Grandparents' Club Spotlight: The Spiekerman Family
Like many grandparents-to-be, Mike and Danette Spiekerman of Temple were excited to meet their twin granddaughters, Huntleigh and Ryleigh Harvey, and looked forward to having the chance to see the world through a child’s eyes all over again.
“My favorite part about being a grandparent is watching the children discover the world, and develop their interests and personalities,” Mrs. Spiekerman says.
However, the girls arrived 16 weeks early and had severe health issues related to their premature birth. (Please see their story in issue 3 of Starlight.) Unfortunately, Huntleigh passed away just 10 hours after her birth. Ryleigh went on to spend 88 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unity (NICU), where she was treated for her underdeveloped lungs, a heart condition, and an E coli infection. Finally, Ryleigh was able to go home with her family, weighing just four and half pounds. “Since then she has been thriving,” Mrs. Spiekerman says.
The Harveys and Spiekermans are passionate about the exceptional care both Ryleigh and Huntleigh received, and the compassion and understanding shown by the McLane Children’s staff during this stressful and frightening time.
“The doctors and nurses bond with the children and that lets us know how much they care,” Mrs. Spiekerman says. “Even today, we see former caretakers who remember Ryleigh and her challenges. They were the key to understanding and surviving a most difficult experience.”
Mike and Danette are now proud members of the Grandparents’ Club, giving in honor of Huntleigh and Ryleigh, as well as their six other grandchildren: Wyatt, Shiloh, and Ryder of St. Louis; and Ryleigh’s younger sisters, Emma, Ansley, and Sydney, all of Belton.
“As a family, we believe in sharing our blessings,” Mrs. Spiekerman says. “My hope is that McLane Children’s can continue to attract superb doctors and support staff, continue to grow in medical knowledge and techniques, and continue to develop as a resource for children.”
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