Mott memories: Share your stories about the children's hospital
Sleeping peacefully in a Mott bassinet
These are the elements of a Mott Children's Hospital birth story. I know this because it's one of mine.
As Mott prepares for its Dec. 4 move into the new C.S. Mott Children’s and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, AnnArbor.com is asking readers and former patients to share their Mott memories.
Many mothers love to share their birth stories, and thankfully those are usually joyous. Of course, families also find themselves at Mott as they face some of the most difficult situations imaginable, involving very sick children.
In both cases, the hospital has immense capacity to touch lives. What is your most vivid memory of being at Mott? Were there things that surprised you? Was there a staff member you particularly appreciated? Is there anything you wish had been done differently?
Write your memories in the comments below, or email them to community@annarbor.com along with photos, if you wish. We will feature them in an upcoming print edition of AnnArbor.com, as well as online.
Oh, and the baby in my story? He's a healthy 5-year-old now, embracing life with just as much drama as the one that brought him into the world.
Jen Eyer is director of audience engagement for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jeneyer@annarbor.com.
Comments
CD
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 5:13 p.m.
On March 27th 1998, my 16-year-old sister was in a terrible car accident. The wonderful staff in the peds ER and PICU valiantly tried to save her life, but her injuries were too great. The physicians and nurses cried with my family. I will never forgot their compassion. Your hard work is not forgotten.
Angi Olson
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:03 p.m.
I had my daughter there. I had a nursing student in the room with me and he was so patient and kind. He teared up when she was born too as it was the first time he had witnessed a birth. It took me a while to get into a room because they were extremely busy that day, but everyone was so nice and helpful once we got to the room! I also remember a little bit about getting my appendix removed there when I was in 4th grade. I remember walking up and down the hallways, once with a boy who had a shaved head and a big scar. I was so shy back then, but the sweet boy and the nurse got me talking - though I don't remember what about. I remember he helped me push the IV pole!
jns131
Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
I had better luck at St Joe. Had our child, great nursing staff who would not leave me alone to save my life and in my room with in 10 minutes after giving birth. I much preferred St Joe for the nurses then UM.
blue-on-black
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 5:05 p.m.
Don't get me wrong, Mott's does great things for hundreds if not thousands of people each day but every experience isn't accompanied by a ray of sunshine. When I was 13 I was put into Mott's for a week with incredible back pain. It took them a week to figure out it was a staff infection and to prescribe the right medicine. During that time I had a nurse come in the middle of the night to wake me up and remove my IV because "there wasn't an order for it". Then she and another nurse came back a few hours later and informed me they mixed me up with a different patient and to "pretend that it never happened". That same day I was served a blueberry muffin from the cafeteria with a 14 inch long red hair in it. Haven't touched a blueberry muffin since. I know people have fonder memories of Mott's than mine but that shouldn't change the fact that not all Mott's memories may be good ones.
jns131
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
Ours had RSV at 2 months. The nanny ours stayed with, another child had the flu. Ours got it. Nurses there were great. They let us go home 2 days later because the nurses could not attend to ours because my family was staffing the care. So they left us alone checking on us on occasion. They told us we would be there a week. When they sent us home two days later, we asked why to go home so early? They said they didn't have to worry about our childs care because we had round the clock family care. Some parents don't. Ours hasn't been that sick since. Knock on wood. Motts has good care for infants.
ummsw
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
I have the wonderful doctors in Assisted Reproduction(Dr. Randolph and staff) and my wonderful ob gyn for high risk pregnancies (Dr. Van de Ven) for my miracle 16 years ago. They followed me diligently and with great compassion through my pregnancy. Without this facility I would not have the happy,healthy 6' son I have today. Thank you so much
JuliaAnnArb
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.
I had two healthy boys born at Mott. Both arrived during major snowstorms, so it's a good thing we live close by!
Carole
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.
My grandson's live was saved by Dr. Bove in 1988 -- he went on despite some special needs to become the first "special needs" eagle scout in York County. To Motts Hospital and Dr. Bove thank you for all you did for him those many years ago -- he grew up to be an outstanding young man.
Wolf's Bane
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 1:28 p.m.
My son was born there in 2007. It was perhaps the most beautiful experience of my life. We arrived in the middle of a snowstorm.
glimmertwin
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 1:09 p.m.
What could you say? My wife gave birth to our two sons there. Greatest days of my life.
toofmullets
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 1:07 p.m.
My first child, a daughter, was born there on September 30, 2011. The pic in this article brings back a lot of memories for me, esp the blanket and hat, which look exactly like the ones she had. Every single health care professional there was great. Thank you so much Mott! Good luck, and keep up the incredible work you do.
Sheila
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.
I've given birth to four sons at Mott with the help of the U of M Midwives (my daughter and oldest was born out-of-state). My firstborn son began his delivery in the bathroom of my delivery room at Mott and I actually walked from my bathroom back to bed with his out. His shoulders got stuck and I was flipped onto my back and he was delivered after that. My third son was born in a triage room. My water breaking in the current temporary construction parking lot as we were heading inside. I was 9.5 cm at admittance and never made it to a room or out of my own clothes. He was born 20 minutes after we entered the hospital. With my four Mott births, I have always requested a birthing tub (I am told there are 3 rooms with birthing tubs at Mott) but they are first-come, first-serve and they have always been occupied. 0-4 on birthing tub availability. I am happy to know that the new hospital will have ample birthing tub suites.
Diane
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
Our son was born two months early @ St. Joe, then was admitted to the Holden unit @ U of M. As he progressed he went over to Mott. While feeding him one evening he stopped breathing & I couldn't bring him around. The next day his Dr. came in & said, " She doesn't know how to feed him, so he fed our son & the same thing happened to him, so they moved him back to the Holden unit & never told us. We went to visit him the next day & we thought he had died because he was not @ Mott. This was my 4th baby & he is now 37 & 6'8".
Dave
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 9:59 p.m.
Not to endorse the doctor in this case but... "This is what ticks me off about doctors. They think they know it all and they don't." When it comes to medicine, yea, most of them do. Its kind of a slap in the face when you tell anyone they don't know anything about their profession, when clearly, you yourself know nothing of it. Especially when that profession involves selfless dedication to improving people's lives. That said, to Diane, I'm sorry to hear you had a difficult time, and I'm glad things turned out ok in the end.
jns131
Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 2:21 p.m.
This is what ticks me off about doctors. They think they know it all and they don't. Don't you just love people like this? I would have let that doc have it up and down. Glad to hear he is 37 and still driving you nuts.