A blissful month

I was on leave for a month. Being with my baby 24/7 was a bliss! :) And the best part of all, she was an easy baby to take care of. She would only cry when hungry and tired. She wouldn't even care if she had a dirty diaper.

Me, on the other hand, was limping for the first week post partum because of symphysis pubic dysfunstion. So it was a bit frustrating when I couldn't move too fast to attend to the baby. But that is just a tiny sacrifice. At least I didn't have any major complications.

The baby had no problem sleeping at night. She did not confuse day from night. She initially fed every 2 hours and gradually stretched to 3 hours. She absolutely LOVES to stretch! And when she does she makes this funny groan like she was a grown MAN! ;) She looks more like daddy and that doesn't bother me at all. However, most people think that it does coz when they comment on that they apologize and give me that look of pity like it's the most devastating thing in the world for your child not to look like you! Seriously?! But I'm still hopeful she would turn into mini-me when she grows up ;) She was growing up fast! She was born 6 lbs 15 oz and on her 4th week appointment she weighed 10 lbs and 8 oz! Her newborn clothes only fit until her 2nd week and she started wearing 3-month size clothes. Well, she's tall for one. I think it's the length more than the width. Nah! Who am I kidding? This kid is chubby! :)

It was getting emotional towards the end of my leave. I would cry thinking of leaving my baby. Heck I would cry watching a child with the mother on TV. I was seriously thinking of extending my leave for another month but then it would mean that I would have to extend my training. Hubby was totally against it. I didn't care. And there was the issue of child care. My mother was supposed to come and help out but for some reason she had a strict immigration officer during the interview and she was denied for a tourist visa :( She was so devastated :( It's her first grandchild and she's being denied to see her. How cruel is that?! Anyway, we found a great babysitter.

That month came and gone like the wind. It's time to go back to work...sigh...

Natal Day

On December 13, 2010 at 2:11 PM my baby girl was born :)

First sign

It was a Friday and I was on call. At 6 pm I went to the bathroom and saw some spotting. No big deal. I was a spotter. I didn't feel anything else but deep inside I knew something was cooking in there. I silently  jumped for joy realizing that I will be meeting my little princess very soon. I went about my business. That night was a bit busy. I had admission left and right but was thankful that I would be capping early and so I would be able to get some sleep. At around 9PM after I admitted my 3rd patient I went to the bathroom again and saw anothe spot- bigger this time. Still no contractions but I didn mention this to my senior and he kinda freaked out saying I should be going to L&D right now. I just laughed at him.

I admitted my last patient (5 is the max) at midnight and decided if I was still spotting to get myself checked at L&D. Yep. Still spotting. I told my senior I was going to L&D just to be checked but I would still answer any pages. I texted my hubby as I was going in the elevator to L&D. Once at L&D, the nurse brought me to a room and gave me a hospital gown. Wait a minute. I just want my cervix checked. Can't someone just do it real quick??? Nope. I have to be admitted for observation since I was already term. Jeez. Ok. Fine.

I went and changed and laid down on the bed. The nurse hooked me on to the monitor to see if I was contracting. I was but not strong and not consistent. I was there for about 30 min until the OB resident came in and asked me more questions. Finally she checked my cervix. 1.5 cm. No big deal since I'm a primi. I knew it'll still take a while. So I was discharged and given instructions to come back once I get PAINFUL contractions that come in every 5 min. Phew! At least I won't be going into labor tonight. I kept checking my pager and prayed that there won't be any code or issues on the floor I was being "observed."

I slowly went to my callroom and got a snooze....

8 months and counting

WOW! I'm already 34 weeks today. Time flies soooo fast. I still remember the conversation I had with my husband about adopting, thinking that I would never have the priviledge of carrying my own child. Now in a matter of 4-6 weeks I'll be holding her in my arms. It's still overwhelming sometimes to think about the miracle we have received from God. Sometimes I still can't believe it's happening. But it is. And right now, I feel like the luckiest girl alive :)

Gestational update

I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant. It has been a smooth pregnancy so far. No GDM, no pre-ecplampsia, just the usual back aches, round ligament pains, annoying Braxton Hicks and the frequent elbowing and kicking from the growing peanut. By the way peanut is a SHE :)

Yesterday my hubby and I went for our last ultrasound. I did not expect to hear the words 4.7 lbs from the tech! I thought she'd be small or at least average in size but 4.7 lbs at 32 weeks seems like a giant to me. People kept saying how small I was and that I should eat some more. Oh well... Last week when I weighed myself at my prenatal visit I have gained 23 lbs. Looks like I'm on the right track in terms of gaining. Of course some of the weight went to my thighs and hips- totally unavoidable! But I'm happy I'm not gaining weight uncontrollably.

Tomorrow will be my first baby shower. It's being hosted by the medical director of the surgical center I used to work at. I can't wait to see old friends again! Some of the gifts have already arrived. When I came home today there 3 big boxes waiting by the front door. Can't wait for hubby to come home tonight so we can open the boxes together ;)

I have been so blessed with this pregnancy. I have not been plagued by fatigue despite my 5-6 calls/month. It has been very tolerable so far. Co-residents are amazed by how much stamina I have! I am too :-O

Thank you Lord for all your blessings :)

Taken at 22 weeks



ICU Rotation

I just got done with my ICU rotation. Despite being on call every 3 days I thoroughly enjoyed it. Did I learn a lot? Maybe...But learning is really hard to gauge. What I really learned most is to make sure that critical patients have some sort of advance directives. Otherwise the Ethics Team will hound you till you get one. I had some patients who did not have a family at all to help them make any sort of decision and are now unable to decide for themselves. So we go about in applying for a gurdianship with the state which can take 1 month or so for processing. In the meantime, these patients are under the wise and discreet care of their residents and attendings.

Some families do not know how to let go of their obviously dying relative. Seriosuly, I had patients who were in and out of the unit, with a trach and PEG in place, lying like a rotting vegetable, clearly suffering, yet families do not want to pull the plug. "This is America! Do what we pay you to do!" I think that's what these people are thinking. Oblivious of the fact that medicine can just do so much and sometimes you just gotta let nature take its course.

I know it's hard. But personally, it's harder to see your loved-ones suffering...What do you think?

My Routine

o, it's been 4 months since I started internship. So far it has been great. With my pregnancy I do consider myself very lucky as I do not have the complaints of most pregnant women. My stamina is the same, my appetite is the same (although my sweet tooth is bacn and I do crave a cookie after dinner), and my personality is as preppy as ever :) Although I do have the occasional back pain- esp when I sit for more than 30 minutes.

Calls have been tolerable. We do calls 5-6 times in a month. That's pretty good compared to other programs.

This month I am rotating in one of the floors. The schedule is pretty much routine in a daily basis:
7:00-8:00AM: Morning Report
8:00-9:00: Occasional lectures
8:00-11:00: If no lecture then patient care
11:00-12:00PM- Teaching rounds
12:00-1:00: Noon Conference (while eating lunch)
1:00-4:00:Patient care

Yup. We are done at 4PM if not on call. If we are oncall then we stay until 12N the next day. It's pretty laid back compared to what I was used to during med school. Not that I'm complaining ;) We do get to eat breakfast after morning report and it is a good way of bonding with co-residents. I love my batch. I think we all get along pretty well. I don't see anybody giving potential problems....Hope I'm right :)