(Information by Brynn Homer, IHH Secretary and mother to Alex)

Being pre-diagnosed seemed to help a great deal for me.. I could plan and
research soooo much... So for those new mommies out there here is a
little list of the things nobody told us about our hospital stay...

1. They REALLY take the baby right away to get them stable before you can hold  
    them...They passed him through a little window...
2. The life Flight team brings them back to you any number of hours after              
    delivery.
3. The prostiglandins that babies receive to keep the PDA open made makes the
    skin hurt some and so the babies are irritable when you hold them.
4. We stayed in the PICU the WHOLE time because he was a cardiac kid and the   
    whole team is in the PICU. . .so no need to have them rush to the NICU if           
    there was an emergency.
5. There is so much for Three year olds (refering to her heart healthy daughter)  
    to do that having them close is okay. . .although staying in the room was hard  
    because only two were allowed in the room at a time...So everyone else had    
    to hang out while the others saw the baby. . .also there are age restrictions. .  
    you must be two and older to go in the PICU and in RSV season you must be     
    fourteen.
6. They also have two RV parking places in the parking lot, so if you can't stay at  
    the Ronald McDonald House they do have a place for a trailer. They also have
    about five sleep rooms, with a twin bed in them. We pulled off the mattress      
    and used blankets on the box springs to fit two adults otherwise you can          
    sleep on one of the couches in the waiting room...You may not sleep in the      
    PICU.         
7. Get a formal family picture with your newborn, even if you feel crappy cause
   you just had a baby...You will be so happy that you have pictures with all your  
  
  little ones...You will never have that moment back.The hospital can set this      
    up for free.. so don't feel nervous about how it will work...
8. Even if you took the tour with Kelly, take about an hour and find the washing   
    machine, bathrooms, parent resource room and other places that are free        
    and helpful, there is even a bank in the hospital.
9. If people from your home towns want to do something Now... To help you
   out..Have them start a meal card for you..It is like a gift card to the cafeteria...  
    It will help in cost sooooo much... It is easy and people can add money to your
    card right over the phone.
10. Start filling out paper work for government help as soon as you can....it will    
     only help your baby....
11.If there is anyway for your family to afford supplemental insurance (aflac,         
     Colonial what ever) DO IT... It will pay you so much in the first year your baby   
     is born that you will almost pay all of your bills with it...

PCMC has so many FREE things to keep you and your healthy kids             
   
  occupied.
1.  There is a Zoo pass.
2.  Passes to Discovery Gateway.
3.  There is The Jewish Fitness Center that has a swimming pool and a work out  
     room.
4.  They have free massages for the parents.
5.  There are computers, fax machines, copy machines, phone cards, a digital      
     camera (if you forgot yours one day.)
6.  On the third floor you can have slushies to your kids and your content...
7.  They have a movie rental book.
8.  A library your can borrow books to read.
9.  They also have a new program that a volunteer can come to the kids room      
     and play with toys or do the craft that is going on that day...
10. You will find out that everyone wins Bingo (on Wednesday)
11. They have Healing Animals...Special dogs that come to your room and let you
      love them or pet them...

Intermountain Healing Hearts
PO Box 581306,
Salt Lake City, UT 84158-1306
USA
Toll Free: (800) 397-1174

info@intermountainhealinghearts.
org

List of the things nobody told us about our hospital stay...