sdf,
Each room has a coffee maker and a fridge, and there is a communal kitchen there along with a lounge with internet access and laundry facilities. Seton Hall is actually attatched to the hospital. Totally safe as you don't even have to go outside. Just follow the signs or pick up a floor plan when you check in. The cafeteria at St Vincents is great, cheap, and she will be there with other AN patient's spouses, so she won't be alone for any meal. If you check in the night before your pre-ops, which I highly recommend, you will meet all the other patients and spouses in the cafeteria at dinner--you'll spot them, they'll be the ones in the "civvies." Heck, you might even meet people having their surgery at the same time through this forum-- I did!
I don't know about parking--we didn't have a car and saw no need to rent one. Believe me, you will not want to ride in a car post-op! Especiall out there with massive traffic. Taxi from airport, taxi back to airport--no problem! The Hospital and Guest Center are in an ethnic neighborhood, mostly hispanic--we found some good Mexican food if you tire of the hospital stuff, but would not recommend walking there at night, especially post-op.
HEI has the whole 7th floor of St Vincents and each room is private and you will meet many other patients there. The nursing staff is great, and very helpful as are all the docs, techs, paper-pushers, everyone! They do a great job at making your experience there as tolerable as possible. If you want to talk, message me and I'll give you my phone #.
Good Luck
Capt Deb
