I heart the fetus

I've been doing lots of OB work lately and I'm really liking it more and more. It's a challenge because there's lots of stuff to get, but it's also interesting because every one of them is different in some respect and it's like a new box of Whitman's chocolates with each scan. What's inside this one? Will it be head down or head up, a clear picture or a fuzzy hot mess? Even going out to the waiting room to get the patient is filled with anticipation. How many people will the new mom be bringing with her? Because it's rarely just her. There is almost always at least one, two, and I've had as many as 6(!) extra people show up to watch the big event. It's like they're going to the movies, but for free.

Also, 99% of the time, people are happy to be there. Unless it's an emergency appointment where there has been bleeding or cramping or God forbid a non-existent heart rate at the doctor's office, most patients like getting their fetal ultrasounds. Unlike the other patients who are mostly there because something is wrong and their doctor is trying to figure out what. Then they're more nervous or scared and you have to be sure not to hang around in one spot too long or they'll start shouting out stuff like "What's that? Why are you measuring it? Is that normal?"

Except for the testicle exams. Most men don't even watch the screen. Some fall asleep and others (the younger ones) lie on the table with their arm thrown across their face or their eyes shut so they don't have to actually see what's going on down there. I'm actually starting to like the testicle exams too because they're usually pretty easy. In fact, I like to do them better than thyroids....but the other student is starting to call me a ball hog because I sign my name next to most of them and she doesn't get any testicle experience.

So back to OB. I got my new rotation assigment and I'm going to be going to two different sites, one in the spring quarter and one in the summer quarter. My summer quarter rotation is at Swedish again, same hospital I'm at now, but in the perinatal group which is for more high risk OB patients and is in a separate location from our department. I'm very excited about that one because it's the one I really wanted. The spring quarter however I'm assigned to a clinic in Everett which is about 30 miles or so north of where I live and in Seattle traffic terms that's about an hour away. I'm considering the bus, even though I have to transfer 3 times and it will take about an hour and half each way. I'd do almost anything to avoid driving that much though, even though it would technically be against the flow since I'd be heading North in the morning and South at night. Oh well, it's only for about 2.5 months. I just hope I get some good OB experience there so I'm ready for perinatal in the summer!

Happy Valentine's Day

We had a nice Valentine weekend. We took the beagles to "Beagle my Valentine", the most recent Beaglefest held in Bothell yesterday. I am pleased to report that we now have two award winning beagles! The first Beaglefest we went to, Zac won for Biggest Beagle. Yesterday, Trixie won for "Ability to sit the longest". How about that, huh? She got a certificate and a big box of dog biscuits to share with Zac.

Afterwards we came home and all had naps and then Jason and I went to dinner at the Pink Door were we shared a bottle of champagne and a delicious dinner that put no fewer than 3 pounds on me overnight.

Today we met Darci and Simon for brunch at this cute little restaurant called The Wild Mountain Cafe, which is actually a house that somebody turned into a restaurant without actually doing too much to change the house, so it's small and tables are spread out amongst several rooms but the food was great and it was a pretty cool space. Then Darci took us to see her new office and Simon took us to see his new office.

When we came home I put lots of purple streaks in Kelsey's hair and just a few purple highlights in Jason's hair and now Jason and Simon are playing video games while I am patiently waiting for the Amazing Race to start. All in all, a pretty good weekend.

No real updates on the work front. I still don't know where my second rotation will be, although I hope that it's someplace that does lots of OB, as that's what I'm really interested in. Things at my current rotation are going well and I got a really good review last week from my clinical coordinator and my instructor at Swedish so that was cool. I'm just really worried that they're going to put me in the VA hospital or someplace else that doesn't do any OB and I'll lose all my skills in that area, poor though they may be. I wish they would tell us already....I heard a rumor that we might find out within a week or two. I figure it has to be sometime soon because there's only about a month left for this rotation and people have to start making plans, especially if they have to move. I'll try to keep everyone updated as I find out more.

Happy Birthday to Jay

Officially it's not until tomorrow, but we celebrated today. We actually started last night with dinner, where we met Heidi and Ray and they insisted on paying. Nice generous friends :-). We came home relatively early to a houseful, as Kelsey had another of her 4 person sleepovers again yesterday.

This morning we slept in way too late, and hit the grocery store which was positively PACKED! I guess everybody waited until the last minute to pick up their Super Bowl snacks and the lines were actually down the aisles. Crazy!

I spent most of the day yesterday cooking chimichangas for Kelsey's sleepover and making Jason's birthday treat which was a turtle cheescake. Today I spent more time cooking, making ribs, cornbread, fried potatoes and peas for dinner. The turtle cheesecake was absolutely fantastic, and I am making him take the rest of it to work tomorrow so I'm not tempted to eat the rest of it by myself. I had purchased Kelsey a piece of chocolate cake since she doesn't like cheesecake, but Trixie helped herself to most of it while we were getting the rest of the plates and coffee ready. She's such a bad dog.

Then we went down to the U Village to the bookstore and Jason got to pick himself up a new book for his birthday present. Back home in time to see the Steelers win the Super Bowl and then a new episode of The Office. All in all, a pretty good day.