NICU Visiting and Support

We are just 12 days out from meeting Maddie!  Excited, nervous and exhausted as we start to prepare to go up to UCSF.  I'm figuring now is a good time to post this message for those of you that either want to come visit or know how you can support us while in the NICU (in case Maddie comes early).

Stuff to know:

• UCSF address is 500 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA.  NICU is on the 15th floor.  You have to take special elevators up.
• We we will be there anywhere from 30 to 60 days (hopefully not any longer)
• We will have access to email/facebook at night
• We will check our voice mail when we step out of the NICU, but don't expect quick replies.

Visiting:

• Except for immediate family, you will need to coordinate with us ahead of time (1 or 2 days) if you plan to come visit.  You can't really get past the elevators without Luke or me.
• Immediate family will have their names on the visitor log. You'll be allowed in after checking in at the nurses window.  Immediate family CANNOT escort people in who are not on the list.
• No one under 14 allowed.
• Please become a manic about hand washing and avoiding people who may be sick for 3-4 days before visiting.  
• If you have even a slight runny nose or cough, don't come.  The nurses won't let you into the NICU anyway.  Plus, any infection can be a serious complication for Maddie - even a cold.  And if you give it to me and I get kicked out of the NICU, I may kill you three times.

Support

• Dillan and Dakota need love.  While we have awesome family and friends taking care of them, they both need playdates.   Lots of playdates.  Lots and lots and lots of playdates.  Did I mention, you should make some time to come play with my big babies?
• Prayer.  Or happy thoughts. Or champagne toast.  However you usually ask the Lord to help, please do that for us.  A lot.  Can't get enough of it. 
• Don't get offended or impatient if you don't hear from us for quite a while.  We are already in survival mode and it's only going to get worse.  But your phone calls and emails and texts and words of encouragement mean a ton to us, so please keep them coming.
• We won't have a car (most of the time) and will be quite nomadic.  Plus I will be recovering from the c-section. Storage and our ability to receive anything large or heavy is completely out. If you plan to mail a care package, please limit it to these types of items.  Email me at ladibug4@gmail.com for the mailing address (I'm not ok posting my sister's address on the internet).
• Baked goods for the staff!   We want Maddie to have the best care possible and if we keep everyone fat and happy, we figure we can't go wrong.  Feel free to include a little card or note thanking them for their hard work.
• Gift cards - food, toiletries, Amazon, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, etc.
• Head accessories, blankets, booties, stuffed animals for Maddie.  However, anything you send will likely be donated to the NICU, so save the special gifts for when we get home.  She won't be wearing clothes for several weeks, so please don't send clothes yet.
• Cards, notes, verses or anything like that.  No books please. Again, 99% of what we receive will be left at the hospital when we leave.
• Despite you're awesome intentions, save flowers, plants, gift baskets, toys for Dillan, etc until we are all safe at home.