After finding out my daughter needed an operation ...

After finding out my daughter needed an operation and we were referred to seattle childrens I heard great things about it and although we were scared to begin this process we felt like we were in the best hands possible.

It was VERY difficult to get into see a doctor and we were referred to several doctors before finally seeing the one who would be doing the operation. Each apt was an hr to 2 later than scheduled and one time we were even told we had been double booked and would need to reschedule.

Pre-surgery apt - we were rushed, Q's answered but doctor was not friendly, looked extremely tired and treated us like we were just another case on his long list he couldn t wait to get done with.

Surgery - quick operation. Talked to us after and told us she was in recovery and it would be 30 mins max before they beeped us. an hr later a nurse urgently rushes into the waiting room asking for us to come back to the recovery room....worried as heck we found out she just was very upset and ripping iv's out. Told us they had been asking for us to be paged for 30 mins.....miscommunication between their staff we were told.

Our stay - nurses, PT and ortho staff all couldn t tell us how to place her in the carseat that was ordered for us because she wouldnt fit into regular ones with her cast. Overall knowledge of my daughter spica cast (body cast) was minimal and I felt staff were not educated on it very well. My daughter is on a soy diet....which was discussed prior to surgery day...and still no soy milk or formula for her. I went to cafeteria myself and used our own formula to mix with it from home we luckily had. With one nurse we were ignored and at times I had to ask for things (including meds) 3 to 4 times before they would reach us way late and daughter in pain.

Overall I can say I am happy I researched ahead of time in the little time we had to once we found out she would need surgery. I would urge parents to be their childs voice and go with your instincts. Be very persistent and ask for things you need.

Surgen said he would need to see my daughter a week to 10 days after her surgery....called once we got out of the hospital and told it would be 2 weeks before an apt was open and that was a work in apt.