October has a special place in my heart. The fall weather is my favorite, football is in full swing, and the school year is settling into a routine. This year, however, it is also my favorite because September is finally freaking over! In the past 4 weeks of call I have cared for, delivered, operated on, or diagnosed the following:
- A twin IUFD @ 18 weeks, followed by a retained placenta requiring a D&C.
- 3 post-partum hemorrhages, transfused a total of 9 units of blood between them, one of whom almost lost her uterus, but was saved by a B-Lynch stitch.
- An 11 pound shoulder dystocia (baby and mom were fine).
- A 30 week severe IUGR IUFD, barely able to be delivered vaginally due to a contracted pelvis.
- A multiparous unmedicated, "I'm physically here, but mentally I'm not," precipitous delivery followed by a shoulder dystocia, complete with tight nuchal cord x 2, baby with a very purple face, but no other sequelae.
- A newly diagnosed placenta previa, possible accreta at 28 weeks gestation.
- An 8 cm ectopic pregnancy.
- A cervical ectopic pregnancy.
- More preeclampsia than I have ever seen or care to see again.
- A full labor and delivery unit, laboring patients in triage, delivering in the ORs due to lack of beds.
- A 360 pound, 28 year old patient who had never seen a gynecologist with excessive bleeding and a 10 cm complex right ovarian mass.
It's been a rough month to say the least! Not to mention the day-to-day office grind, allergies, a sinus infection that won't go away, and a poor prognosis for a family member, recently diagnosed with recurrent, advanced malignancy. Every day I see something that makes me aware of how fragile our lives really are, and I am so thankful for all with which I have been blessed. So I am taking all that I've learned from the above experiences, gray hairs, angina, and all and pressing forward into October. It can only get better....right??
