Aiden Montgomery
Aiden's Mother Wouldn't Bring Him Anywhere Else for CareDespite being surrounded by a multitude of health care outlets in Southern California, Aiden's mother Paisley drives 2 ½ hours, one-way, four times per year, to see a physician at our hospital. They make the quarterly drive to Los Angeles because of the deep level of trust, respect, and friendship that they feel for Aiden’s endocrinologist, Dr. Mitchell Geffner, an expert in growth hormone deficiency. But Aiden and Paisley's decision to return to our hospital for ongoing care has less to do with the rigors of maintaining Aiden’s growth levels and everything to do with the trust they have developed for the compassionate staff at our hospital, especially, for Aiden’s physician. About Aiden
More About Aiden's Story from:
Aiden's Mom Tells Her StoryBy the time Aiden was 3 ½, it was obvious that he wasn’t growing enough. We would be at the park and people would stop and stare at us because, from their perspective, Aiden was speaking in full sentences but appeared, physically to only be 18 months of age.
My first appointment for Aiden was not at Children's Hospital. It was with a doctor who rushed me and was impatient with me. As a mother who was nervous about her child’s condition, I had a lot of questions. And, as the doctor turned to go, I thought of one more. He literally kept his hand on the doorknob, turned back around to face me and rolled his eyes with impatience as I asked my final question. Our next appointment with a specialist for Aiden was at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the experience was completely different. When Dr. Geffner walked in to see Aiden, the first thing he did was smile, hand me his business card, and say “This has all of my contact information on it. Call me whenever you need me – I am always available.” I thought to myself, “Oh my God! This is amazing!” Doctors don’t generally hand you their business card and tell you that you can find them anywhere anytime. Dr. Geffner was amazing with me, and with Aiden. He examined Aiden, explained to him what growth hormone is, talked to him about what the testing would be like, and let him know how the entire process would work. The medical treatment has been great for Aiden. He grew eleven inches his first year. And Dr. Geffner has been true to his word about remaining available to us at all times. When we come in to see him, he gives Aiden attention and acts as if Aiden is his only patient. When we call him, he calls us back himself – he doesn’t have his staff call us – he talks to us directly and answers all of my questions. It’s hard to find a doctor that you can trust. But when you find a brilliant and passionate and extraordinary doctor like Dr. Geffner – you don’t want to jinx it. Aiden has a pediatrician now in San Diego, but we only see him if Aiden gets the flu or gets sick. The only doctor we care about is Dr. Geffner. I have travelled all the way from Oregon to see this doctor. I would travel any distance to make sure that Aiden gets to see Dr. Geffner. Coming to the HospitalAiden and I make sure that our hospital visits are fun for him. The things that he associates with coming to the hospital include:
Other Attractions Near the Hospital Dr. Geffner Shares His Perspective
It is a joy to treat a child who makes such great progress as Aiden has made. At the time his height measured below the 3rd percentile nationally for children his age. Now he measures in the 90th percentile.
Not only are we delighted to provide successful and appropriate care for Aiden, but it is my hope that some of the research that I and my faculty are conducting will improve care for him and other children like him in the future. We are recognized nationally as a center for physicians conducting research in growth-related treatment. Currently, we are involved in testing the effectiveness of a long-acting formulation of growth hormone therapy that would eliminate the need for daily injections for children like Aiden. Dr. Monzavi Shares Her Perspective
Aiden needed a growth hormone stimulation test to evaluate the extent of his growth hormone deficiency. This test is complex - so standard laboratories and smaller hospitals are not able to perform it. The test required that Aiden receive medication through an I.V., have his vital signs and blood sugar levels constantly monitored, and undergo blood draws at 30 minute intervals over several hours. In addition, the medication that he was given during the test can cause side effects, so it is important that physicians are on hand and nursing staff carefully watch his reactions to the medications. The Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism keeps books and DVDs on hand to keep our patients’ minds preoccupied during tests like this. We are fortunate to have the trained staff and the resources to perform tests like this at our hospital for children like Aiden. Not only does it make patients and families more comfortable to see familiar faces during the testing, but it allows us to follow up on the results more quickly. Families receive their results more quickly for improved care. Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship ProgramI was really impressed with my experience as a fellow because I felt that this hospital offered me a very good mix of providing clinical care for children and the opportunity to engage in research to help improve their care. The Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program is a 3-year program and includes clinical training as well as reasearch. Before I enrolled, I completed my medical residency and obtained my board-certification in general pediatrics. Since our Division has many experienced physicians and a large, diverse patient group, I really felt that I received a strong clinical education and had great mentors to learn from. You Can Be a Hero for Patients Like Aiden
Make a GiftAiden's mom is willing to make her arduous quarterly drive to our hospital because she believes that the very best care for her child is within our walls. We are able to provide Aiden this care because of caring and compassionate people like you in our community. Please consider supporting our efforts to:
Make a gift today that will help us ensure that young people like Jinhua are kept in the very best of health.
|
