On a beautiful fall day, I was walking home from school with my two daughters. We made it about halfway home before I watched my youngest daughter, Clara, who was riding her scooter, hit a bump in the sidewalk and tumble to the ground. It looked like an innocuous fall, but when she sat up and started screaming and crying, I knew something was wrong.
I rushed her to the nearby Wolfson Children’s ER in the Town Center, where we learned she had a supracondylar humerus fracture (translation: she broke her funny bone near her elbow). We were also told the fracture would require surgery, which meant we had to drive downtown to Wolfson Children’s Hospital to spend the night before having surgery the following day.
Side note: Each time someone asked how Clara broke her arm, and we said she fell off her scooter, they all immediately asked if it was a traditional scooter or an electric scooter. They are seeing a huge uptick in injuries from kids who use e-bikes or e-scooters.
READ: ‘It’s Scary’: Why E-Bike Safety Matters More Now Than Ever
I cannot thank the incredible nurses, CNAs, and other staff enough for taking care of us when we arrived downtown. Despite a packed hospital and overflowing Wolfson Children’s ER waiting room, we were greeted and promptly admitted. There were no hospital rooms available, so the nurses helped us get settled in an ER room for the night.
You would never know how busy the nurses and other providers were with the level of care my daughter received. It felt like she was the only patient in the hospital. The nurses were incredibly kind, patient, and caring while interacting with Clara. I will never forget the sweet, smiling face of the nurse who artfully explained the process of placing the peripheral IV to my 6-year-old in an age-appropriate way while another nurse appeared at the foot of the bed with several stuffed animals for her to choose from. I was able to remain calm and stay present thanks to their excellent, compassionate care.
The next morning, we started to prepare my daughter for her surgery. A physician assistant visited our room to explain the procedure. She encouraged my daughter to ask as many questions as possible, and the PA did a great job patiently responding and addressing her fears.
There was also considerable discussion about what color cast to choose — this was SERIOUS business for my first grader. Purple sounded fun, but they noted that the color might be too dark to show off her friends’ signatures. When they offered a pink cast with sparkles on it, the decision was instantly made. Clara was sold! Again, it felt like she was the only patient in the hospital with the level of attention and care shown to her. We never felt rushed or in the way.
My daughter’s panic, fear, and tears ramped up when we transitioned to a pre-op room to prep for surgery. She had some BIG feelings, which naturally led to me having some BIG feelings.
The nurses and staff did not miss a beat. When they brought Clara a hospital gown to change into, they also brought two hospital gowns for her stuffies. A sweet nurse came in to flush her IV line, and instead of just quickly doing it herself, she took the time to explain what she was doing and even offered to let Clara help flush the line (my squeamish daughter politely declined).
Our pre-op room quickly turned into a revolving door of nurses, the anesthesiologist, and the surgeon. The anesthesiologist and surgeon explained their roles in an age-appropriate way and encouraged questions while also providing reassurance. In the middle of this coordinated chaos, a Child Life specialist named Meg came to speak to my daughter and help her prepare for the surgery. Child Life specialists are truly essential, helping kids understand what’s happening and easing fears through education, support, and play, and their interactive pre-op tours are crucial in educating and preparing children for surgery.
During this time, I was honestly distracted, signing forms, speaking with the surgeon, and attempting to hold back my own tears. When I glanced over and watched Meg interacting with my daughter, my nervous tears turned into overwhelmed but grateful tears. My daughter was smiling and animated as Meg helped her decorate her anesthesia mask with fun stickers. Once her mask was covered in stickers, Meg helped her pick out a scent for her mask. Clara was completely engaged in the process and had fun smelling the different options before selecting mango. Meg applied the mango scent (scented chapstick) all over the inside of the mask and helped my daughter practice holding the anesthesia mask over her nose and mouth. Clara understood that she would wear the mask in the operating room and could enjoy the yummy mango scent until she fell asleep. My anxious, terrified little girl had transformed into a grinning, giggling child who was incredibly proud and excited about her anesthesia mask. (Note: Clara asked to keep her mask and proudly brought it to school for show-and-tell the next day!)
It was incredibly difficult for me to remain calm while saying, “See ya soon,” to my daughter before they wheeled her away for surgery. I kept imagining her lying in the operating room surrounded by strange people. Was she scared? Was she crying for me to come save her? Thankfully, the procedure was a quick one, and before I knew it, her surgeon was standing in front of me in the waiting room telling me everything went perfectly.
Dr. Silverstein sat down with me to share the X-rays and talk about what a great job Clara did. Apparently, she was chatting away with the doctor about being an avid reader and sharing her favorite princess (Belle, naturally, because she loves to read, too!) until the anesthesia kicked in and she fell asleep mid-sentence. Clara does not remember any of this, but it made my mom heart feel SO much better knowing she felt safe and relaxed.
I will never forget the relief I felt when I was reunited with Clara in her recovery room. Her two stuffies were still snuggled in with her in the bed, and her decked-out anesthesia mask was resting on the blanket. She was an absolute champ during recovery and was delighted by her glittery pink cast. Clara continued to receive excellent care from the nurses in post-op. They were so gracious in answering my many “mom” questions and making sure my daughter was comfortable as they helped prepare us for discharge.
One week later, Clara and I were holding hands, walking through the parking lot to her follow-up appointment at Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville. We were discussing how wonderful everyone was at the hospital, and she was eager to see Dr. Silverstein again. “Mom, if I ever have surgery again, I DEFINITELY want to go to that hospital!”
Our family will forever be grateful for Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the incredible team working there. They helped transform a traumatic, painful experience into one where my young daughter felt empowered, safe, and cared for. I was so impressed by how they always spoke directly to her and gave her as much agency as possible every step of the way.
Recognized among America’s Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report year after year, Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville, Florida, is the only full-service tertiary hospital for children in the region, serving North Florida, South Georgia, and beyond. Because of donations, Wolfson Children’s Hospital is able to provide care to all children, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Your support helps provide the doctors, facilities, and innovations that give children in our area the best chance for hope, health, and happiness.
About the Author
Gamble Scott is a proud mom of two spirited daughters and is a passionate advocate in her community. If she isn’t volunteering at her kids’ beloved neighborhood school, she’s probably at a rally or speaking at one of the local school board meetings. She has written for MomsRising.org and is a dedicated advocate for the Public School Defenders of Duval County.
