The Mayo Clinic Diaries: Part 2 Traveling & Lodging
Welcome to part 2 of “The Mayo Clinic Diaries” series, a collection of 7 posts documenting my time at the Mayo Clinic. The idea is to share my experience with others who might be considering Mayo as a part of their medical journey. All the thoughts and feelings I’ve expressed were in real-time, straight from the heart. I even named the physicians I interacted with and shared my thoughts on their approach, in the hopes that it would help you make a more informed decision on whether to see them or not.
Just to be clear and cover myself here haha, what I’ve shared is my own experience, and it doesn’t mean that it will be the same for you. Hearing from others who’ve been in similar situations has helped me and I hope that by sharing my experience, it might help you in some way.
Here you’ll find all the posts linked so you can read through the series 🙂
The Mayo Clinic Diaries Part 1: Application & Acceptance
The Mayo Clinic Diaries Part 2: Travel & Lodging
The Mayo Clinic Diaries Part 3: Days 1-4
The Mayo Clinic Diaries Part 4: Days 5-9
The Mayo Clinic Diaries Part 5: Days 9-13
Travel
TRAVELING
FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CA TO MINNEAPOLIS, MN
- We were able to get a flight from San Francisco to Denver, CO and then from Denver, CO to Minneapolis, MN. We wanted to mitigate the amount of layovers, but also wanted to save money where we could given that this is not a cheap trip.
- It’s hard to travel with my health and everything that comes with it – literally and figuratively – the feeding tube formula that has to go through special machines, the possibility of needing a wheelchair because of my heart rate, the issue of nausua and stomach issues coming on at any moment (not something you want to have to deal with when trapped on a plane with loads of people). It’s a lot. Worth it, but a lot.
- I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel to Mayo with my mom. The thought of going alone is unimaginable, and I can’t stress enough how vital it is for anyone planning to travel or visit Mayo to have a support person they can rely on to lean on and receive support from during their journey. I had a lot of loving extended family members offer to come and support us, but I knew that that wouldn’t be helpful for me personally. I really wanted to be able to focus in on what we needed to focus on and handle the appointments and trip the way I needed to. Having other people around, offering their opinions and sharing what we discover in appointments before I am ready, was not what I wanted. Even just the trip of going there… I am already SO grateful it is just my mom and I.
WE MADE IT!
- We made it to Minneapolis! So grateful to have made it safely, without too many hiccups!
- We are now going to take a bus from Minneapolis to Rochester where we will then catch another bus that will take us straight to our hotel!
- When we began planning the transportation for everything, regarding what we would need to do to get into Rochester, we found that the entire city basically caters to the hospital and patients. It’s really cool that there are buses that will take patients to their hotels or to the various hospital satellite locations etc. You can tell Mayo Clinic is the main attraction of the city for sure.
Lodging
LODGING
KAHLER INN & SUITES
- We got to our hotel! So grateful to just unpack and relax after traveling ALL day.
- The hotel is okay – it’s not going to be a super nice resort and we knew that, but upon getting into our room, we found mold in the curtains – so that kind of tainted our opinion… luckily they moved and upgraded us because of the mold situation and now we are in better room with a nice view of the city so we are happy about that!
- All the people staying here are clearly Mayo Clinic patients. The draw of this hotel is that it is connected underground to the hospital so you can easily (and warmly) get to your appointments in less than a 5 min walk – from everything we read this was a MUST because sometimes you are put on standby and might get a random call to come in for an appointment that starts in 10 minutes! If you are farther away, you wouldn’t make it in time and would just have to stay in the hospital all day in case you get the call. By being at the Kahler Inn, we can come and go from the hospital as needed.
- They have a nice restaurant in the hotel (not that I am eating there, but for my mom that will be great) and they know a lot about the hospital because all their guests stay there so it really seems like the right fit for what we need it for!
EXPLORING
THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL CONNECTION & THE HOSPITAL TO SEE WHERE WE NEED TO GO
- After a night of rest, we decided to spend the day exploring the underground hospital connection as well as the hospital itself so that we can get more acquainted with where we needed to be this week. It’s amazing and unlike anything I’ve ever seen!
- The hospital looks so professional and clean! The doctors all wear slacks, nice shirts, and button-ups, and someone is always playing the piano in the lobby with upbeat, but calm music. There are also people all over to help guide you where you need to go and THE VIEWS are stunning!
- We will primarily be on some of the highest floors for neurology and GI. They both have massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city – it is stunning!
- I’m so glad we took the time to explore and walk around the hospital because we start bright and early tomorrow morning. We already have a couple of appointments lined up, so this just helped both of us feel a bit less stressed going into the day.
Here Goes Everything
We got settled in the new room, got the chance to explore the hospital a bit (just enough to get acquainted with where we will be running off to for appointments this week), and are now settling into our beds early to get ready for whatever is coming at us bright and early tomorrow morning.
Even though we wish this was not our situation, we are feeling so incredibly grateful that we have the opportunity to be here.
So now we just have to show up and face it all head-on. Prayers are so appreciated for our time here.
As always – thanks for being here.
xx I love you, I mean it
DISCLAIMER
Please note that all content on this page, website, and any affiliated resources is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of treatment from a physician. NO information on this page or website should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition. Additionally, please be aware that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, from which I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through those links.
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THESE EMAILS I SEND – I PROMISE – FEEL LIKE LETTERS FROM A FRIEND
Come Be Part Of The Bloom!
What is The Bloom? The Bloom is my personal letter to you, dedicated to supporting your growth and flourishing in all aspects of life – from your health, well-being and entrepreneurial pursuits to overcoming obstacles, discovering passions, stepping into purpose and finding avenues for positive impact – The Bloom is all about helping you create a life you truly love – whatever that looks like for you!
I like to think of The Bloom newsletter as the water, soil, or sunlight I hope to be able to give you to help you grow and bloom in your own life! That’s why as a member of The Bloom community, you’ll get heartfelt personal letters from me sharing stories, resources, tools, inspiration and support to help you on your personal growth journey.
I'm Haley James!
I’m a California-based purpose-driven, multi-passionate entrepreneur, chronic illness & rare disease advocate, speaker, podcaster, designer, YouTuber, content creator and really, at my core, just a woman who wants to love & help people!
More specifically though, I’m here to love & help support YOU by inspiring, empowering and equipping you to overcome your obstacles, pursue your passions, step into your purpose and create a life you truly love so you can use your stories and gifts to make a positive impact in the lives of others!
I hope you’ll join me!
I'm Haley James!
I’m a California-based purpose-driven, multi-passionate entrepreneur, chronic illness & rare disease advocate, speaker, podcaster, designer, YouTuber, content creator and really, at my core, just a woman who wants to love & help people!
More specifically though, I’m here to love & help support YOU by inspiring, empowering and equipping you to overcome your obstacles, pursue your passions, step into your purpose and create a life you truly love so you can use your stories and gifts to make a positive impact in the lives of others! I hope you’ll join me!
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