Cesarean sections abound

It's nearly the half way point of my rotation in OB and I've learned so much along the way! First of all, I've learned what it is like to have this view on a regular basis:

Don't worry, that's just an image I got from google-images, I'm not actually taking pictures in the OR! It's been an amazing experience. Just yesterday (or I guess today....it was my 24 hour shift yesterday/today so I lose track) I got to be a part of 3 cesarean sections. While I'd much prefer to be a part of vaginal deliveries, we just happened to have multiple complicated mamma's that had babies in positions that just wouldn't work for vaginal delivery so we had to go to the OR. One baby was in a breech position and just wouldn't flip around for us, no matter what we did. One baby was crowded in the uterus by 5 uterine fibroids that were literally blocking his way out and one baby tried for 47 hours to come meet us the natural way before mom and uterus were just too pooped to continue. 

Some of the big take home points I've learned this week:

- Mom's are resilient and will put up with just about anything to make sure their baby is ok. (I already knew this but it's been hammered in to me this week)--case in point, the mom today that was in labor for 47 hours--well, she was was vomiting multiple times an hour from the pain and we held it at bay only slightly with anti-nausea medications and she continued to want to try to push and have a vaginal delivery because cesareans are inherently more risky for both parties-- no throwing in the towel for her!

- Babies are resilient too. They can get squished, pushed, pulled, yanked and torqued around during both vaginal and cesarean sections and be just fine. 

- I learned how to repair the fascia layer (the layer of tissue underneath the skin and fat but above the uterine muscles) in a c-section and that tying knots of suture inside a living person is 100% different than doing it on a banana :)

- I learned how to put in a laryngeal mask airway. It's kind of like intubating a patient but a little less invasive. The anesthesiologist (and patient) were gracious enough to let me learn

- I placed my first IUD, performed over 5 pelvic exams in a day and helped diagnose twins on a first-time prenatal visit!

I could keep going if that gives you any sense of how much information I'm gleaning in my time here in Tacoma

The weekend while Tom and John were in DC I met up with Diana for a lovely Sunday morning stroll around Chambers Bay golf course. We tried multiple times for a good selfie but it kept coming out blurry. This one wasn't quite as blurry as the others, but I think my eyes are closed....use your imagination.

 The women at St. Joseph's have the potential for a pretty amazing view while delivering. Case in point--check out this snapshot I got near sunset last week while on call from one of the rooms that was empty and waiting for the next laboring mom.

 Just this past weekend we had the opportunity to meet up with family in Seattle for dinner at Anthony's on Pier 66 followed by yummy gelato at pier 66

 I particularly like Curt's face in this one:

 After parting ways with gelato in hand, Tom and I headed to the Moore theater where we had tickets to see an improv comedy show just like the one that used to be on TV "Who's line is it anyway?"

 We were in the cheap seats in the way-ups but we could hear and see just fine in my opinion and it was a wonderful way to laugh the night away!

 The next morning I ventured to the garden to continue to winterize it with mulch and burlap bags only to find more things to harvest. The raspberries are not done yet! They are so delicious and we're getting multiple handfuls now from just the small plant.

 During my down-time when I'm in the hospital for my 24 hour shift I have been doing a lot of research to figure out what I want to do a presentation on. A requirement for this rotation (among many requirements actually) is to give a 15-20 minute presentation on a topic of our choosing to the OB physicians at a morning meeting. I'm supposed to give it during week 5 which is fast approaching. So far, I think I'll be presenting on the research behind using Magnesium Sulfate in the IV of a laboring mom to help give potential neuro-protective benefit to the baby. There's been a ton of research out there for the past 50 years on the use of magnesium to help stop labor and there's newer evidence to suggest that it also helps pre-term babies from developing cerebral palsy but no one is really sure why (well, someone might be but I haven't dug that one bit of evidence up yet).

I am loving the rotation, and giving OB a lot more thought that I used to about a  potential career choice. I don't think it's where I'll end up based on what I want in life (i.e not being on call around the clock for unpredictable babies) but I am giving it much more serious thought than I ever thought I would. I had totally written it off in the past as a "no" but I'm becoming much more open to the idea. Although, I'm trying to not be swayed by the fact that I'm working with such cool people in a city that I love with a schedule that I can't really complain about....but that all factors into it. At this rate I'm going to love every single rotation and then when September 15, 2015 rolls around (the day that applications for residency are due) I will be making a down to the wire decision! here's to hoping that something comes out and grabs me and I know it's "the one."