Who here has stayed at MD Anderson in Houston?

We have a hotel but I don’t think I’m gonna be allowed to leave to go back to the hotel. I also think I have to be masked the whole time.

I’m mainly wondering if I can door dash or leave to get food or how that works

I’ve heard it’s one of the best. Goodluck to you

Interesting, don't know much about it but what's the reasoning that you cannot leave? What will happen if you do?

Hmm. How do they know you're not sick at the beginning? Some sort of quarantine first? Seems kinda silly.

LINK

The main caregiver can stay overnight if they want, but can leave and re-enter only once a day. Other guests can not stay the night and can’t leave and re-enter in a 24 hour period.

My FIL had surgery there recently and my wife would go early in the morning and I’d give her a break from 11 to 1 or 2. She’d then stay 2 to late into the evening. The patient rooms can be small so more than one guest at a time is really tight in the room when staff comes in.

The quality of the nursing staff is very high with a low patient to staff ratio. Don’t feel like you have to stay overnight with your mom. Also like most hospitals the overnight guest sleeping conditions are tight and uncomfortable.

ETA: check with your moms contact the hospital as some treatment types might have additional restrictions.

Ok that’s actually great news. I may consider sleeping at the hotel if I can come back.

Haha you cannot Door Dash and yes you have to wear a mask it’s a cancer hospital. No, you cannot go back in the treatment rooms for radiation or chemotherapy, not sure about other treatments. They have massive waiting areas outside the treatment rooms where patients receive infusions. Their cafe in the main building has a Chik fil A. Depending upon her chemo, she will probably have to carry a pump after infusion that cleans out her kidneys

There are hotel rooms like the extended stay deluxe's that offer long term cheap rental. They aren't 5 star but I've had to stay at them several times. Good enough for me.

If you do book. Do so directly and ask for the medical rate if there is one. Often they beat any internet pricing.

The cafe Anderson on the first floor is pretty good. They sell chick fil a for lunch. The coffee shop on the second floor has some smoothie king options I think. Ask the nurses—they know! The staff is amazing and helpful.
We were told we could door dash but you’d have to ask the nurse where it gets delivered to.
You can order yourself a tray of food from the patient menu when you order for your mom. You just have to pay with a credit card. It wasn’t expensive.

Idk if you have to mask specifically for your mom but I did not have to stay masked in the room. Only in the hallways and common areas.
You can leave for food but it’s a pain. Door dash, Uber eats, Grubhub are all good around there.