Unexpected Excitement

This morning when I woke up I certainly did not expect to

a) cut out my first gangrenous appendix (nasty, but FUN!)

b) watch a c-section (bloody and fast)

c) attend a vaginal delivery (beautiful baby girl)

before lunch.

But such is the way that the universe works sometimes I suppose! So, yes I am technically on my medicine rotation right now, but the weekends are my own time. I told M.C to text me over the weekend if anything surgical came in. Sure enough, just after 0900h I got the "it's an appy" text so I raced in to the hospital. While I was scrubbed in the gynecologist poked his head in to see when we were going to be finishing up. I took the fortuitous encounter as my chance to ask him about some observing in obs/gyne.

See the thing is, I will have to apply for my residency spot in the fall of next year, which will be months before I actually get to rotate through obs/gyne. What if I discover my life's ambition is to be an obstetrician 6 months after I apply to every general surgery or emergency medicine program in the country?!

So my hope was to have some time this year, on weekends and holidays, in the gyne world. The consultant gynecologist seemed more than happy to have me kicking around and let me stay on for the c-section and then took me down to the labour ward to meet the impending deliveries.

And so, two hours after being handed the scalpel to cut out my first appendix I was watching a perfect baby girl come into the world to a very happy and healthy mommy.

Ah sure, looks like my weekend injections of inspiration and excitement will help get me through the next 7 weeks.

 

Babes having Babies

Ok so I have been majorly wrapped up in all this silly drama about finances etc. which has kept me from reporting that two of my dear friends have just had babies!

AMG and Ryan had little Nicholas on the 14th of April (thank you for that easy to remember date!) Word on the street is he's moved out of the squeaking/sleeping phase and has found his lungs. To think, when I met that girl she was husbandless and childless...my how things change in a short amount of time! What always amazes me is my friends' abilities to transition so casually into these brilliant parents who have wonderful children. I am sure my babies would be these wild feral creatures, walking around with a little stick on their shoulder, handkerchief of belongings secured to one end--just like their mother. Tobin seems to be taking the big brother role like a champ as well, which is great. It was really nice to get to spend some time with the Gill's on the days leading up to and after the arrival of the initially nameless one.

AnnaB and Luc...and baby Max. Where to start?? I think it is best to read the ordeal they've been through in their own words. They've set up a great blog documenting Max's birth story.
In a nutshell, I am sure it has been the most incredible emotional roller coaster of their lives, only now settling down to normalized concerns like diaper-changing technique and when Max gets to have his next bath. Again I am in awe of my friends and their capacity to be strong and supportive to each other in such a time of crisis. Anna and Luc are so rock solid it is unbelievable. Max is adorable, not to mention the biggest, healthiest baby I have ever seen in a NICU. It was so nice to get to spend a wee bit of time with them yesterday as they regaled to me their past week and a half of upheavals and triumphs. As I heard about the meconium, the chest tube, and Anna's complications, my heart went out to them--but also the medical staff as well.

When births go badly in rural settings it is nothing short of terrifying for the staff involved. I can speak with a tiny bit of experience on that one. I am happy to hear that Anna and Luc have nothing but very positive things to say about the care they received all along the way.

And so, it must be said that it is wonderful to see babies brought into the world, arriving into the arms of such loving, intelligent, funny, caring, worldy, talented parents. I am so happy for them and proud of what amazing people I get to call--friends.