Monday, February 10, 2014

Talk to the elbow, you aren't worth the extension. How the last 36h pissed me off.

The last 36 hours have been an emotional roller coaster. The one you get off of and never ever want to get back onto. I am dumbfounded by so much.

Let's take it back to yesterday when it all started.

I got to the hospital around 8:30 although I didn't have to be there until 8:55AM. The instructions where to go to the delivery ward and introduce ourselves to the midwives. I try to go into situations with an open mind and give people a fresh clean slate but I've had so many bad experiences with midwives that I was already not looking forward to this first meeting but put that aside. 

So there I am standing in front of the ward looking for the doorbell. In the same moment a midwife walks up behind me, opens the door and asks if I'm there to see them. I introduce myself as the 26h block student. She told me to take a seat in the midwife room.

So there I sat. I quietly read my little OBGYN booklet. After about 15 minutes I heard the familiar voice of a girl who studies with me. I was so happy to hear her come. The rest wasn't exactly making me feel welcomed.

She showed me around a bit before we both ended up sitting on the couch again being quiet. While we were on our way to the changing room initially, a person walked past us. Since I was in the middle of a conversation with my student friend, I didn't really pay attention who it was. When we were back in the midwife room, we were almost lectured about how we should always say hello to a midwife......um, sorry, it wasn't written on your forehead! The doctors look like the nurses and they look like the midwives here. Everyone is wearing scrubs. Ugh.

During the morning midwife meeting, my friend and I sat there quietly. She eventually left and I sat there. Luckily at some point a few doctors arrived. I introduced myself again. This was something I did throughout the day for about another 5-6 times because of the changing shifts.

The midwife took me to one patient who was starting to go into labor. Soon after that, other doctors for the shift showed up and we had a little meeting in the meeting room. The doctors decided they wanted to see the patient I just saw. I felt it was unnecessary for another person to storm in there with them because they were enough of an entourage already. About 10 minutes later I do end up going into the room. And there is a baby already born!!! Well gee, thanks for letting me know. It's not like I'm here to learn or see anything. Ugh. 

I was shocked to see how bad a birth can rip up the anatomy. It didn't look nearly as bad once the doctor was done sewing it all up again but dang.

The rest of the day (which seemed to take forever by the way) was spent running from one ward to the next, drawing blood, putting IVs on and answering pagers. (FYI I also made it to pager status and had my own :) I had a nifty picture that I sadly can't post. You will find out why later) We didn't get a break to eat until almost 4PM. I should have had more than a banana for breakfast. 

Up until lunch I was already boiling over. I don't want to trash talk anyone here but the atmosphere between the workers there was unbearable. Asking a question was a big drama with everyone except one doctor. I tried to do as much as possible without asking because I was so fed up with the down right nasty response I would get. I was about to throw it all down and leave.

Lunch was relaxed compared to all that.

After lunch (more like linner), we had a few outpatient cases and ward work to get done. At some point we had a pregnant lady who came with her husband and child. Children aren't allowed on the ward. This family spoke mainly English. The midwife asked the doctors if they spoke Genglish. Well how convenient. I ended up becoming the personal translator for this family. From that point on the one midwife absolutely loved me. I even watched the little kid while the husband was with his wife. Such a little cutie.

We were busy until almost midnight. I was almost falling asleep while standing. I was finally in bed at midnight and slept until 6. 

The morning was filled with drawing blood and getting patient information together for a doctors letter that I still have to write. I heard that there were 3 cesarean sections planned. Although my shift was almost done in a few hours and a new student would be on his way, I got the doctor I liked to get me into the delivery room. First up was my family. I stood in the delivery room waiting for the husband. It seemed no one really cared if the dad was there or not! I asked if someone had called the dad. The whole team looked at me crazy and one nurse asked if we were waiting to operate until the dad came. I left the room and went to ask the others if the dad had been informed that the operation had been moved up. The doctors looked at me as if I had asked them something completely absurd! "Call the Dad? Why would we do that?" Ummmmmm.....so he can be here for the birth of his child maybe?! Seriously, what is wrong with you people? I didn't ask you to personally go pick him up in a limo and carry him up the stairs to the room. Is no one thinking about the situation for the family?

They told me to ask the midwives (of course it's always a tennis court with the questions here). I found one of the younger midwives and she told me the dad was sitting outside the ward. When I asked why he wasn't in the OR, she informed me he had brought the child. I told him the night before to organize someone to watch after the kid so he could be there for the birth. Regardless if he should have organized this in advance since it was a planned C-Section or not, he should be with his wife and see the birth of his child! I immediately ran out of the ward, told him I would watch the child and he should go watch his second child be born. Luckily the little kid took a liking to me. Yes, I sacrificed not seeing a c-section although I wanted to but I'll see multiple ones in my life....this father might only have this one left. 

Do I think too much for others? Am I completely crazy? I feel the upmost priority is obviously the health of the mother and child but it just seems natural to want to do everything possible for the father to be there too (again, even if he should have been better organized with the little one. Still, I'm an extra, they didn't need me there).

I stayed to see the next c-section which was twins. My favorite OR nurse from the urology department was working in the delivery room today. At least one more person I like. It's always fun to see the babies come out so quickly. The longest part is sewing everything back up. 

After that operation and 27 hours in the hospital I finally went home.

Since I recently moved, I had to go to the municipal building and inform them of the move. I went to the grocery store after that. Had my phone in my hand for sure in the grocery store. I get back home and my phone is gone! It is my biggest nightmare (not health or family related) to loose my phone. It holds so much valuable information, memories and other things that I would be devastated loosing it. I called around, I drove back and forth, retraced tracks, everything. Phone was gone. When I called initially it still went through, when I called about 45 minutes later it was turned off. Ahhhhhhhhhh! It was a goner. I know it's a first world problem. I am fully aware of this. It's not the phone necessarily that I'll miss, losing the value is stupid, buying a new one and paying it off over two years even more so, but it's the videos of my god child, the pictures of some dear friends and I that I hadn't had the chance to download yet, that are the things that make me want to cry.

I went and ordered a new phone. Guess I'll have to be even more money conscious. But it is what it is. I reported it to the police but I doubt I'll get it back. 

On top of all this crap, I'm sick. I think the kids in peds really infected me. 

All in all, really crappy last 36 hours (there was the occasional nice moment). I'm really not about bashing people but that department needs to work on a more harmonious working with one another. I have 10 hours to do tomorrow. Not looking forward to it. If I have learned anything, it's that I am absolutely sticking to never becoming a gynecologist. Too many women in one area. I would go absolutely insane. 

I will work focused on getting my letters written tomorrow and see that the people don't make me mad and then it will soon be over. The participating people should really reflect and see if that is the kind of reaction they want the student to have after working in their department. I'm not asking for coffee, candy and hugs....I am asking for a respectful working environment. I really don't think that is too much. We are students on a completely unfamiliar ward. We are not there to bug you or be in your way, in the best case scenario we are there to learn and help. So don't treat us like crap and don't use us to fight your wars. Just a thought.

I would have loved to post some fun pictures along with this post but seeing my phone was stolen....thank the thief or the person who found it and decided to just keep it.

Maybe a miracle happens and tomorrow is great. 

Baci 
V

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