It was not expected at all. My water broke at home and I got shipped here and she was born the next day” Kathryn said.

Now two months later, the family is struggling to cope with being so far away from loved ones. Kathryn and Joseph’s two other children, 8-year-old Kaidance and 4-year-old Mystique have missed their mother while she has been away these past few months and they are home in Hutchinson.

“They don’t like me being gone. Kaidance has been up here to see his sister a couple times but Mystique has not. She kinda doesn’t understand everything that’s going on,” Kathryn said. “Kaidance is excited. He understands we have to be here for a while. He just doesn’t like the fact that I’m not at home.”

Despite the occasional visit and call, Kathryn is having a hard time being separated from those she cares about.

“It is very hard to be away from them. I’ve never been away from them this long. Their dad does Facetime so I get to see them and they come up at least once a week when he’s on his days off.” Kathryn said.

During her first stay at the Sleepy Hollow Ronald McDonald House, Kathryn stayed for 29 days while Mystique was in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Today she is grateful to have a place so close to her child. 

“If it wasn’t for this place I would have to be at home and my baby here,” Kathryn said. “I don’t have to deal with the constant worries of if she is OK or how she’s doing because I can just walk across the street and find out. The way that I see it is it could be worse. We could not even be here at all. She’s a fighter. She’s definitely a fighter.”