A Warm Blanket : Parents
Please note that the following
represent each family's individual experiences and beliefs. Every
family is different, and the needs and feelings of the children
involved will be unique. We encourage you to seek professional
advice if you have concerns or questions with regard to these
issues.
Responses to Family Room
| There are so many things
going through your mind when your child is facing surgery. Our
son Dalton was only 6 days old when he had surgery, so there
wasn't really anything to do to make him not scared. Dalton was
so small (not premature, just small to us) and so innocent,
which made the whole thing so hard to understand.
There is no way to change his heart defect,
but we did have to try and learn as much as possible about his
condition. The doctors took so much time making sure we
understood what they were telling us, they were great.
There was one nurse I remember in particular,
her name was Cheryl. She was there from the time we walked
through the doors looking for our son who had been flown in
alone. She stayed with us until the day we left.
After surgery Dalton was put in the children's
ICU instead of the neonatal ICU (where Cheryl was). Everyday,
his new nurse would tell us that Cheryl had called more than
once to check on Dalton. She came in the private waiting room,
after she personally walked Dalton to the OR, and brought the
cutest little stuffed lamb. She asked if she could pray with us,
and I guess through all of this, she never realized how grateful
we were for her. Sadly, we never got the chance to tell her
becasue she wasn't there the day we got to take Dalton home.
I hope if he ever has to have more surgery (we
pray every day that never happens), there will be someone there
like Cheryl to hold his hand and tell him everything's going to
be all right when we can't.
So if it's a blanket or a person, or anything
that makes you or your children comfortable in this situation
just thank God every day for it.
K.D. |
| I guess I would have to say my "Warm
Blanket" is my family doctor. He is the one that
discovered our daughter's heart murmur. Just as a precaution, he
sent us to a cardiologist within 2 weeks. As it was, she was
diagnosed with a VSD and recommended to have a band put on her
pulmonary artery to reduce the stress. While all of this was
going on, our doctor called us 7-8 times while at the hospital.
He even called us in the waiting room before she went to
surgery. He called every day and talked to us, her nurses,
surgeon, and cardiologist. This has been a great trial for us
all, but with a truly caring and concerned doctor, it has gone
smoothly. Thanks Dr. N. ! T. |
| For me, my "warm blanket"
came literally from a blanket (quilt, actually) that was given
to my daughter when she was in the ICU. A group of dedicated
women sew little quilts for the babies in the ICU at our local
hospital. That little quilt touched my heart, and it was next to
her in her little crib when I wasn't able to be with her. It
will be something that we cherish forever.
K.K. |
| A day prior to my son's surgery, we were
introduced to the nurses (all shifts) who would be caring for
him, and oriented to the room he would be in at the ICU after
surgery. It helped enormously to be oriented to the surroundings
and faces we would see for the next week. I applaud the hospital
for allowing us to have the same nurses throughout his ICU stay,
and for taking the time to care in this way.
G.M. |
| What does "A warm blanket" mean to
me?
Well it means that one day I will have to have a meaning for
this comfort place that a lot of you may have. Adrian is only 4
months old and we have been very lucky that he hasn't had to
have anything but monthly ultrasounds so far. A warm blanket
scares me, because I know that one day very soon we will have
one. |
| My daughter was having a very rough day.
She had just had her arterial and central line removed the day
after her surgery, and she was basically hysterical (she was 1.5
years old). I had just succeeded in calming her down, when I
noticed the doctors were almost at our room for rounds. The
hospital has a policy that parents are not allowed in the room
for rounds, which normally is not a problem, but I knew if I
tried to lay her down she would be heartbroken. Stephanie's
nurse noticed what was going on, stopped the doctors, and
explained to them that Stephanie needed me at the moment, and it
would not be in her best interest to try to separate us at the
moment. She did this so tactfully and smoothly, none of the
doctors argued or thought twice about it. I almost started
crying - I was so relieved!
A.R. |
| Having visited hospitals several times
over the past 5 years with my son who was diagnosed with ASD/VSD
as a 7 month old baby, I do feel lucky in that most of the
experiences have been as good (not exactly the best word) as
possible.
My suggestion to any hospital is to assign a nurse to a
patient (especially a child), and have that particular nurse
stay with the child while he/she is in the hospital. Hospitals
are very intimidating places, and I have found that having the
same nurse really helps everyone (including the doctors and
nurses).
M.P. |
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