I was on call last night and during the day. We have a new midwifery student with us as well so she was hanging out with me in the office yesterday afternoon. She was a homebirth midwife and decided to become a CNM :) I expect to learn many things from her and hopefully will have some things to teach her.
We had one lady come in last night for labor....I wasn't surprised as we had done a labor check in the office with her. Kinda worked out nice, the student got to meet this soon-to-be mom. She had a baby girl, and did a nice job birthing her baby! The student caught the baby...I think she was really nervous being the first birth with new preceptors. I tried to put her at ease as much as possible. Part of the weirdness for her is that she has never worked anywhere but in a homebirth practice...so to be here in the hospital is just very new. I told her to do what she wants....to use or not use the nurses as much as she needs to...just chill and take your time.
The student is coming from another clinical site where the midwives are apparently not very student-friendly. The previous student (who I so bonded with and will be going to Las Vegas next trip with us - woohoo) came from the same site and had many horror stories to share. I think it's so sad that this has happened to them. Talk about a medal for surviving the trenches of Worst Midwife Preceptors Possible. I mean really, this site would brag about how many students have left or been fired from their clinical site. Ummm, duh....
I love to teach...anyone....I think it's just an opportunity though for me to hear the sound of my own voice. :p
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Abortion
I'm not a big fan of political discussions...I am ashamed to admit that I am not following all the debate going on about the issues and the election. I will however, vote. I will vote for Obama.
I was on Navelgazing Midwife's blog reading an interesting post and her excellent recourse on the topic of late abortion. Check it out if you are so inclined.
Here's my response on her site...
I am a pro-choice midwife...your argument is absolutely excellent as were the words of many others. You are far more eloquent then I can ever be.
I echo the sentiments that we need to get beyond whether abortion is legal or not...and focus on how can we reduce the numbers of abortions. But I do not believe the two factions can ever settle their differences to meet in the middle. I don't like abortion, probably would never have one myself....however, I firmly believe that the government should have no say so in our bodies. I believe there are times when an abortion is ok. Each woman must make the decision and must live with that decision...not the government.
As far as the video - what propaganda! I worked as a L&D nurse for four years and no baby was ever left in a utility room to die. And certainly not a term one such as the one shown at the end...jeez!
I was on Navelgazing Midwife's blog reading an interesting post and her excellent recourse on the topic of late abortion. Check it out if you are so inclined.
Here's my response on her site...
I am a pro-choice midwife...your argument is absolutely excellent as were the words of many others. You are far more eloquent then I can ever be.
I echo the sentiments that we need to get beyond whether abortion is legal or not...and focus on how can we reduce the numbers of abortions. But I do not believe the two factions can ever settle their differences to meet in the middle. I don't like abortion, probably would never have one myself....however, I firmly believe that the government should have no say so in our bodies. I believe there are times when an abortion is ok. Each woman must make the decision and must live with that decision...not the government.
As far as the video - what propaganda! I worked as a L&D nurse for four years and no baby was ever left in a utility room to die. And certainly not a term one such as the one shown at the end...jeez!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
House
Anyone watch the most recent episode of House? I love when one of the doctors cuts an emergency trach - with a scalpel and trach tube that happen to be convienently (sp) available. But he has no gloves on when he does this...umm...gross! Two hospitals I would never go to even if my life depended on it - Grace Memorial (Grey's Anatomy) and House's hospital (can't remember the name). Scary - thank god they are just TV shows.
I would love to be a patient of House and his crew - so they can randomly guess at diagnoses and give me multiple wrong treatments before miraculously (SP again) coming up with the diagnosis which was inspired by something some random person said in a conversation.
I would love to be a patient at Grace Memorial because a nurse will never set foot in my room - the docs will always be at my bedside providing compassionate care while doing experimental treatments on me for which they will forget what the research says at critical moments during the procedure.
Fun. Now you know why I drive my mother crazy when I watch these shows with her.
Oh, and I bawled like a baby when Pratt died on ER. I'm so stupid but I love these shows.
I would love to be a patient of House and his crew - so they can randomly guess at diagnoses and give me multiple wrong treatments before miraculously (SP again) coming up with the diagnosis which was inspired by something some random person said in a conversation.
I would love to be a patient at Grace Memorial because a nurse will never set foot in my room - the docs will always be at my bedside providing compassionate care while doing experimental treatments on me for which they will forget what the research says at critical moments during the procedure.
