Definition of the word "Emergency"

[arty7774]

My daughter has been told by the hospital specialist that my grandaughter (aged 7 months) needs an Emergency Operation to help her breath properly.

The hospital has said the operation will be done in MID JANUARY

So when did they change the words meaning.

Should I complain to my MP

[mimififi]

Hi Arty, I'm sorry to hear that your GD is sick....

May I ask, how old will she be at the time of the op? and is it a heart op?

[arty7774]

She will be 9 months old by the time of the operation.

She has a collapsed larynx and struggles to feed and breath.

[mimififi]

ahh that explains alot. They do prefer a child to be 9 months or older when going for surgury They will operate on a younger baby if they are in a life/death situation immediately.

The fact that they are going to be operating on your GD when she is only just 9 months old, does suggest that they are doing it as early as they can. Presumably, you dd has been told to bring her to the docs if she suddenly deteriorates or develops any other problems.

Is you gd maintiaining her weight, or is she losing weight? Is she on an Apneamonitor???

[arty7774]

She is losing weight, the health visitor is wworried about that but says she cannot intervine with the Hospital decision.

She just has oxygen to help her but hates the going into the tent that is over her cot.

[Scarlett]

If I were you I would write to your specialist and ask him/her if it is acceptable to have to wait 2 months for this operation. If this is the norm and she will be okay (although uncomfortable) then he should tell you. He might be outraged, and insist she is put in before then. Sometimes, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing....

[mimififi]

Is she being managed at home with her oxygen then or is she waiting in hospital? Does she have a SATs monitor?

I agree that it might be an idea to check with the specialist that this is an acceptable waiting time, and ensure that if your daughter is just the tiniest bit worried you just phone the children's ward direct You can ask to speak to a nurse and they will proabably advise to bring her straight down. This is particularly useful if you have a problem at night when there is noone else available.

But I have to say, that I still think it might be to do with her age. They don't give out oxygen to home care unless absolutely necessary. I do know from experience with waiting for heart operations, and from waiting in hospital with a baby waiting for a heart op that they like the baby to be as old as possible, nine months is a kind of mile stone where they are more abale to recieve certain drugs related to anesthesia etc...Also the drugs that are used to manage complications are not great for really young babies. There are a whole host of reasons.

In my experience, they do operate as soon as they think is safe to do so with kids, if they think it is a priority, they do try and do it as soon as they can. Did your daughter ask the consultant why she had to wait so long, or was the appointment just posted? If it was just posted, definately phone and ask why the wait and see what they say.

I'm really think of you. It is awful watching a child suffer and wait for their op. Good luck. Give us an update on what they say, I'd be really interested to know.

[qapmoc]

Reading the above posts the point that I do notice is - Why is it that so many people don't seem to know what the reasons are for certain medical situations ? It is obvious that the doctors know why they want to wait but nobody has bothered to inform the parents, it is a pity that doctors training doesn't include a ''people and communications'' section somewhere. Or is it just that they get so busy with the technical stuff that they forget about the human part of their work.