Hey gang,

Ben Saukko the ‘Guest Blogger’ here. A lot of you have been asking about visiting the hospital and what you can do to help, so Trav and I thought it might be a good idea to drop a note and give everyone some guidance on visiting.

It’s really better if they don’t have any visitors at this point until Nikki gets out of the ICU. They are restricting access to Nikki and she needs rest and can’t have a lot of people coming in and out. Close family, including Nikki’s dad and Trav’s mom, have only been able to see her for a quick minute. And everyone, including Trav, routinely gets kicked out by the nurses because they need room to work.

Trav is really busy as well, and when he gets a few minutes break he needs to rest and maybe try to catch a 20 minute nap. He hasn’t been sleeping much at all and is really sleep deprived right now.

It is a tough time for Trav and Nikki right now. Their accommodations are not the best– small room and crappy waiting room. When she gets out of ICU and into her recovery room things will be a lot better. They will have a shower for Trav (I don’t think he’s showered yet) and probably a little couch or bed for him to sleep on.

When Nik gets out of the ICU they will likely be more open to receiving visitors. Fifteen minutes is a good amount of time for a visit, but use your judgment based on what is going on while you’re there. Also, if you text Trav and ask when is a good time to stop by, he’ll probably tell ya. If you visit, keep in mind there are a lot of very sick people there who need rest and are very fragile and susceptible to getting sick. Please leave your kids at home and try to be quiet and respectful at all times.

Also, Trav hasn’t been eating much and he’s really only had like one or two proper meals all week. You may want to offer him a good meal, either that you bring from home or from a restaurant. If you drop by some food for him or the family, please bring it to the 4E Family Waiting Room, not to Nikki’s room!

One more thing– Annie and I will likely be coordinating a ‘Care Calendar’ for visits and meals when Nikki gets out of the hospital. That will give people an opportunity to see Nikki and provide some much needed support during her aftercare. More to come on that later.

Thanks, guys. I know Trav really appreciates all the concern and support. We’ve got a great group of friends and it never ceases to amaze me how everyone rallies when we have a friend in need! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

The Busboy