How's This For a First?!

OH.MY.GOSH. Tonight in clinical I got to watch a birth!!! I got to the hospital and my patient was dilated 3 1/2 cm. I knew there was a chance she would deliver while I was there, but I wasn't counting on it---last week my patient was dilated to 3 cm when I got there and she had only reached 7cm by the time we had to leave for the night.

This week proved to be very different. Before I knew it, my patient was at 5 cm. To everyone's surprise, 30 minutes later she had reached 10 cm and was at +2 station. In other words, it was BABY TIME! In the blink of an eye, the room was prepped for delivery and the doctor was on his way. The patient pushed for all of 25 minutes, and her beautiful baby girl had made her grand entrance into this world! I was in complete awe, to say the least. I stood next to the patient, completely enthralled by the entire delivery. Have you ever seen a placenta? It's pretty sick. But once you get past the fleshy, bloody mass that it is, you can see that it's actually really awesome. Seriously, it's unbelievable to me that our bodies are capable of developing an organ that sustains another life within our body! I just can't explain how amazing the whole experience was! I'm officially hooked. I don't know what I will be doing when I graduate, but this is definitely an option :-)

It's safe to say that I am obsessed with Labor and Delivery. I LOVE it.

Bring on more babies!

-Marissa

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Happy 26th Birthday to the BEST brother a girl could ask for!

Who wouldn't love this adorable face :-)

You're the kindest, most hard-working person I know...

And never too old to be silly...

You're our favorite brother, Ry :-)

God blessed us with the best...

I hope you have an absolutely wonderful birthday---you deserve it!

Sending you lots and lots of love on your special day,

Marissa

The RA Blues

Don't get me wrong, I love being an RA. Clearly this is true, because I was crazy enough to come back for a 4th year. I have met some of my very best friends because I was an RA, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. However, there are some parts of this job that just plain suck. #1 would be writing people up, or as we formally call it, "documenting a situation." I hate confrontation. Actually, nothing makes me more uncomfortable. This year, I successfully made it through 10 weeks of school and 18 on calls without having to write anyone up. Unfortunately that wonderful streak was broken last night :-( Sad. To the kids I had to bust last night: I'm sorry. Thanks for being somewhat understanding and not completely hating me...I really had no choice but to knock when your music was super loud and you were clearly drinking in your room. Come on freshmen, get it together.

Really hoping that was my first and last write up for the year,

Marissa

Day #1 of Maternity = SUCCESS!

So I just got back from my first day of Maternity clinical, and it was so great! Let me explain:

1. My clinical site is St. Clare in Fenton, MO----this hospital is BEAUTIFUL! It's brand spanking new (opened a year and a half ago), and is so nice. The patient rooms are huuuuge, and fully equipped with giant flat screen TVs, DVD players, and mini fridges.

2. Day 1 = Orientation Day = Short Day. Some simple paperwork, tour of the floor, and we were outta there!

3. Babies, babies, and more babies!!! Part of our tour included a look into the nursery, where our instructor showed us how to do a newborn assessment on one of the babies. We all put our fingers on the baby's head to feel her fontanels and sutures, practically drooling over how cute she was. I think I'm going to love spending my clinical time in the nursery...just maybe :-)

4. Get ready, here comes the best one: There is a blue slushie maker on the floor!!! What?! That's right, the Hospitality Room is equipped with slushie making capabilities for the slurping pleasures of all those laboring mothers and their families. Who needs an epidural when you can have blue icy goodness instead? Hah, ok well somehow I don't think those hormonal women in labor would agree, but whatever. I can't say I didn't enjoy ending my day with a blue slushie :-)

Here's hoping day 2 is even better than day 1,

Marissa