Hi, my name is Haley.
I just finished the fourth grade.
Last week, I had surgery.
My mom told me I'd have to go to the Children's Surgery Center
at UC Davis Children's Hospital.
I had a lot of questions.
Are you going to the hospital, too?
Maybe you're having a surgery or a procedure.
Let me share with you what it was like for me when
I had my surgery.
When I woke up on the morning of my surgery,
I couldn't eat breakfast.
My doctor told my mom this was important to help
keep me safe during my surgery.
That was hard because my stomach was hungry.
When we got to the hospital, we took an elevator
to the second floor and checked in at the reception desk.
There, they gave my mom a bracelet with my name
and other important information on it, like my birthday.
My mom and I waited in the waiting room
until it was my turn to go to the pre-op area.
A nurse called my name and walked my mom
and me up to the third floor.
My favorite part was the circle lights
on the way to the elevator.
In the pre-op area, the nurse checked my height,
how much I weigh, and took my temperature.
The nurse showed me to a bed where
I would wait until my surgery.
Then, they asked me some questions
and put on my name bands.
Then, the nurse asked me to put on hospital pajamas.
My mom and I put all of my clothes into a bag
and kept everything together until I went home.
Next, the nurse checked my breathing.
She placed a sticky sensor that looked
like a Band-Aid on my finger called a pulse oximeter.
It had a red light.
I was able to see my oxygen level and heart
rate on the monitor.
The nurse also checked my blood pressure.
She put the cuff around my arm.
It gave my arm a squeeze.
The nurse also used a stethoscope
to listen to my heart.
Another person I met in the pre-op area
was a child life specialist.
She showed me pictures of the room's equipment and people
I would meet in the children's surgery center
so I knew what to expect.
She said that there are two ways to fall asleep from anesthesia.
One way is breathing it through a mask,
and the other is getting it through a medicine straw called
an IV.
She also said the sleep during a surgery
is different than the sleep we do at night.
While I waited, she gave me choices of activities
to do to pass the time.
She brought markers to my bed for me.
I met the people who would take care of me
during my surgery in the operating room.
All of these people make up the surgery team.
The operating room nurse also wanted to see my bracelet
and asked more questions to get to know me better.
Another person I met was the anesthesiologist.
This is the doctor that gave me medicine
to help me sleep during my surgery.
They told me the sleep medicine is called anesthesia.
My mom and the doctor talked and together made
a plan for me I use the mask.
I learned that when I breathe through it,
the anesthesia would keep my body asleep so I wouldn't feel
anything during my surgery.
I also saw my doctor again that morning.
She talked with my mom and me and asked
if we had any other questions about my surgery.
Some kids drink medicine before they go into surgery.
The medicine can help you relax.
You can drink the medicine from a cup
or squirt it into your mouth from a syringe.
I chose a cup.
When it was time for me to go to the surgery room,
I rode on the bed while the anesthesiologist pushed it
down the hallway.
On the way, we followed the river lights.
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In the operating room, the first thing I noticed
was the big lights on the ceiling.
I looked around the room and saw different machines.
I learned how my surgery team uses
these machines to help take good care of me during my surgery.
They helped me move from the bed on wheels
to the bed in the surgery room.
This bed was smaller than the one on wheels.
It had a seat belt to keep me safe during my surgery.
They put the blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter back on me.
Then, they put three stickers on my chest to watch my heartbeat.
They were cold and sticky.
They even gave me a warm blanket.
Everyone looked a little different with their hat
and mask on, but I could tell that they
were smiling and ready to take great care of me.
Then, it was time for me to breathe
the medicine through the mask, and I drifted off to sleep.
When I was sleeping, my team placed a medicine straw that
went into my vein called an IV.
They used the IV to give me medicine.
When my surgery was finished, I stopped getting the anesthesia
medicine, and the surgery team brought me
to the recovery room.
My family was there with me in the recovery room.
I noticed the IV on the back of my hand.
When I was awake enough, my nurse
asked me if I wanted some juice or a popsicle.
The anesthesiologist gave me medicine
so I would not have too much pain.
In the recovery room, the nurses had more medicine
than they could give me if I needed it for pain.
Soon, it was time for me to go home.
The nurse took out my IV and put a Band-Aid on my hand.
It was easier than I expected.
All I felt was the tape being taken off slowly.
If your doctor decides you have to spend
the night in the hospital, the IV
will stay in so you can get the medicine you need
until it's time to go home.
The room you will stay in even has a place for a family member
to sleep in your room.
I was able to go home after my surgery.
When it was time for me to leave, I rode in a wheelchair
to my car.
Thanks for listening to my surgery story.
I hope this makes you feel more prepared to come
to UC Davis Children's Surgery Center
for your surgery or procedure.
And remember, if you have any questions, just ask.
Everyone is happy to help.
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