The Good News is that we are here is SF. The Family House and UCSF Fetal Treatment Center are amazing. The Family House is somewhat like the Ronald McDonald House. We are staying in a home that has 4 floors, three of the floors house up to 8 families who have a child receiving treatment at the children's hospital. Each floor has a community kitchen, shared living room and shared bathrooms. One family told us how they lived at the hospital and out of their car for 3 weeks because both homes were full. We are lucky to be here. Baby Emma is our child that entitles us to stay in this home. Often we are asked if we have a sick child in the hospital. Many of the children are being treated for cancer. Some are like us who are receiving services due to their baby having special needs. The UCSF Fetal Treatment Center treats all kinds of birth defects. We have heard wonderful stories about the staff and children's hospital. If you are interested they have a web page.
http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/our_team/fetal_firsts.asp
While we wait for Emma, Lexi (Amber) and I are trying to keep busy and that means going places on public transportation. So far we have acquired a new vocabulary and learned where NOT to go. We have ridden the city bus, the MUNI (train like bus), the BART (underground subway), and CalTrain. Nick flew in for the weekend, which was a great emotional boost since we both miss our family and friends. Saturday and yesterday, we rode the BART to the SF airport with Nick.
The BAD - There are five major public transportation stations in downtown SF and a major station at the airport - none of these stations have public bathrooms. Among all five underground stations in downtown - only 1 has a working elevator! We have been separated twice and we have been stuck underground - no way out (except to get back on the MUNI or BART)! And no restroom. Needless to say - I have had some very stressful and awkward experiences.
The UGLY - yesterday we were separated after missing a stop on the BART when headed back into town from the airport, about a 20 minute ride turned into an hour trip. We missed the only stop that had a working elevator, which is the last stop before going under the BAY. We ended up in Oakland.
After arriving in Oakland, we decided to get off the BART and return to SF.
Oh - another BAD about the public transportation - the doors open and close extremely quick - As you can Imagine - I in my scooter with cane in hand and Lexi being very pregnant - Only one of us made it off the BART - me! The doors shut in front of Lexi and away went the BART with Lexi in it and me sitting on the platform.
I was underground in downtown Oakland all by myself.
Everyone who got off the BART with me - disappeared in seconds. In order to catch the BART back to SF, I had to go down another level... I was all alone as I looked everywhere for an elevator and prayed that Lexi and Emma would be safe and that she would be able to meet up with me on the next BART going back into SF.
A GOOD thing is that there are WHITE phones at BART stations so I was able to get directions to the nearest elevator. Down a level, I continued to pray that I would be able to join Lexi. As I waited for the next BART headed into SF, I noticed several people had joined me and I was no longer all alone. The BART arrived. I quickly scanned the platform for Lexi when I heard her shout, "MOM!"
What a relief - we were together and getting back on the BART headed to SF.
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