OB/GYN Highlights

For the past month, I've been busy on the OB/GYN service. Getting up at 4 am to preround on patients or getting one hour of sleep during call isn't my idea of fun, but there have been plenty of highlights during the rotation as well. Here are a few:

1. My first call I was involved in four deliveries, 3 normal spontaneous vaginal deliveries (NSVD) and one caesarian section (c-section). Two of the three NSVDs I delivered myself. It was pretty exciting...such a happy time for the parents and family. I loved it. Since then I've participated in 11 deliveries in 4 calls.
2. One of those deliveries was a twin delivery which was done in the OR just in case there were complications. Sure enough, one twin was born breech! Breech means that the baby came out, in this case, feet first rather than head first. That's pretty rare for this type of delivery.
3. In another case, I scrubbed in on a c-section and was performing the usual medical student role--retracting the skin and snipping suture when asked. Then the resident who was beginning to close up began to get woozy. She had to step out and the senior resident told me to close up instead of the attending physician! So I acted as the primary surgeon to close up the fascia, do the subcuticular wound closure, etc. It was kind of nerve-racking to have the whole OR watching me but it was a great opportunity because even OB interns don't usually get that opportunity.
4. Gyn-Onc (service for women with gynecological cancers) has been a great opportunity to pray with patients. I haven't had anyone turn me down yet! In fact, they really like it. One lady with extensive metastatic cancer hadn't been going to church regularly but allowed me to pray with her. Soon she looked forward to seeing me in the morning and praying together. Before I left the service, I gave her the book Steps to Christ. She promised me she would read it and fell asleep clutching it close to her chest.
5. On the current inpatient gynecology service that I'm on, one of the residents is a faithful SDA who believes the health message. In other words, she believes that true medical care includes reaching out to the spiritual needs of the patient. The first morning during rounds, she called me over to the medical team and said "Congratulations!" I looked at her blankly. "Congratulations on praying with Mrs. ___," she repeated, and then proceeded to explain how this particular lady's recovery had been a result of prayer. Although I usually try to be discreet in my spiritual interactions with my patients, I believe the resident was trying to encourage me in my outreach and, to be honest, that is just so unusual in the hospital setting even at Loma Linda Medical Center. Anyway, later I stopped by to give this patient a Steps to Christ and my resident had already given her none other than Patriarchs and Prophets! But my book was in her native language, Spanish :)

"Our faith in eternal realities is weak, our sense of duty small, in view of the opportunities that we have to point souls to the Saviour as their only hope. We are not to be cold and indifferent in regard to giving efficacious remedies for the healing of the soul. It is our duty to make known the truth, not in our own strength, but in the strong faith, assurance, and confidence that God imparts.

In our sanitariums no day should be allowed to pass without something being done for the salvation of souls. We are to offer special prayers for the sick, both when with them and when away from them. Then when they inquire about the remedy for sin, our own souls, softened by the Holy Spirit, will be all aglow with a desire to help them give their hearts to God."

MM 190