Small Town Feel w/ in 45 miles of Children's Hospital? (Columbus: middle-class, insurance)

[marchesefam]

Hi all!

Hoping you can help... We currently live in the greater Phoenix,
Arizona area and we are looking to relocate.

A little about us:
We are in our early 30's, the parents of a special needs (heart
defect) daughter who is adopted. We are looking for the idyllic
"quaint" area. I grew up outside of San Francisco but went to high
school in Sheboygan, WI and my husband grew up in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming. We like the smaller communities and we're looking for a small
town feel with some amenities. I'd like a community where one can get
involved, one with good schools, a middle-class cost of living, and
very safe. My daughter will require numerous heart surgeries over the
course of her life, so we're looking at the top 25 pediatric
cardiology facilities and searching a 45 mile radius around the area.

In Arizona, kids can't do sports in the summer because of the heat. No
kids play outside, and after 5 years in my current home, I still don't
know most of my neighbors. I'd like a town where kids play outside,
the neighbors know one another, the town goes to the high school
football games.

My husband is a claims adjuster for a large insurance company and
works from home, so we're very flexible. I am a stay-at-home mother,
so being able to do things with my child is important.

I enjoy a milder climate, but I'm flexible.

I appreciate your help!

[censusdata]

Maybe Alexandria KY or Batavia OH

[Daytonnatian]

Harrison, Ohio might fit the description, along with Newtown and Bethel.

[wilson1010]

My vote is Vevay Indiana.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by marchesefam

Hi all!

Hoping you can help... We currently live in the greater Phoenix,
Arizona area and we are looking to relocate.

Why are you posting this to 25-30 different city forums?

[marchesefam]

If you see my original post, we're looking to be closer to one of the top 25 pediatric cardiology hospitals, according to US News. My daughter has already had 2 open heart surgeries and faces 5+, and possibly transplant in the future. Sadly, the closest transplant facility to us is Los Angeles, and that is not an option I am willing to explore.

[MissingIndiana]

Just to clarify, which Children's Hospital in Ohio is on your list of 25? Generally, the one in Columbus is referred to by this general name and I saw the post under Columbus's thread, but the towns people are mentioning here are more for the Cincinnati metro. Either way, both are very good hospitals. It would just be nice to know if you meant one, the other, or either to make a better recommendation.

[marchesefam]

Here are the 3 that are listed:

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
Children's Hospital Cleveland Clinic

Are they the same, different?

[Briolat21]

All three are different hospitals. Columbus is about 1.5 (almost 2) hours from Cinci. Cleveland is in the N.E. corner of the state (about 2 hours from Columbus).

Around Cinci there are a lot of "small" towns. I live a township just outside Lebanon, Ohio. It has an old down town with an ice cream shop, a number of quaint antique and boutique type stores. And a number of festivals (we're coming up on the light-parade for Xmas). But there are any number of small towns around Cinci that fit this sort of description.

Lebanon is about 45 mins from downtown with no traffic congestion, with congestion (at typical rush hour) that will be longer. However if you are concerned about the commute for your daughter's procedures, that is easily scheduled at non-rush hour times.

As I said - A LOT of communities around Cinci that fit your description. I've only been here 1.5 years myself - so I'm certainly not qualified to speak to all of them. But in the long run coming out and spending a weekend driving around may be the best way to see things.

Oh - climate wise, Cinci is pretty mild. Not AZ mild, but certainly not nearly Wyoming cold.

Good luck in your search and best wishes for your daughter's health!

[wilson1010]

Stay where you are. Fly into Cincinnati when you need to and stay next door to Childrens at the nice new Ronald McDonald house. Its free and a great place to spend a couple of weeks with your kid in the hospital.