SEATTLE - On a drizzly Tuesday morning, most of Seattle still sleeps. But the operating room at Children's Hospital is wide awake, and a central scheduling board is its heartbeat.

"There is a charge anesthesiologist and a charge O.R. nurse and the two of them run the schedule for the day and they are very busy on a day like this," said Cheryl Tada, Director of Operative Services.

She helps oversee the hectic schedule.

The staff knows it will be a busy day. What they don't know is what else will happen that they aren't expecting, what events will bring patients to them who had no clue they'd be here today.

"In fact, we're doing one emergency case this morning, and I'm not sure what it is yet, so, we'll find out when he comes in," said Tada.

In O.R. No. 9, a state-of-the-art robot is readied to help doctors with an intricate kidney operation. Down the hall, the surgical staff prepares for a quick, 20-minute procedure.

In all, twelve operating rooms are readied for use, with each instrument sterilized and set out, every piece of equipment checked and double checked.

And outside the O.R., more families begin to arrive.

Twelve-year-old Nicholas Lengenberg is here because of a blockage in the tube that drains his kidney. He's had the problem since birth, and the pain has gotten worse.

At the front desk, Paula Royal helps patients and parents feel as comfortable as they can on an important and often scary day.

I think it's my sense of humor that really helps a lot," she aid. "If I can get everybody in a smiling mode, it really helps a lot, at least that's what they tell me. It comes pretty easy."

All around Children's Hospital, you can see the effort to make families feel at home, from the whimsical art, to art supplies within reach, it's family-focused. And on the big things, too, like attentive communication with worried parents. Nicholas' parents are given a pager so they can get regular updates on how things are going.

Just before 7, 16-year-old Sara Nakamura is minutes away from the surgery she's dreading. Sara has teenage worries, about things like driving, and if surgery on her brain will mean the loss of her beautiful braids.

Nicholas wonders whether he'll be able to play soccer in an upcoming tournament.

These are big issues to the patients at Children's Hospital, and the staff knows it.

Babies and toddlers get special treatment when going in for surgery. There's no wheelchair or gurney for them. It's a free ride from the anesthesiologist.

Rudy gets a special sticker that will help the doctors monitor him. He can keep his pacifier in while he drifts off to sleep before surgery.

Every patient is treated according to age.

Everything is going as planned inside the O.R., until Scott Konovalov arrives.