Speech/ENT Appointments

Our first appointment was at 2:45 in the Speech Department. We checked in and waited. 3:00 came and we were still waiting. We didn't think anything of it because every time we have gone to clinics at Childrens they are always running behind. Finally it was close to 3:30 and I was getting ticked off because we had Cassie's ENT appointment at 3:45. I asked the receptionist what was going on and she said they would page the therapist. Then the "scheduling" lady comes out and says there must have been some misunderstanding because Cassies appointment was at 2:45 and in 15 min the therapist had to be at a meeting. I said "We were here at 2:45" She looked at me shocked and said "You have been waiting for 45 min!" Um....yea. Turns out when we first checked in the lady behind the desk didn't page the therapist so she didn't know we were there. So....the therapist couldn't even see us because of her upcoming meeting in 15 min. We have to call and re-schedule now. Not sure how I feel about that. Your going to tell a patient "to bad, we screwed up and now can't see you, re-schedule something" We don't live close by, its at least 30-45 min trip. They gave up a $10 gift card for gas because of the screw up. Sigh.....

I would have been more ticked if we didn't have to see the ENT at 3:45 because then it really would have been a wasted trip. Cassie did awsome with the nurse and doctor at first. He looked in her ears, this was fine. He did see her right tube was blocked. It got ugly from there. He had me restrain her arms and had to look in her mouth to check out her palate and tounge. She wasn't to crazy about that but did pretty well. He said her tounge looks great, sometimes kids who have had the lip/tounge adhesion have problems with their tounge. He also said that Cassies palate looks great, he would never know she had an open palate at one time. He said her jaw looks great as well and would have never known she had been born with Pierre Robin. He said it is the best outcome he has seen in a long time. That made me happy!

Here is the ugly part, because her right tube was blocked they had to clean it out. They laid her on a table, took a sheet and wrapped her in it to restrain her...picture a straight jacket. They had me hold her at her knees to restrain her and the nurse held her head in place. Poor sweet Cassie was in hysterics. She cried so hard her eyes glazed over and for a couple seconds I thought she would throw up and at one point. He put this thing in her ear and sucked out all the gunk from her tube....it was horrible. It was horrible to see her like that and horrible to have to restrain her but I knew it was for her own good. Mean while...Daddy stood in the back of the room and sweated. Drama filled day!