"Gastroscopy at Fremantle Hospital"

My teenage child had their first surgical procedure recently, a gastroscopy at Fremantle Hospital. The entire team were amazing. From day surgery reception to the team who showed us through to the bed, all the nursing staff we dealt with on both floors, the anaesthetic team, the surgeon, recovery, all of it.

They were welcoming and friendly, they made my teen and I both feel welcome and valued, they let my teen know that at their age they could sign their own consent forms, and they collaborated with us both to ensure the process was as easy, calm, and safe feeling as possible.

All staff worked their hardest to minimise skin damage from my teen’s allergy to adhesive and their sensitive/fragile skin from their Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).

The team on the surgical & recovery wards also all worked really hard to use my teen’s preferred name unless procedures such as medication or consent were required otherwise.

I felt the anaesthetist demonstrated clear recognition of the challenges that EDS can present with regards to anaesthetic, something my teen had been quite concerned about.

The surgeon was reassuring and friendly, and kept us up to date with all the information we needed as we needed it. 

Thank you to the whole team for your professional and friendly support through a situation that could have been quite distressing for both my teen and I.