First hospitalization

A

auntcob

New member
Hi--

Just trying to figure out the logistics if DS is admitted next week after his bronchoscopy since this will be his first hospitalization for IVs.

I will need to stay in Baltimore with him--we are about 1.5 hours from Hopkins. Parents--do you stay in hotels, kid's rooms, or where?

Is it best to go to the bronch prepared--bags packed? Or is there sometimes a delay in admittance.

Just trying to get a sense of how you make it work when you are a bit of a distance from home, work, and other children.....

Thanks
 
A

auntcob

New member
Hi--

Just trying to figure out the logistics if DS is admitted next week after his bronchoscopy since this will be his first hospitalization for IVs.

I will need to stay in Baltimore with him--we are about 1.5 hours from Hopkins. Parents--do you stay in hotels, kid's rooms, or where?

Is it best to go to the bronch prepared--bags packed? Or is there sometimes a delay in admittance.

Just trying to get a sense of how you make it work when you are a bit of a distance from home, work, and other children.....

Thanks
 
A

auntcob

New member
Hi--
<br />
<br />Just trying to figure out the logistics if DS is admitted next week after his bronchoscopy since this will be his first hospitalization for IVs.
<br />
<br />I will need to stay in Baltimore with him--we are about 1.5 hours from Hopkins. Parents--do you stay in hotels, kid's rooms, or where?
<br />
<br />Is it best to go to the bronch prepared--bags packed? Or is there sometimes a delay in admittance.
<br />
<br />Just trying to get a sense of how you make it work when you are a bit of a distance from home, work, and other children.....
<br />
<br />Thanks
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
I stay in the room with Andrew. UNC has pull out beds for parents.

As for bags, it always looks like we are moving in for a month when we are admitted. Depending on how many suitcases you have it is a good idea to maybe bring one rolling bag with you and then go back out for a second once you are in your room and settled. I have found that I can loop my laptop on the top of one of our rolling suitcases, and loop a large train case on top of the other. That helps alot, especially when Andrew is being admitted straight to the room without sedation first. He can take one of the bags and it saves me a trip out.

I should also add that the only reason I have two large suitcases is that I put pillows and blankets in one of them. If you are planning to use the pillows and blankets the hospital has you will be able to get by with less luggage.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
I stay in the room with Andrew. UNC has pull out beds for parents.

As for bags, it always looks like we are moving in for a month when we are admitted. Depending on how many suitcases you have it is a good idea to maybe bring one rolling bag with you and then go back out for a second once you are in your room and settled. I have found that I can loop my laptop on the top of one of our rolling suitcases, and loop a large train case on top of the other. That helps alot, especially when Andrew is being admitted straight to the room without sedation first. He can take one of the bags and it saves me a trip out.

I should also add that the only reason I have two large suitcases is that I put pillows and blankets in one of them. If you are planning to use the pillows and blankets the hospital has you will be able to get by with less luggage.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
I stay in the room with Andrew. UNC has pull out beds for parents.
<br />
<br />As for bags, it always looks like we are moving in for a month when we are admitted. Depending on how many suitcases you have it is a good idea to maybe bring one rolling bag with you and then go back out for a second once you are in your room and settled. I have found that I can loop my laptop on the top of one of our rolling suitcases, and loop a large train case on top of the other. That helps alot, especially when Andrew is being admitted straight to the room without sedation first. He can take one of the bags and it saves me a trip out.
<br />
<br />I should also add that the only reason I have two large suitcases is that I put pillows and blankets in one of them. If you are planning to use the pillows and blankets the hospital has you will be able to get by with less luggage.
<br />
<br />Good luck and keep us posted!
<br />
 
P

pipersmom

New member
I've never heard of a hospital that would not allow you to stay in the patient's room. The bedding may not be the most comfy (I've slept on window seats, pull-out chairs, and recliners), but it's available. We always take our own pillows, and since Piper is always on iso, it prob looks like we're moving in! We take board games, her Wii (yes..her wii, LOL), games, movies, usually 6-7 days worth of clothes, etc. Also schoolbooks, her netbook and craft projects.

I would take your packed bags with, better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them. I wouldn't think you'd have an admission delay, but I guess you never know. We've had to wait a couple hours in the past, tops. I just leave the bags in the car until I get her settled into the room.

As far as routine, I go to do laundry once a week (usually at Ronald McDonald House). I also find a nearby grocery and stock up on snacks and microwaveable meals for myself. Eating from the cafeteria all the time is expensive. Cincinnati used to do bag lunches, which helped, and Roanoke did parent trays as well, so you may want to check. UVa, where we go now, does not. I farm out Piper's hermit crabs to family, my mom picks up our mail, etc. I might come home once during a three week admission, mainly to pick up and cull through mail, and have a bit of a break. I make it a day trip though, and am usually back at the hospital by dinner time.

Luckily we only do one completely inpatient visit a year now, the rest of the time we either start IVs at home, or may be at the hospital for a week tops before coming home on them. The one time she is there for the duration, I look at as a break. The RTs do all the treatments and tell her to stop talking during them, etc, the nurses get the fun of hooking IVs up in the middle of the night, she works with an art and music therapist, gets PT, all that fun stuff. Only a single parent(or one who does all the treatments themselves) could look at a hospital stay as a vacation!

