The Horribly Wonderful Hospital Cafeteria

Hospital food. It isn’t the best nor is it the worst. It is never something I wanted or asked for however, God had other plans.

When Chris and I were 20 weeks pregnant with our second child, we found out that something was “wrong” with our son. It turned out he had a rare genetic defect called trisomy 3p. He had extra genetic material on his third chromosome. I thought this would make him a superhero but the doctors didn’t agree. It was a challenging pregnancy, constantly getting bad news about the precious life you are carrying. We instantly loved him but were heartbroken at the same time.

My mother-in-law lent me a book that changed my outlook on his little life. It was about a woman who took Romans 8:28 ESV to heart. “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” I knew God was calling me to be faithful and to trust Him. He reminded me of this constantly throughout our pregnancy. We named our son Roman.

Not only did Roman have a genetic defect but this also caused him to have a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot. We knew he would eventually need surgery but thankfully it was not urgent when he was born. Until it became urgent.

It was Christmas time and Roman was 4 months old. He came down with a cold and I thankfully had a doctor’s appointment already scheduled. We arrived and they checked his oxygen level and told me they called 911 and the ambulance would arrive shortly. This started the most challenging 3 months of my life.

I lived in the hospital with Roman while he was being treated and eventually needed emergency life-saving surgery. Chris had to stay home and take care of our daughter Eve. It was cold and flu season so no children were allowed up to patient rooms. But then there was the cafeteria at the hospital.

Every Saturday I would get to see my husband and daughter in the hospital cafeteria. It was the only thing I looked forward to each week. We would sit, laugh, and pray while we ate the cafeteria food. And for a moment, the world felt normal. It felt like our family was together, just being under the same roof. My heart was full again and energized me to continue fighting for our son.

Not only did the cafeteria serve as respite for my family but so many other connections were made. Friends would come and share a meal, our family would visit, and we would have “family dinner” with the parents of other patients who truly became like family. Some of them I couldn’t have survived those months without. I will never forget the hospital cafeteria and how it made me and Roman feel loved and supported. It healed our broken hearts.

Hannah Brown lives in Arizona with her husband Chris Brown and their two children Eve (age 9) and Roman (age 6). She owns a financial planning company called Monarch Wealth Management and enjoys spending time hiking, learning new recipes, reading, volunteering at church, and spending time with her family.

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