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Show MD J2r It doesn't hurt a bit. Casey Carter watches Nurse Cris Kunz carefully as she listens to her own heart. An introduction in-troduction to the stethoscope is part of ' T the hospital orientation giving prospective VVMC surgery patients every Friday afternoon at Snoopy's Lemonade Party. Snoppy's parties stop fear, start joy By BRUCE LEE Record Editor Doctors aren't mean, and hospitals aren't places where parents take little kids to hurt them. If you don't believe that, you simply haven't attended one of Snoopy's lemonade parties held every Friday at 4:30 p.m. at the Valley View Medical Center. ' Snoopy's party is where the nurses show you abound the hospital and where they explain to you all the "keen" things that happen there. It is where children who are going to be admitted ad-mitted into the hospital sometime soon go to learn about the doctors and the nurses, and the six flavors of magic sleeping medicine. The parties are conducted con-ducted by surgical nurse Cris Kunz, who, she said, created the program at WMC, "with a lot of ideas from other places and other people." Basically, the party consists of a short film, a tour of the hospital, an explanation of instruments, in-struments, a chance to dress up like a doctor (there are both boy and girl doctors, Kunz assured the kids) and, of course, chocolate chip cookies and lemonade. The program was started just over a month ago, said Kunz, "to let the children experience the hospital in a non-threatening non-threatening program, where we're not poking at them, not hurting them." And it has been successful. suc-cessful. She noted that feedback from other hospital personnel had been positive. There is a definite difference in the feelings and actions of the kids who have participated par-ticipated i in the party and the kids who haven't. Kunz was also quick to point out that she has received a lot of help, especially from the hospital Pink Ladies, who donate their time. And, as everyone knows, parties are a lot of fun, especially this one. Doctors aren't mean, and hospitals don't hurt anyone. Besides, the lemonade is really good. |