30 Mar The Jantzen Family

    Posted at 13:53h in Our Families by

    Where Healing Meets Home: The Jantzen Family Experience

    The Jantzen family’s journey has been anything but easy. After a healthy pregnancy, Ceirra (mom) went in for a routine 36-week appointment, only to learn baby Indi was in distress. An emergency delivery brought the twins into the world. What should have been a joyful moment quickly became overwhelming when Indi was rushed to the NICU due to severely elevated liver enzymes. Soon after, her twin sister, Tegan, whose levels were only slightly elevated, joined her sister. Today, the family jokes that “Indi dragged Tegan to the NICU with her,” but at the time, it marked the beginning of a long and uncertain road.

    Both girls were diagnosed with cytomegalovirus (CMV), and doctors soon discovered that Indi also had a serious kidney condition. While Tegan had little to no effects from CMV and was able to go home after two weeks, Indi faced mounting complications. At just two months old, she began kidney dialysis. After three long months, Indi was finally discharged, and the family was able to spend a precious month at home together. But their journey was far from over. Complications returned, leading to repeated hospital stays, including a recent one where Indi developed a blood clot and required a stent.

    Now two years old, Indi continues to need ongoing care. Frequently, Ceirra travels with her three children to stay at the Ronald McDonald House so Indi can receive dialysis, therapies and specialized medical care. What could feel like a constant disruption has instead become something steady and supportive.

    “Being at the House has been amazing,” Ceirra shares. “The staff is always so incredible. They ask about Indi and know my kids so well. From dialysis treatments to six PICU stays, we truly feel like family.”

    For the Jantzen family, the House is more than just a place to stay; it’s a place of comfort while in the midst of chaos. “The House is so nice, and it makes us feel like we’re not in the hospital anymore.” Ceirra says.

    Because Indi has been in and out of care since birth, many of the twin’s milestones haven’t happened in a traditional home, but they’ve happened somewhere just as meaningful. “This is the place we took both twins ‘home’ for the first time,” Ceirra says.

    Through every challenge, the Jantzen family has found not just a place to rest, but a community that walks alongside them, turning difficult days into moments of connection, care and even joy.