vagina fest

[Dalya]

Don't read if you're squeamish.

So I'm "interning" with an OB/GYN 2 days a week for the month of July (really just pure observation and asking a billion questions, not doing anything useful). I'm have never been so keen on babies and women and emotions and women having emotions about babies, so I have been really surprised by the experience so far. I just started this Tuesday.

The very first exam that I observed was this woman who was 4 weeks into the pregnancy and had started bleeding heavily the night before, so obviously she was panicking that she was miscarrying. So the doctor did an internal ultrasound and right away you could see this little bean floating around with a fast flicker right in the center of it, which was its heartbeat. Then the woman started sobbing because she was so happy. That was really cool.

Then the very last appointment today was a woman who was at 28 weeks but her baby was already about 8.5 pounds. So they discussed inducing labor in another week or two (so the baby wouldn't be a 12 pound monster). Then the doctor did an exam to feel how dilated her cervix was (I didn't know that this starts to happen way before the birth, like weeks) and SHE BROKE HER BAG OF WATER. She was feeling the cervix and then kind of smiled calmly and said "Well, good news. You're going up to labor and delivery because I just broke your water." I guess it makes sense that that can happen, but I never though about it before. I could barely keep from laughing. So the woman was like "Great! I'm recommending you to all my friends at the end of their pregnancies when they just want it out." And the best part is, she had done it to someone else in July.

So those were the 2 most interesting things so far. I saw a bunch of normal ultrasounds and a LOT of HPV (get the vaccine! I'm getting it after seeing everything.) On Tuesday, she is on call for deliveries, so if anyone goes into labor I get to scrub in and observe the whole thing.

Really cool so far. Hopefully I'll see some blood and guts soon. (But with a happy outcome.)

[katie]

I saw a bunch of normal ultrasounds and a LOT of HPV (get the vaccine! I'm getting it after seeing everything.)

my mom made me get this last year. it was easier than listening to her nagging. or getting hpv or cervical cancer. let's just hope it doesn't make me sprout another eye in thirty years.

sounds cool though, dalya. if you're into babies and vaginae, which clearly you are, you big dyke.

[Dalya]

Good use of proper pluralization!

*puts on overalls and heads off to vagina factory*

[mere1975]

28 weeks is 10-12 weeks early, and the baby would be like 2-3 pounds and in the NICU for a while -- she must have been 38 weeks, right? Or else she was growing a giant in her womb.

(I have heard and read a lot of scary premature birth stories, courtesy of our annual March of Dimes campaign at work.)

Sounds like a very interesting job, though! Way more exciting than being in a cubicle, but with lots more vaginae.

- Mere "bagina" 1975

[Dalya]

oops typo. yeah, 38. Her eggs would have to weight a pound each, otherwise.

[Tracy]

It sounds really interesting. I've been thinking that I want to be a doula after the young'uns are really out of the house. I've also been thinking that maybe I should start looking into it soon.

I hope you get to scrub in. I've had an unmedicated birth and a C-section. (The unmedicated one was probably more fun to observe unless you wanted to be a surgeon.)

[Irock]

oops typo. yeah, 38. Her eggs would have to weight a pound each, otherwise.

That makes more sense... I was thinking when I read it that the Dr you were working with was, like, dangerously incompetent.

[katie]

It sounds really interesting. I've been thinking that I want to be a doula after the young'uns are really out of the house. I've also been thinking that maybe I should start looking into it soon.

if you're in the dfw area, i have a friend who is a midwife/doula and runs her own company thing for it (wildly descriptive, i know). i can put you in touch with her if you like.

[Dalya]

That makes more sense... I was thinking when I read it that the Dr you were working with was, like, dangerously incompetent.

she got a FULL RIDE through med school after "barely" studying for the MCAT (first generation college grad, didn't know how to prepare for med school really)!! Fuckin smarty pants doctor. *jealous* who the hell gets a full ride for med school?! NO ONE. She went to SLU. maybe I should accept Jesus as my personal savior in order to get a scholarship. Do you think he'd know my real motive?

[Dalya]

I SAW SURGERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a labioplasty and an anterior/posterior repair of the vaginal walls where they inserted wire mesh to support the urethra (for incontinence) I saw blood squirt and I smelled the cauterization. And I put on scrubs and a mask and everything. It was so awesome. Now I'm blood-thirsty. I want to see a brain surgery.

[Tracy]

I SAW SURGERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I'm blood-thirsty. I want to see a brain surgery.

I'm pretty sure you won't see as much blood during brain surgery. At least I hope not.

[Dalya]

Ok, internal-organs-thirsty.

I'm relieved to say that blood doesn't make me uncomfortable, not even squirting or coagulating blood. I was half worried I'd need to vom. I stood by the trashcan at first, just in case.

also, there was a third-year med student observing the first surgery so I talked to him pretty much the whole time. He goes to UT Southwestern (probably my top choice) and he gave me advice on what courses to take undergrad, what kind of study habits to get into, what first and second year are like, etc. That was probably the most helpful thing so far.

[katie]

dalya + vagina blood = <3

[ifihadahifi]

dalya + vagina blood = <3

Gah! I'm trying to eat my lunch, Katie!

bleh.

[katie]

dalya + vagina blood = <3

Gah! I'm trying to eat my lunch, Katie!

bleh.

Don't read if you're squeamish.

remember???