Womans and Children's hospital - WCH

[Prema]

I am truly amazed with the service of womans and children's hospital.

 

Long story short, my son needed to have surgery and our private health care could not cover us as it is a pre existing ailment.

So I paid private for our consultant from Memorial hospital to do the surgery at WCH.

 

We arrived at the hospital on Weds Morning and I was dreading it. I had been told that this hospital was a dive compared to Burnside Memorial hospital, on top of that my son had to stave and I just didn't know how he was going to cope as the OP was booked for early afternoon.

 

We went up to the dosa ward and on arrival there was a care assistant that greeted us and got Kieran's attention. She walked him around the room and showed him all the computer games, the arts and crafts, toys cupboard. He was truly amazed, he thought Christmas had come early. Then the clowns came in and he laughed so much. There were so many parents there with babies and young children like Kieran.

We got there at 10.30 am and the surgery was booked for 1.30pm. The consultants came over to Kieran and spoke to him in the areas that he was playing and they got his attention but on his terms. I thought that they would call us to a consulting room, but they do their chat this way as it is not so scary for the kids... very clever!!!

 

At 1.30 we walked to theatre and my heart was pounding, I just wanted to keep hold of him and not let go, it was very hard to hold back the tears, the nurse knew exactly how I was feeling and distracted Kieran and showed him all the beautiful decorations. We then went into this kind of pre op room where Kieran was gowned. There was a beautiful fish tank there and he was watching all the fish and the nurse was talking to him as he was jibbering on, she gently gowned him up, helping me.

 

We went into the theatre and I sat on a chair with Kieran in my arms, they gave him the gas and he choose his flavors, again very clever.

After a few moments he started to drift into sleep, my heart never beated so fast, the nurse, a man, came behind me to help put Kieran on the bed. I gave him a kiss and walked out. I broke down outside and the nurses were there to support me.

 

I went to Kieran's bed in the Campbell ward to wait for him, I got the call a very long 45 mins later which seemed like a life time to me, to say the op had gone well and he was coming up.

 

When he got back he was very groggy, and the care he received was unbeatable, it was round the clock, every 10/15 mins, the doctors and nurses were there.

There was food and drink for the parents, they even checked up on me!!!!

 

We got home late the next day and I got a one phone call at night, another in the morning, and the last call was in the afternoon from the hospital to check if Kieran was comfortable.

 

When Kieran was in the ward, he told me that he wanted to go home, and he wanted to sleep in his bed. This is the first time he has called Australia and the place we are living in home, I started crying again, at this milestone.

He then said he couldn't wait to get back to school to tell the children in his show and tell session, about this trip to WCH and show them his pictures and also tell them to not be scared and hospital was really cool......

 

I cannot believe the service at WCH, it was impeccable. I have been to many hospitals in the UK, as you do with kids, and I have never never had this level of service. People who say awful things about WCH should be ashamed, it's a brilliant service and credit to where it's due, I will never again look elsewhere for the care of my kids. This is where I trust the care, and I will always opt for WCH, for either mine of the children's needs.

 

Sorry about the long post, but I had so much to say, and Kieran is doing so well now, looks like it will be a great Christmas for us after all.

 

Prema x

[Rachiegarlo]

Even though we have private health cover I always said my kids would go to WCH first. The staff work with kids everyday and everything is geared for that, whereas some private hospitals are not. Please feel free to send feedback to the WCH, it does get back to the staff and they appreciate it.

[Guest Django]

I had been told that this hospital was a dive

 

Like I've always said. See for yourself. This goes not only for hospitals but also areas to live in, banks, telephone companies, etc, etc, etc

 

Glad you both had a good experience. Only another 6 weeks or so for the next show and tell. I bet he doesn't forget by then.

[Guest guest3462]

What a great post!! So glad everything went well for Kieran! Have a lovely and relaxing christmas now xxx

[Guest Chandan]

Such a lovely Post. you had me in tears!! What a brave little boy, and a brave mummy!!!

 

It was lovely to hear how special they made the kids feel, my best friend had her little girl 14 weeks prem and stayed in WCH for a staggering 227 days. And never had a bad word said about the hospital.

 

Thanks for this post Prema..Have a wonderful christmas!!

[Guest ninaperks]

I work at the WCH and love it. I wouldn't want to work at any other hospital Glad you had such a positive experience there. Have a lovely Christmas

[Prema]

Arh thanks guys. You all have a great Christmas too.

 

I will be sending a very long letter to WCH, funnily enough, when I got the last phone call from them, they ask me if there was anything that you could have done better, the lady on the phone must have thought I was nuts, as I started laughing. I told her that they could not have done anything different, it was the best service that I have ever had in a hospital.

 

It's a shame for the kids that will be there over next weekend, I wonder if there is anything that I could do? any suggestions?

I'd love to bring treats in for the kids, but they can't eat in some of the wards and would be unfair to them. Maybe, I could buy some toys and donate them.

[Guest Chandan]

Arh thanks guys. You all have a great Christmas too.

 

I will be sending a very long letter to WCH, funnily enough, when I got the last phone call from them, they ask me if there was anything that you could have done better, the lady on the phone must have thought I was nuts, as I started laughing. I told her that they could not have done anything different, it was the best service that I have ever had in a hospital.

 

It's a shame for the kids that will be there over next weekend, I wonder if there is anything that I could do? any suggestions?

I'd love to bring treats in for the kids, but they can't eat in some of the wards and would be unfair to them. Maybe, I could buy some toys and donate them.

 

 

My son was in hospital for 6 days when he was 9 months old during his very first christmas.. the hospital gave him 3 presents (not cheap ones either) he loved them and the nurses were such good sports, made our day..

 

Prema, let me know if you need any help on that one, would love to be a christmas fairy!!

[Diane]

Prema

I had tears in my eyes reading your post (you should be a journalist I think, you write so well and with such feeling) and am so glad all worked out well for your son in the end. What a stressful few months you have had! All the best to your family for Christmas, and thank you so much for giving us all something to really bring home to us what is important in life.

Merry Christmas

Diane

xxx:christmastree:

[Guest stu&nic]

Hi everyone

we are looking to move to Adelaide in Oct 2011 from England. My wife is a student midwife and gets her degree in sept, Ive already phoned WCH/Ashford/Burnside and alot more, all sound as thow they would be interested and would sponsor us as a family of 4 and my wife would be on a Graduate Midwife Program for the fist year and we would be sponsored for 2 years. does this sound right as we are not 100%on how to go about all of this. We are all looking forward to living in Adelaide. Hallett Cove is where we are looking at any advice would be a great help thanks stuart nichola