Children's Memorial Hospital Stay

Hello,
My daughter was there for a week last year, and there are a number of resources for parents. I never used the shower since we live in the city, but I know they have one (I would bring your own towels for comfort!). There's a sink in every room so I brushed my teeth right there. They also offer other things like massages, etc. There's a cafeteria and McDonalds, and there are other, nicer places right in the area if you want better coffee/sandwiches, etc.
I spent every night there with my daughter, and I believe that one parent is allowed in the room at night. If the other parent wants to stay, they need to sleep in a common area. They'll give you sheets and blankets for a foldout bed/chair. They also have tvs and vcr/dvd players, which was great; my daughter could watch something when she was awake, and I watched movies at night when she was sleeping.
It's not the most comfortable place, but you can definitely avoid a hotel. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!
J.

Hi J.~
My son has had 2 heart surgeries at Children's. The first time he was there for 10 days, the second time he was there for 4 days. Both times, we stayed at the hospital. They are super accomodating for families. My husband & I just stayed on one of their cots. Not too comfy, but worth being close. They have a bathroom with a private shower for your use. If you didn't want to stay there, they have a Ronald McDonald house that is super close for familiest to stay at. I'm not too sure how that works because we stayed at the hospital. But, if you were interested in that, they will make all arrangements for you...transportation, room, etc.
Hope this helps & good luck with your daughter's surgery.
By the way...I LOVE Children's!! They were beyond wonderful in every way.
~J.~

I stayed overnight in the neuro ICU and was able to shower in a lovely parent-shower area with a changing room. The staff was awesome. I slept on a recliner that folded out which was comfortable enough. Sorry to hear that you have to do this, but your daughter will appreciate having you there! I think the previous poster was right about one parent at a time in the room overnight. I think that is so the staff can get in and do their job considering the small space and need for sometimes multiple staff present at one time. Good luck!

I bet you could call and find out. Do they have a Ronald McDonald House that is closer by? Even 45 minutes is a long drive when your baby is in the hospital.

Hugs,
M.

One of the posters said only one parent is allowed to stay. We both stayed all night in the room. The chair opens up into a single bed and they brought a roll away cot for me. Just be prepared not to sleep well. They come in all night to check on the child (as they should). But I am a light sleeper and spent as much time awake as I did asleep. Don't feel guilty leaving though. I didn't leave because they didn't know what was wrong with my son. If your daughter is stable you may want to leave and get a good night's sleep so you can be fully "on" for her during the day.

Good luck to your daughter. I hope she recovers quickly :)