My First Rotation

Mt Auburn Hospital is going to be my home away from home for the next 8 weeks. Is it really this beautiful? Yes. It is located right on the water, surrounded by huge beautiful colonial houses. I'm in love.  I can't wait to start on Tuesday. My day is going to be full to the brim! She is having me in on a c-section the first day. Ah I can't tell you how excited this makes me. The birth of a child is an experience unlike any other.  I feel so lucky to be able to share such an intimate moment of life with these patients.  I hope I can truly show them my love and respect for this process. 

One thing I am concerned about is the blood. I sit here and think back about three years, and can picture myself in my first exam room with my first solo patient.  She spoke only Spanish and I only spoke English at the time. I cleaned her arm and put on the tourniquet.  Then pulled out the needle and inserted it into a healthy bulging vein. I just remember watching the deep red blood filling the tube and warming my hand. I quickly pulled off the tourniquet, put pressure on the site and pulled out the needle. Thank goodness because next thing I knew I was laying on the tiny latin woman's lap.  My 5 foot 7 frame did not fit in the arms of this 5 foot zero woman haha. And my poor chin was throbbing from hitting the instrument table on my way down. I had what is known in the medical world as my first syncopal episode. This has happened numerous times since, most notoriously when I was pregnant with Ellie and trying to teach a room (about 150-200 students) full of Organic Chemistry students a test review. One of the students even got it on camera and showed me the next day. Safe to say I am worried about my vasovagal syncope attacks. I'm sure I need a cardiac work up ugh. Its funny in medicine you always think everyone else is sick but for some reason because you know about disease and illness you are invincible and will never get hurt or sick.

I just can't get over how excited I am for an OB rotation! The doctor seems so sweet too. Hopefully she won't realize I don't know what I'm doing and I'm scared out of my mind lol. Ok I do know what I'm doing but its always scary to try something new.

Wish me luck!