Bringing a friend in for surgery: Where can I wait to be with her?

Posted by msch @msch, Jun 3, 2025

I feel a little foolish asking this question but I’ve never done this before and I’m clueless.
I’m bringing a friend to the Mayo in Phoenix for surgery. They will be removing one lobe of her lung. The surgeon told her he won’t know until after he starts whether he can do it less invasively or not.
I’m the only one in the area who will be around while she’s in the hospital. I want to be with her as soon as I can.
Any thoughts about what I should do? Is it possible I can see her that day? Should I just wait at the hospital?
Any help would be appreciated.

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msch | @msch | Jun 4, 2025

Thank you for all the information. I live in Mesa so it’s not a long drive to the hospital. We don’t know yet how long the surgery will take. The surgeon said he won’t be able to tell until he actually begins.
I want to be with her as soon as I can so I will stay at the hospital until they send me away. I have an iPad and I can spend/waste a lot of time with that.

I feel much better after the messages I’ve received here and I’m not as concerned as I was.
Thanks again for your contribution.

Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Jun 18, 2025

Checking in, @msch. How is your friend doing following last week’s surgery? If you are comfortable sharing, how was your experience, and how are you doing?

msch | @msch | Jun 18, 2025

Thank you for checking. I post this as a note to show one of many heartbreaks and unexpected stresses that can come along.
My friend was scheduled for surgery on Monday, 6-9 and in the final scans, they found an aneurysm on her brain. It’s considered small, thank goodness, but still a major concern.
While she waited to find out the next step, her insurance company told her they wouldn’t cover anything further. She had moved to Utah within the last 2 months and hadn’t yet established a primary care dr there.
So now she’s returned to Utah and is starting over.
It’s appalling to me that in a supposedly civilized country, insurance is so dreadful.

Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Jun 18, 2025

Oh, @msch she must be so overwhelmed. I am super glad she has you right there, being her friend.

I did a search for ‘insurance denied surgery’ at the top of the home page that found 11 discussions. It may be worth scrolling through them as you wait for others here. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/

What is next? Did she get any guidance from her doctors, or hospital?

msch | @msch | Jun 18, 2025

In reply to @jlharsh "Oh, @msch she must be so overwhelmed. I am super glad she has you right there,..." + (show)

She’s quite strong and pragmatic. She has an appt with a new primary care dr for July 1. That seems the logical place to start.
I imagine by the time she sees the other doctors - for the cancer and aneurysm - they will want to do their own testing because at least a month will have elapsed.
She got no guidance from the doctors. The second Humana rejected further care, it was as if she’d never spoken to anyone at Mayo.
The very definition of ghosting. Kind of sad.
But… it’s a business. I get that.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.