Good-Bye Deming House

I'm having a bitter-sweet day today.  Some of you know that last summer J and I spent much of our summer (about 5-6 weeks) at Children's Hospital in their outpatient day program trying to work through J's medications.  During that time I lived at the Ronald McDonald House on Deming Place in Lincoln Park a few blocks from the Hospital.  We had stayed there during a prior stay at in the program a few years before but not for as long.  It was an amazing experience and made a very difficult experience much easier.  We were so grateful for the love and support of the staff of the house and made many friends that are still friends to this day.

The reason today is bitter-sweet is that the Deming house is closing.  Children's Hospital has built a new hospital closer to Northwestern and the Ronald McDonald House organization has build a new building to accommodate all the families they are anticipating will need treatment in the new hospital.  It's an amazing new building that will house many families with a much easier way to check in and stay in the facility.  All of these things are great and will make it so much easier for families who need to be near their children who are in need of help.  Thank you, Ronald McDonald House!!

Here's the sad part.  They are tearing down Deming House.  Yep.  It's going to be torn down.  It's a beautiful old house that was only the second Ronald McDonald House in the country and it's been sold and will be torn down.  It was such a friendly place.  As you walked through the rooms you could imagine the previous occupants living there.  The kitchens were amazing, the sitting rooms were beautiful, the parlor was a study in beautiful molding.  The staff made it personal and homey.

The new location is going to be ran more like a hotel.  They will have 24 hour front desk staff and each floor will be self sufficient.  I'm hoping we will not need to stay there because staying there means the boys need medical attention but also because it will remind me of the loss of our beautiful home away from home that brought us such comfort during such a difficult time of our life.

Thank you, Deming House.  You are loved and will be missed.