I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: CHeatherS on August 07, 2011, 02:36:57 PM

Title: Has anyone had a transplant at Swedish?
Post by: CHeatherS on August 07, 2011, 02:36:57 PM

I am scheduled to travel from Alaska on the 17th.  The communication has been horrible, and I am really getting anxious.  I know that the whole transplant team has changed, and understand getting things figured out, but it sure leaves me, far away in Alaska  and my donor from Indiana, in the dark.  We just found out, by accident that they changed the date of our surgery, and that only by a phone call to pre registration.  They have such a great reputation, but my gosh, the communication is very unsettling.  I would love to hear other's experience, especially some GOOD news and advice.

Thanks
Heather

Title: Re: Has anyone had a transplant at Swedish?
Post by: jbeany on August 07, 2011, 05:09:17 PM

Heather,
To be honest, I don't even know where Swedish is!
But the lack of communication I totally get.  It's truly not an exclusive problem at any hospital, in any department.  Talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing... :P  My last surgery (for a massive hernia repair, due to complications with my transplant), I had a pre-op appointment where they very, very specifically told me my surgery was scheduled for Monday.  Print outs with the date time, instructions to call on Friday for arrival times on Monday morning, blah, blah, blah. 
So after putting in my call on the Friday before, I gave the surgeon's nurse a call to ask a random question.  As we got off the phone, she cheerily says, "See you on Tuesday for surgery."  Uhhhhhh....wait a minute.

Yup, it was on the surgeon's schedule for Tuesday.  Gee thanks.  I know I didn't have any other plans for Tuesday, but the family who needed to get me to the surgery sure did.