Tips: Traveling to Mayo to get medical care safely during COVID-19

To all going to t he hospital. We leave for Mayo on May 17th and staying at the Hilton, knowing it has been cleaned and then when we go to Mayo we have to wear a mask at all times. I will be having a bunch of test done on the 18th. They have my surgery scheduled for June 9th and 11th if they have to go in both sides of my body. No visitor's can be in my hospital room and I still have to wear a mask mine or one of theirs. My husband couldn't understand why he couldn't be there, but I explained that he would be coming in and out and he could bring the virus into me. It's a relief to have it all scheduled. I also have to have a Covid-19 swab done and blood work on June 17th. We have to order food in because no restaurants are open at the Hilton, but I don't know about the Mayo. We just have to be careful and listen to all of their instructions and remember staying 6 feet apart.

I want to thank all those who gave me information where to stay in the Jacksinville area during my scheduled visit next month.
I was just informed my visit will now be done via video conferencing as my labs and visit data from last year were good. I will save all the information received for my next years trip. Thankyou all again.

We just got my husband home from the hospital. He had been there since March 9th. MRSA and eventually two heart surgeries, which were likely caused by the MRSA, has left him sixty five pounds lighter, and a whole lot grateful.

I wear a mask whenever I forage for food or medicine. We will have his first heart doctor appointment in one more week. We will have hand sanitizer with us and will wear our masks throughout the process. We have some gloves, but we don't have a steady supply. They are hard to come by. So, I will save them for the home health procedures they have taught me to do.

For deliveries, everyone is instructed to place items on our front porch. I wear a mask even to go to the mailbox. I cannot control how close a neighbor will come up to me. Church is online. Prayer chains connect us daily. The non profit I work for continues to serve the community in spite of restrictions. Safely, of course.

We may have to do all of this for a very long time. Even when things open up, some ways of doing things may be forever changed.

I had to give my husband his antibiotic infusion today. I was scared to death. But because of Covid19, home health has to restrict what they can do.

Love and hugs to all our friends at Mayo Clinic Connect! We can do this. We are resilient.
And we are better together.
Love and light,
Mamacita Jane

@colleenyoung At this time I have had all my treatment at my local hospital - Sanford in Sioux Falls SD. In the last 8 weeks I have been involved with radiation, ER, I have been admitted to the hospital, the outpatient care center (infusion center), several testing areas, had a tunnel cath put in and have been in several doctors offices in various buildings. All employees wear masks. About 70% of patients wear masks. There are shields in front of all check in desks. I use hand sanitizer everytime I enter a building and everytime I leave. I don't touch any of the door handles. I could take my mask off when I was in my hospital room, but any time they took me out into the hallway to go for a test, I needed to wear my mask. I haven't had to travel, stay in hotels or eat out yet. I am scheduled to go to Rochester in July. We are trying to figure out how to deal with that.

@marvinjsturing, It is good to hear that your hospital is taking good care of you. I have only had to have my routine labs drawn during this coronavirus. I was very pleased with how it was handled.
I am scheduled for mid June appointment in Rochester. I am completely confident that Mayo is taking every precaution to make it safe for us. However it is the 750 mile distance from my home to Rochester that has me concerned. I'm not sure how to judge the safety of lodging or restaurants along the way.
I'll let you know how it goes for us although we are coming from the other direction and starting in Kentucky.
.

@fiesty76 There you are my girl. Thanks for liking my post. You are a sweety.

Hi @mamacita What is MRSA? I'm suppose to have a swab done for it since I'm having surgery at Mayo.
Bless you and your husband. You have been through a lot. This Covid-19 had really thrown everybody for a loop, if you know what I mean and then having to deal with health problems on top of it.
I liked what you said though, that we are resilient and we are better together. Love to you, Mamacita Jane

Thank you so much for this I will be making a 1300mi trip. Leaving to settle at our summer home for a year. Very helpful. I’ll be with another person albeit a poor driver and perhaps drive straight through and not do the hotel stop. Anything else you can add please do.

I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here are a few things I did to keep safe on road:

- I packed a bag similar to a diaper bag and had essentials in it: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfect wipes, baby wipes, gloves, paper towels, mask, Kleenex, etc....
- Packed food and water to have along the trip. Did buy some food and coffee at drive thru, but tried to avoid when possible.
- I used gloves when filling up on gas.
- Used credit cards only, avoid handling money.
- Wore mask when ever left car.
- After using rest room and wash hands, would take couple extra paper towels and use to open any doors on way out.
- Used hand sanitizer when ever I got back into car and before took off mask.

Every state was different as far as what was open.

I did stay one night a hotel. I only took into room what was absolutely necessary for night.

Safe travels

Laurie

Hi @lilypaws MRSA, also known as staph, is a bacterial infection. It's highly contagious, so surgeons will generally asked for a swab prior to surgery so they don't risk spreading it to the inner parts of your body when you are in surgery. I attached Mayo's info page on the infection here so you could read more about it. Hope this helps!
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336