An uneventful week

As some have thoughtfully reminded me, I haven't posted in awhile. Since I am pretty burned on reading about newborns and pregnancy for the moment, I thought I would cede to demands.

The first few days on the OB floor were relatively uneventful. The first day was really just half of one, and only a few hours were actually spent on the unit. The rest of the time was reserved for discussing postpartum examinations, breastfeeding, and expectations of the course. Needless to say, none of the information is anything I am more than passingly familiar with and the idea of having to feign any semblance of authority on any subject related to pregnancy or childbirth leaves me with no lack of anxiety. Its the same kind of anxiety I get when questioned by a mechanic about the sounds emanating from my engine or wandering around a hardware store when I don't know the technical name for the widget I am trying to locate. Hopefully as the lectures and reading catch up with what is expected of us on the floor, my feelings of inadequacy will lessen. Of course, around that time we will be moving to pediatrics.

As for experiences on the second day, I did get to see an epidural placed. It was really interesting and, thankfully, a huge relief to the woman who received it. She went from tears of agony to sublime contentment. Very nice. The same women unfortunately had a HUGE phobia about needles and incredibly small veins so, to get her peripheral line set up to get enough fluids in her to start the epidural, there was a series of missteps trying to get a line started. It was interesting to say the least and not a little blood was shed between collapsing veins, an infiltrated one (that began to puff up her hand immediately), and her flinching throughout. Three nurses tried at least two spots apiece before success. Yikes! I hope when I place them they will prove easier (at least somewhat).

The first examination has come and gone in OB as well. It is nice to be started, but god what a road to hoe. We have many more papers than in any other semester this term, so I may prove somewhat unreliable in my posts, with an ebb and flow commensurate with my chaotic schedule. Stick with it though, because this is cathartic for me and hopefully keeps everyone in the loop.