Do find most comfortable space and mark with bags, books, cooler

Do not put a sign..the goods are enough

Do pack snacks if people haven’t already brought them.

Do not eat snacks in one sitting especially if you will be back and forth to ICU waiting room.

Do eat lots of veggies while away from ICU…enough said.

Do make friends with security gaurds.. offer them a sandwich if they look hungry

Do not talk to old suspect dudes around elevators offering to help you find 4west..Do not make eye contact…I repeat do not make eye contact {unless it is the moog-face stink eye} Do not acknowledge.

Do Keep eyes straight ahead.. {for Monica} you must learn this!:-)

Do make a schedule for buddies or family members who will stay with you..you need a buddy

Do get to know your family more

Do not laugh to hard and choke on your beverage as you listen to one of them tell a story of how he was driving and decided to mix coffee while holding the cup in between his legs and hit a bump..{eeeehhh ehhhh ehhhh.<— that’s the sound he said he made! LOL!! .LOL never gets old LOL!}

Do not stay alone in the ICU waiting room overnight alone..creeeeepppyy

Do sleep in shifts..sleep light..{drink coffee for this effect}

Do not go to the restroom down the hall while buddy is asleep..if they wake up and find you gone…FREEENZYYY

Do be kind to others..Golden rule applies here

Do bring inconspicuous objects that can be used as a weapon if anyone tries to attack you..for example…Large glass supplement bottle..flat iron, hardback book…anything you can use that can go BAM! BAM!!!! BAM!!!! {if you need to}

Do not bring any real weapons…to dangerous..besides you just want to scare and partially mame possible assailant.

Do sleep with expensive belongings under your pillow…only the boldest of crooks would try to lift you up..if they are bold resort to the “Do” about supplement bottle

Do get to know the ICU support team..They will bring you ice..and whatever else you need if they can find it. {Betty you Rock!}

Do take time out to get out of the hospital

Do not allow yourself to become stir crazy..or crazy

Do try the lemon pepper chicken on Wednesdays at the cafe on the (MCGgrounds)

Do not try anything that looks suspect from the cafeteria

Do go to Mcdonald’s first thing in the morning

Do not go at an hour before close…the food is  sometimes served with a quart of bad attitude {smile anyway}

Do not kill the loud mouths who come in three in the morning while you are sleeping

Do try and laugh it off when you find out the next morning that the aforementioed loud mouths were your 2nd cousins who you had never met.. SMH…sheesh!

Do have family/friend time..bring scrabble games and other fun

Do not leave your  ”To be continued…”scrabble game with a buddy who doesn’t know there is a game in progress..CAN YOU SAY start over…SMH {oh Victoria}

Do pray for your loved ones and the others in ICU

Do not ask for their snacks and food..let them offer.. RUDE!

Do Celebratory  group dance when you find out your loved one is leaving ICU!!! 

Do not dance in front of the windows if you have no rythm..{I.E. Monica and my Aunt San}

These Do’s and Don’ts are inspired by actual events that happened during our two week stretch in the ICU..It was the worst of the times…It was the best of times..because we were a band of family and friends together. 

♥