Mom to Mom: Our best hospital stay

The first time I stepped into a hospital, I was 32 years old, ready to give birth to my first child. Four kids and ten years later, I am astounded that three of my children have visited several hospitals around the state. Our most recent visit was to Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa. My 3-year-old, Adam, had an overnight stay after a tonsillectomy. It was our best stay at a hospital yet.

Parents will really appreciate the thought that went into designing this hospital. Each room is designed to be a private room. Trust me, this is a big deal when you’re in a hospital with a child. The rooms are spacious and have pull-out beds so parents can stay with their child. And in case you need to grab some food for yourself or your youngster, there is a snack room at the end of the hall that is filled with lots of goodies sure to please: little cartons of dry cereal, different varieties of yogurt, gelatin cups, juices, milk, popsicles, ice cream, and drinks – including coffee for mom or dad.

The nurses at Cardon Children’s also made this a delightful stay. They were all very attentive, nice and in tune with our needs. They were very flexible when it came to certain issues with Adam. At first, he threw a fit about putting on the hospital gown. Instead of making it an issue, nurses worked with him to calm him down. They brought him a stuffed animal and stickers. He also had a hard time taking his medicine, and the nurse came up with a game to play. She absolutely did not want to force him to take the medicine. Once Adam relaxed with the little game, she was able to administer the dosage.

Entertainment is a big plus when you are in the hospital. Each room, even in pre-op and in recovery, had a television outfitted with free, on-demand Disney movies. The rooms had televisions with keyboards, Internet access and games – enough to ease any anxiety about a hospital stay, no matter how long or short.

If you ever need to take your child to a hospital, Cardon Children’s Medical Center should definitely be at the top of your list.

Mom to Mom is a column written by Mary Parra, an Ahwatukee mother of four and a local journalist.