Hospital Visits

Our pediatrician admits our daughter directly to the pediatric unit. I walk her through the front door, catch the elevator, and the nurses there are usually waiting for us, with orders the doctor called in. Our local hospital has an extremely small pediatric unit (usually no more than 6 or 8 kids)…that may be why they’re able to do this. In addition to the frustration of the ER, it also saves our insurance $$$$, and she isn’t exposed to as many sick people as she would be in the ER. Maybe you could check to see if this is possible at your hospital.

Gail

MCAD mom

We too have had difficulties with our local hospital. The last time we had to go to the ER we waited in the waiting room for over an hour. Luckily our son was taking sips of juice. Then I spoke to the attending physician about the wait and he said that he understood it was a problem but didn’t know what we could do. Our pediatrician even called ahead and the ER doctor was supposedly watching for us. Then after he had an IV (after 8 tries) for a few hours the ER doctor said we should go home. I informed him that our son had just vomited again approx. an hour before and I was not coming back again and letting them use him as a pin cushion again. That we would stay until he could keep something down. That is what we always do. He said he would have to clear it with our pediatrician. Which of course was no problem. We just stayed until noon or so the next day after he kept down cereal and juice. I get frustrated when we go to the ER and the triage nurses comment more on how cute he is than reading the protocol letter.

Lori

MCAD mom

I keep a bag packed at all times. In it I keep a t-shirt and shorts and underwear for me, two T-shirts for our son, two lightweight baby blankets (useful for throwing up in the ER waiting room and for naps), and basic toiletries (toothbrush, etc.). We also bring our own glucometer with us. That way I can check his blood sugar when they can’t find a glucometer or while waiting for hours in the ER. We have gone to the hospital administration (by calling the hospital operator) when we felt that he was not being treated appropriately. I find it helpful to leave the hospital for a couple of hours each day if he is stable.

Betsy

Undiagnosed FOD mom