A Monday of Mothers

Getting up at 4:15 in the morning is no fun at all.  Drive to the hospital, round on patients, morning report and a double shot cafe mocha, then report to the L&D floor.  I was very tired.

The medical students changed during the weekend, so this morning's flock of new students was a bit disorganized starting out.  They seem like a good group, though, and I am sure they will settle out over the next week.  It's fun having medical students again.  One of the things I miss most about surgery is that I always had medical students during most of my rotations, and especially as a second year, I actually knew something and had the time to teach.  I really miss that.

So, we came onto the unit with NO PATIENTS ON THE BOARD!!!!  None.  So we went and had breakfast.  Came back.  The senior went to breakfast.  Came back.  I spent 30 minutes teaching knot tying to the medical students.  And then the first trio of patients came in:  chief complaint - fell on the ice.  They get observed for a total of six hours from the time they fell.  So now three rooms were occupied.  Then the next trio of patients came:  chief complaint - high blood pressure, possible pre-eclampsia.  Six rooms occupied.  Then the rush started.

I think the next time I checked the clock it was after 1 p.m., and we were hopping... with outpatients - patients that are being triaged for this or that complaint, but not actually in labor so they're not staying unless a medical issue arises where they have to stay.  We got our first L&D - I'm having a baby soon around 2 or so, and she delivered pretty fast with the Family Medicine resident around 4 p.m.

I was in the middle of seeing another patient who felt like she was having contractions.  I think I'll probably go back tomorrow to find she was sent home.  What was interesting is that this patient and I were born on the same day.  I noted on her chart that this was her first baby.  She replied yes, and at her age.  Well, her age & 6 months.  I asked when she was born, and she said July.  I asked the date and it was the same as mine.  She joked that she was going to call her mother and ask what time to see if we were close.  I told her I'd been born around 1 in the afternoon.  She thought she might have been born in the morning but wasn't sure.

And, that was about the excitement for the day.  On weekdays when I am not on overnight call, I get to leave at 5 p.m.  Which I did, and thoroughly enjoyed being out in the evening sunshine made possible by Daylight Saving Time.

So what did I do?  Well, just a note here:  (on the soapbox) if you noticed my sidebar my one political cause at this time is to protest the annual seal hunt planned to start on March 28th.  There are several websites offering information, but I have posted the link to Human Society's website.  Please sign the petition, if you're so inclined, and there's even a place to send an email to the Canadian Prime Minister in support of stopping the hunt.  (off the soapbox)


The only reason I point out the above is that just below that is the link for my wedding photos, which I just got the link for.  Enjoy!  I will be posting some of my PSP Photo X2 creations from these on my other blog and will provide a link when I do....

Back to L&D in the a.m.
Baby Counter:
Births witnessed:  5
Babies delivered:  5
C-sections witnessed:  1

Tags: HSUS.org, Save the Seals, wedding photos, pre-eclampsia