HTH <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
P

pipersmom

New member
I've never heard of a hospital that would not allow you to stay in the patient's room. The bedding may not be the most comfy (I've slept on window seats, pull-out chairs, and recliners), but it's available. We always take our own pillows, and since Piper is always on iso, it prob looks like we're moving in! We take board games, her Wii (yes..her wii, LOL), games, movies, usually 6-7 days worth of clothes, etc. Also schoolbooks, her netbook and craft projects.

I would take your packed bags with, better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them. I wouldn't think you'd have an admission delay, but I guess you never know. We've had to wait a couple hours in the past, tops. I just leave the bags in the car until I get her settled into the room.

As far as routine, I go to do laundry once a week (usually at Ronald McDonald House). I also find a nearby grocery and stock up on snacks and microwaveable meals for myself. Eating from the cafeteria all the time is expensive. Cincinnati used to do bag lunches, which helped, and Roanoke did parent trays as well, so you may want to check. UVa, where we go now, does not. I farm out Piper's hermit crabs to family, my mom picks up our mail, etc. I might come home once during a three week admission, mainly to pick up and cull through mail, and have a bit of a break. I make it a day trip though, and am usually back at the hospital by dinner time.

Luckily we only do one completely inpatient visit a year now, the rest of the time we either start IVs at home, or may be at the hospital for a week tops before coming home on them. The one time she is there for the duration, I look at as a break. The RTs do all the treatments and tell her to stop talking during them, etc, the nurses get the fun of hooking IVs up in the middle of the night, she works with an art and music therapist, gets PT, all that fun stuff. Only a single parent(or one who does all the treatments themselves) could look at a hospital stay as a vacation!

HTH <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
P

pipersmom

New member
I've never heard of a hospital that would not allow you to stay in the patient's room. The bedding may not be the most comfy (I've slept on window seats, pull-out chairs, and recliners), but it's available. We always take our own pillows, and since Piper is always on iso, it prob looks like we're moving in! We take board games, her Wii (yes..her wii, LOL), games, movies, usually 6-7 days worth of clothes, etc. Also schoolbooks, her netbook and craft projects.
<br />
<br />I would take your packed bags with, better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them. I wouldn't think you'd have an admission delay, but I guess you never know. We've had to wait a couple hours in the past, tops. I just leave the bags in the car until I get her settled into the room.
<br />
<br />As far as routine, I go to do laundry once a week (usually at Ronald McDonald House). I also find a nearby grocery and stock up on snacks and microwaveable meals for myself. Eating from the cafeteria all the time is expensive. Cincinnati used to do bag lunches, which helped, and Roanoke did parent trays as well, so you may want to check. UVa, where we go now, does not. I farm out Piper's hermit crabs to family, my mom picks up our mail, etc. I might come home once during a three week admission, mainly to pick up and cull through mail, and have a bit of a break. I make it a day trip though, and am usually back at the hospital by dinner time.
<br />
<br />Luckily we only do one completely inpatient visit a year now, the rest of the time we either start IVs at home, or may be at the hospital for a week tops before coming home on them. The one time she is there for the duration, I look at as a break. The RTs do all the treatments and tell her to stop talking during them, etc, the nurses get the fun of hooking IVs up in the middle of the night, she works with an art and music therapist, gets PT, all that fun stuff. Only a single parent(or one who does all the treatments themselves) could look at a hospital stay as a vacation!
<br />
<br />HTH <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
R

rainsmom

Guest
if your room is big enough i would get a twin size blow up mattress. both times ashley has been it the hospital the pull out bed has been more like some type of torture device lol. Just something else for a first timer, dont feel backward about making sure that the nurses follow the rules about wearing gloves and washing hands. The first tune up Ashley Rain had we had a few nurses (especially at nite) who would come in and not have gloves on. Obviously they do not wake up in the morning thinkin about keeping their child healthy and also have that to be their last thot before they go to sleep! I did feel a little odd to have to say anything but good grief, you don't do all that you do everyday to keep them from catching something just so you can take them to the hospital and let some careless nurse do it. Im not anti-nurse i just want you to know that you should really watch what they do and make sure it's rite, bc they are only human. :}
 
R

rainsmom

Guest
if your room is big enough i would get a twin size blow up mattress. both times ashley has been it the hospital the pull out bed has been more like some type of torture device lol. Just something else for a first timer, dont feel backward about making sure that the nurses follow the rules about wearing gloves and washing hands. The first tune up Ashley Rain had we had a few nurses (especially at nite) who would come in and not have gloves on. Obviously they do not wake up in the morning thinkin about keeping their child healthy and also have that to be their last thot before they go to sleep! I did feel a little odd to have to say anything but good grief, you don't do all that you do everyday to keep them from catching something just so you can take them to the hospital and let some careless nurse do it. Im not anti-nurse i just want you to know that you should really watch what they do and make sure it's rite, bc they are only human. :}
 
R

rainsmom

Guest
if your room is big enough i would get a twin size blow up mattress. both times ashley has been it the hospital the pull out bed has been more like some type of torture device lol. Just something else for a first timer, dont feel backward about making sure that the nurses follow the rules about wearing gloves and washing hands. The first tune up Ashley Rain had we had a few nurses (especially at nite) who would come in and not have gloves on. Obviously they do not wake up in the morning thinkin about keeping their child healthy and also have that to be their last thot before they go to sleep! I did feel a little odd to have to say anything but good grief, you don't do all that you do everyday to keep them from catching something just so you can take them to the hospital and let some careless nurse do it. Im not anti-nurse i just want you to know that you should really watch what they do and make sure it's rite, bc they are only human. :}
 
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