Children's Hospital

When the doctor's son needs an appendectomy

adamg — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:10:51 +0000

Dr. T, an anesthesiologist, reports on her son's appendectomy at Children's Hospital - where she did some of her training:

And now came the hardest part: waiting. Waiting sucks. It was six in the morning. Even though all I wanted to do was sleep, I could only doze off for about twenty minutes. I wandered aimlessly through the parents' lounge. I watched the slice of sky between buildings outside the window change from black to grey to light blue as dawn broke over the city of Boston. Over an hour later the liaison called into the operating room for an update, and the specimen still hadn't been taken out of my son's body. I found that a little worrisome. Another colleague who was working in a nearby ICU stopped by to visit me after his morning rounds. Facebook friends were sending volumes of good wishes. I felt incredibly uplifted and supported but every clock tick was like something poking me to remind me that all was not yet well. It was like waiting for a plane to land and fearing that something might still happen.

Complete with photo of the enlarged and gangrenous appendix.

Curious George's tummy hurts, and his heart does, too

JohnAKeith — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:46:19 +0000

Children's Hospital Boston sent out a memo yesterday informing its staff that Myra Fox has died.

Myra Fox was the inspiration for Nurse Carol in "Curious George Goes to the Hospital", the beloved book that has been a part of our childhoods for generations.

Ms. Fox was known affectionately as the "Play Lady". She was the former Director of Child Life Services and worked in several other departments during her 44 years(!) at Children's. She retired in 2008.

According to the memo and to online interviews, when she first started at the hospital, Children's didn't allow parents to stay overnight in their children's rooms and visiting hours were limited, so nurses and hospital staff were called upon to keep patients as comfortable as possible. Ms. Fox was the first at Children's to organize activities "to help children keep their minds off their illnesses."

Over the years, the Child Life Specialist program has expanded to the point that there are now 30 staff members who offer comfort and support to Children's patients.

What a sad day!

Below, an interview with the Play Lady from before she retired in 2008:

Another round in court for former Children's physician accused of inappropriate conduct with patients

adamg — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:31:08 +0000

UPDATE: Globe reports that Levine is now dead.

The Herald reports on a suit by 30 former patients of Dr. Melvin Levine against him for alleged medical malpractice and sexual abuse and against Children's for allegedly failing to do anything about him.

WBUR posted a copy of the complaint.

Last year, the Massachusetts Appeals Court dismissed a similar case by a single patient against Children's, because the alleged abuse happened between 1967 and 1969, when the state still granted absolute immunity to hospitals against suits over the actions of their physicians.

Practice safe sledding

adamg — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:17:57 +0000

Court: Children's Hospital can't be sued for alleged sex abuse by pediatrician in 1960s

adamg — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:59:45 +0000

The Massachusetts Appeals Court today dismissed a lawsuit against Children's Hospital by a man who claims he was abused by a psychiatrist between 1967 and 1969 because the law at the time granted charitable organizations immunity from any liability.

Children's Hospital to add new beds, expand ER with 10-story addition

adamg — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:02:43 +0000

With in-patient stays on the rise and community hospitals beginning to close pediatric units, Children's Hospital said today it hopes to break ground this spring on an addition on Binney Street to add new beds.

$15-million malpractice verdict against Children's Hospital for death of a three-year-old

adamg — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:58:10 +0000

Channel 25 reports on a Suffolk County Superior Court jury decision today.

Traffic snarled as fire crews race to quickly extinguished fire at Children's Hospital

adamg — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:45:55 +0000

A researcher in the basement of 30 Blackfan St. "had a small flash fire while working on a project" shortly after 2 p.m., Boston Fire reports.

By the time fire crews arrived, the fire was out, although light smoke filled the lower two floors of the building. Boston Police tweet traffic in the Longwood Medical Area and along Huntington Avenue was all messed up.

The worker was able to walk herself to the hospital emergency room for evaluation; fire and hospital officials continue to investigate the cause of the brief fire.

Traffic at Huntington and Longwood, taken by Robert Storlazzi, who reported shortly after 3 p.m. that Longwood was open to traffic again but that Huntington was backed up to Symphony:

Cape residents wanted for threatening little kid with a knife outside Children's Hospital

adamg — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:26:22 +0000

1/22/09 - 2:31 pm

Boston Police have put out an APB for Richard Edwards, 28 and Dawn Connolly, 25, of Hyannis, in connection with an incident around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 at
300 Longwood Ave.:

Officers spoke with the victim who stated that her 7 year old child was threatened with a knife. Both Edwards and Connolly are wanted for this assault and have warrants out for their arrest relative to this incident.

They were last seen driving a green 1995 Oldsmobile Ciera, with Mass plates: 23N-Z75.

Innocent, etc.

It is brain surgery

adamg — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:48:38 +0000

Watch surgeons at Children's Hospital remove a brain tumor from a 13-year-old earlier today (requires RealPlayer). Not for the squeamish, natch.

Via Semantics Etc..