New here and need help finding affordable, "transplant-friendly" lodging before, during and after surgery

[Sivle]

My husband is awaiting a transplant which will be performed at U of MN Fairview Transplant Center in Minneapolis, MN. We are not from the area and have had no success figuring out the lodging and transport piece of our transplant puzzle. It has been a huge stressor. We naively thought there'd be some kind of transplant-friendly lodgings with shuttle or in walking distance of hospital for patients and their caregivers. We asked the hospital social worker for guidance and were told, "We just don't do that. try Priceline.com." My husband is a 30 year Army veteran, so we reached out to VA and were told, "Make your hospital social worker do their job." Where have other U of MN transplant patients from out of the area stayed before, during and after their surgeries? We are private, proud people used to helping others our whole lives. Now we could sure use some help figuring this out! Thank you.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

I had my transplant at U of WI, Madison. The hospital and transplant clinic helped my husband find lodging while I was in the hospital. There was a nearby motel that gave much reduced rates for transplant family members. Call the hospital and call your husbands' transplant coordinator. They should be able to help with lodging. Good luck to you. In October I had my 18 year transplant anniversary! Take care.

[Sivle in reply to WYOAnne]

Thanks for responding. It's great to hear you had a successful transplant and passed your 18 year anniversary! That good news gives us hope. We have talked to our hospital and transplant coordinator about helping us out-of-towners find transplant-friendly lodging. They said, "We just don't do that, it would bankrupt us." They did give us a list of (exorbitantly-priced for us) hotels in the metro area, with the caveat that the list was not an endorsement and suggested we try Priceline.com. We wondered where other U of MN Fairview Transplant patients out there have found safe, affordable, clean lodging within walking distance or with a shuttle to the hospital?

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador in reply to Sivle]

Some hotels may do it on their own. I recently had an appt at the Cleveland Clinic and the Holiday Inn Express in Cleveland, Ohio gave us a big break on the price when they found out that I was a Cleveland Clinic patient. They explained to me that they do the discount because most patients don't just stay one night, but because of appts stay multiple nights. Because of tests, we actually were there for 5 nights. Might google hotels near U of MN & call them directly to see if they give a discount to patients & family members? Most hotels when they are near a major hospital do that. Good luck!

[Donaldson0007]

Hello. I am suprised your provider did not have any info for you aside from "Priceline" Sometimes some of the providers in the area offer transplant patient rates, there may even be some places that might provide comp services for families (spouses etc). If the hospital does not even a list begin searching in the area around the hospital and making direct calls to them (not their 800 #). Best of luck.

[Ruth42]

Maybe Airbnb or VRBO?

[Drdetroit]

had my transplant in pittsburgh pa at UPMC . They had several houses in town that were very nice. they even had cook-outs etc. they were for transplant patients only & their families. There was one man there that was there for several months as his wife was having a very complicated transplant. He was from Boston Mass. Ask a transplant coordinator for any info.GOOD LUCK!!

[Sivle in reply to Drdetroit]

Thank you very much for your reply. We have been told we will need to remain near the hospital for 3 weeks, minimum, to several MONTHS. Thus, our concern about finding appropriate lodging and transport. We keep hearing about "transplant-friendly" lodging for patients and their families in other states. Sure wish U of MN Transplant Ctr. had such a set-up. We have been trying to figure out lodging for the past YEAR, ever since my husband was placed on the waiting list for a transplant. One of our first questions to the transplant coordinator and social worker was, "Where do we stay before, during and after surgery?" They handed us a sheet of paper with a few area hotels listed and suggested we try Priceline.com for better prices. Not a very healing response to out of town folks already stressed by the effects of end stage kidney disease. The call that a kidney is available could come at any time. In fact, we have had two calls in the past year and rushed to the city (6 hour round trip on the best of days, it has taken as long as 5 hours one-way, depending on road conditions) with our "go bags" only to find out we were not a match. With no exact date, it is impossible to try to book a hotel, motel, AirBnB, VRBO, condo, apartment, or whatever. The holiday season is approaching with all the travelers to Minneapolis booking rooms for family gatherings, shopping, sports and entertainment events, etc. Many weekends are already blocked out. We don't even want to think about trying to find lodging when the Super Bowl comes to the metro area. Not knowing how long we will need to stay is another issue. Not being able to physically check places out in advance for mold, cigarette smoke, noise, cleanliness, etc., is another issue. We live in a rural area with satellite internet service. Every time a leaf, rain drop, or snowflake flits past the satellite dish, we lose internet connection. We thought our hospital, after 50-some years of doing transplants, would have figured out how to help transplant patients with this piece of the health puzzle. Aren't people on the hospital staff paid to help patients? I was hoping by joining this forum I might bump into someone who actually had their transplant in Minneapolis and who could tell us what worked for them for lodging and transport. I am pleased to hear of other people's success stories and praying to resolve this conundrum without going bankrupt or insane so I can be the caregiver my husband needs and deserves. When I am Queen of the World, sick people and their families will not have to scrabble to find and pay for appropriate lodging near their treatment hospitals, but can instead concentrate on getting well. Thank you to all who had suggestions and success stories to share and thank you for the safe place to vent.

[Drdetroit in reply to Sivle]

why not contact UPMC. THEY do transplants on people from all over the world. there was a man from japan when I was there. I had mine almost 6 yrs. ago after 2/12 yrs on dialysis. UPMC transplant center # 1-877-640-6746

[Drdetroit]

Ialso meant to tell you that after transplant ,I had to have bloodwork every day for 2 weeks & the shuttle bus would take us to the hospital at 6am every morning for that. It was about 2 miles. rough ride after surgery. GOOD LUCK & hope you get a call soon!!