Fun. Now you know why I drive my mother crazy when I watch these shows with her.
Oh, and I bawled like a baby when Pratt died on ER. I'm so stupid but I love these shows.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Birth Planning
This is a fabulous post with really great information...wherever you plan to deliver...
Questions and Answers: Homebirth Birth Plan by Navelgazing Midwife.
Questions and Answers: Homebirth Birth Plan by Navelgazing Midwife.
Fake pregnancy
So At Your Cervix has a post talking about fake pregnancies and I posted this story...thought I would share here as well.
I had a woman show up for a new OB appointment at my office. She had presented about a week earlier to the hospital claiming she was due and scheduled for a c/s... Ah, ok.... She was told nothing was scheduled. She claimed we were her providers so the hospital calls us - nope never heard of her. She's told she needed to make an appointment with a provider somewhere (she's a huge lady so could easily have passed for term). So anyway, I didn't know at the time this was the same woman. The MA didn't do a pregnancy test - just assumed because of her size she must be pregnant. This was the first time I had encountered this sort of thing in the office so it didn't occur to me that she was not pregnant.
I work her up - history, physical...she tells me she is 41 weeks pregnant, previous c/s x 4! I'm thinking holy sh*t! I try to listen to fetal heart tones as part of the physical...nothing...try to palpate her abdomen...she's so large I can't tell what I am feeling. So, before sending her off to the hospital for further work-up and possible c/s I check a pregnancy test...negative. Hmmm. The patient appears to be shocked, the boyfriend seems worried. I get the ultrasonographer to fit her in for a quick check. A very non-pregnant uterus was found.
The woman is absolutely shocked and crying "where did my baby go" over and over. The boyfriend storms out crying. I tell the woman that I am sorry this wasn't the news she wanted to hear. She starts to ask me why she's not having periods...uh, gee...do you think weighing 400 pounds has anything to do with it?
I had a woman show up for a new OB appointment at my office. She had presented about a week earlier to the hospital claiming she was due and scheduled for a c/s... Ah, ok.... She was told nothing was scheduled. She claimed we were her providers so the hospital calls us - nope never heard of her. She's told she needed to make an appointment with a provider somewhere (she's a huge lady so could easily have passed for term). So anyway, I didn't know at the time this was the same woman. The MA didn't do a pregnancy test - just assumed because of her size she must be pregnant. This was the first time I had encountered this sort of thing in the office so it didn't occur to me that she was not pregnant.
I work her up - history, physical...she tells me she is 41 weeks pregnant, previous c/s x 4! I'm thinking holy sh*t! I try to listen to fetal heart tones as part of the physical...nothing...try to palpate her abdomen...she's so large I can't tell what I am feeling. So, before sending her off to the hospital for further work-up and possible c/s I check a pregnancy test...negative. Hmmm. The patient appears to be shocked, the boyfriend seems worried. I get the ultrasonographer to fit her in for a quick check. A very non-pregnant uterus was found.
The woman is absolutely shocked and crying "where did my baby go" over and over. The boyfriend storms out crying. I tell the woman that I am sorry this wasn't the news she wanted to hear. She starts to ask me why she's not having periods...uh, gee...do you think weighing 400 pounds has anything to do with it?
Night Call
I always have such a hard time sleeping when on call at night. It's inevitable - I'll get a call just as soon as I drift off to sleep...or at 3am when I am in a nice sound sleep. The other night the 3am call didn't come until 5am - but I woke up at 1am, 3am, 4am, 5am, and 6am. Not a pleasant night.
Vegas Baby!
Vegas was great! My husband and I had a wonderful time. We were celebrating our 13th anniversary a week early. We had a free upgrade to a spa suite which was fabulous - I took four baths in two days :p We saw David Copperfield one night - he was funny and absolutely amazing. We also played a lot of Blackjack and actually came out winners this time!!!! My husband and I have been studying basic strategy and he's actually been working on some of the more advanced stuff. I could see the difference this time in our playing skills. We came home about $145 up - not a big amount but thrilling for us considering we were down almost $300. I promptly spent that buying gifts for the kids and my mom who babysat.
Overall, it was a great trip! We'll be going for a girl's trip in November.
Overall, it was a great trip! We'll be going for a girl's trip in November.
Monday, September 15, 2008
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