Supporting my mom who is going to Mayo Clinic

Thank you @rosemarya I will look into the concierge services. I have been reading the website and looking at everything, I am so thankful she is going to Mayo!

Also is it likely she will have time gaps between appointments? Right now she has 3 scheduled, 2 on her first day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. She booked a camping spot as they have a really nice trailer but its about 15 minutes a day. I feel like a hotel close to Mayo is a better option for going back and forth. Thank you Thank you to everyone providing information! You don't know how much I appreciate it.

Your mom will be in amazing hands at Mayo. Truly, they set the bar very high for medical care and spoil their patients for treatment anywhere else.
I’m biased because I’ve been “Mayo-naised” more than once. LOL

The clinic is very easy to navigate. It looks large and intimidating when you drive up to it. But once inside, there is signage everywhere and volunteers in Blue Jackets helping with directions. Everyone is so friendly and attentive.

It’s really nice that your parents have a camper where they can stay. That would definitely save on hotel costs and be a familiar roost at night. Rochester is super easy to get around but parking can be a challenge near the clinic. So if they do stay in the camper, allow extra time if your mom has an appointment before 9 AM to find a parking spot and arrive to the clinic on time.

Your mom has only 3 appointments scheduled right now. But as she has tests run and meets with doctors they may schedule more appointments.
If she checks with the intake desks where her appointments will be, often there will be a cancellation and her appointments could be moved up and consolidated.

There are lovely lounge areas for resting, lots of bathrooms, and a cafeteria in the clinic and with restaurants and shops attached to the clinic. It’s also in the downtown area with lovely places to walk. Easy to kill time while waiting between appointments instead of driving back and forth to the camper.

However if they (you) have a hotel close to the clinic, most are linked by tunnel to the clinic (called the Subway). They would be able to park at the hotel and then just walk to the clinic and back between visits. That’s what my husband and I do. Super convenient. Or, there are hotels a little further away and most have a shuttle service.

You know your family best. If you feel it would be more advantageous for you to be with your mom at the appointments instead of your stepdad, that would be great. But at some point if your mom does need to be tended for some medical reasons, your stepdad will eventually have to step up to the plate unless you’re prepared to be with your mom during that time. So maybe the best option IS to be at Mayo with both of them. That way he can be part of the process and get information first hand as well.

If I can be of any further help, don’t hesitate to ask. My husband and I had to temporarily set up housekeeping in Rochester for 4+ months while I underwent a bone marrow transplant. The clinic and Rochester are like a second home. ☺️

@tiffdavidson,
There is one thing that I would add as a way for you to support as she prepares for her appointment: help her to make a list of questions that she (and you) want addressed. My husband and I always walked into appointments with a list of questions and concerns, and at Mayo the doctor or the nurse always gave us unhurried time and ad they answered questions in a way that we could understand. I even had doctors make drawings and illustrations for me to understand.

@loribmt Hotel suggestions. I would like to be within walking distance and be close to downtown, which it sounds like I would be at Mayo. I don't want to rent a car if I can manage without. Would love a pool so my mom can swim and a room with at least a microwave and fridge. I am going to talk to her today and tell her that I am going. Then we can decide the rest. I just want to say I adore my step-dad, he is the best and I know he can take care of her, sometimes she just needs to tell him what she wants. Thus starts my marriage advise to my mother! haha when did I grow up?

@tiffdavidson LOL You sound like my daughter who is 37. “Adulting is sooo haaaard!!” It’s always an eye opener when rolls reverse, isn’t it?

Ok I can feel it in your conversation that you are much happier now with a decision made! Awesome.

You won’t need a car. There are a plethora of hotels, restaurants, stores, within walking distance to the clinic. Many are connected via the Subway and skywalk system. Wanting a pool at the hotel is a little more of a challenge but doable.
Here are a couple I found right downtown with pools.
Hilton Doubletree Inn
Hilton Garden Inn
Kahler Inn & Suites

Because the city is impacted by the Clinic, many of the hotels are geared up for long term stays and have suites with full kitchens or kitchenettes. When we stayed in Rochester for 4+ months we were at the Marriott Residence Inn. We still return there for our 1-3 day stays for my checkups. There are some two bedroom, two bathroom units as well.

As mentioned before, the Concierge services at Mayo are a great source for information.
Also, a google map search of the area will give you a great overview.

Here’s a map of the campus! So you can see how close everything is!
https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/getting-around

As you get your plans together please check back. This site has so many members just waiting for the chance to help out!! LOL We’ll help you ‘adult’ as you get your mom squared away! You’re a rock-star daughter!! Lori.

@tiffdavidson Welcome to Connect, and I see you have already gotten lots of information, support and advice here, from @loribmt and @rosemarya!

Definitely write out questions now. Write your own, have your mom and stepdad write theirs. some may be repeats, some may be new. If possible, sit down as a trio and review those questions together, to avoid duplication and consolidate as you can. If the medical team will allow you and your stepdad to be present during consultations, do it! The more ears and eyes the better. There will many new terms and words heard, and information given that leads to more questions. Ask to repeat something, ask for spelling, if needed. As they say "knowledge is power", and Mayo is happy to see patients be involved with their own care.

Be sure each person has their own space to retreat to, to relax think upon things, and "zone out" as needed. The whole experience can be overwhelming. Let your folks know how honored you are to be along on the journey, and how you plan to "be there" as much as they let you. The bond will grow tighter.
Ginger

I have friends local to Rochester MN, they always want to meet me at Newts for burgers. That’s a restaurant recommendation from a local , they serve great burgers.

@gingerw I love what you said to be there as much as they will let me. I talked to my mom this morning and she said "well I don't think you need to come" " I would hate for you to waste your time and money". So I told her to decide what she wants and thats what I will do. But it was a little bit of a strained conversation. I know she is trying to figure it out as well and I think I overwhelmed her. I have had time to process and dig in and she hasn't done that yet.

Every family situation is different but let me tell you about an experience I had 2 weekends ago. I'm from minneapolis and had thurs and fri apts on fri afternoon I had a piece of medical equipment that needed to be returned the next day or monday by 9 am not wanting to drive 2 hours each way decided to stay overnight down in rochester where I met a young woman who had been seeking treatment for the last 7 months and what her family did was rotate people visiting her. She was from Idaho and mon would stay a few days and then dad and then cousins, aunts and uncles so she was never alone for more than a few days and when she was telling me about her family visiting her you could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice how much it ment to her. So now for your situation can you afford it? You only have 1 mom and after she is not with us will you regret not seeing her and giving her husband a break good luck I know what ever decision you make it will be the right one for you