brown paisley - blue damask - green flowers - purple checks

kate and i ready to surgerize.

and yes, i know that 'surgerize' isn't a word

to my 4 scrub hats-

i heart you all.

you have sat forgotten in my bottom drawer for 18 months now.

oh how i've missed you.

i loved throwing you on when i was having a bad hair day.

when you work in labor and delivery, no one questions your scrub hat.

you might've just come from a c-section so it's socially acceptable to look like you're undergoing chemo.

today katers was playing "remove everything from mom's drawers and throw it everywhere"

it's a really fun game (for her).

amongst the socks and unmentionables were you 4.

i was pleasantly surprised to see you again.

i thought i had thrown you out (thank goodness i didn't!)

i scooped up my favorite and plopped it on kate's head.

she loved it and wore it for an hour (that's forever in toddler years)

then i put one on and looked in the mirror.

and i was overcome with nostalgia....

the last time i was in the OR was my last shift in logan.

i was in charge of a 3rd time mom who was pregnant with twin boys.

she was bound and determined to go natural.

the possible complications to that scenario almost made me soil myself.

most times the first twin is delivered without complication but it's baby #2 that worries us.

if that second baby is breech, a vaginal delivery is not generally attempted and we prep for a stat c-section.

(this is why we make mothers of multiples deliver in the OR)

so the calm room can quickly turn into a scene of organized chaos.

add to that a mom who needs to be sedated and intubated and we have ourselves a complicated mess.

it's so much smoother if the mom already has an epidural in place.

all the anesthesiologist has to do is switch the meds and badda-bing, she's numb and ready for baby #2.

if only it were always so easy--

i remember moving my patient to the OR when she was 7 centimeters dilated.

i didn't trust her to move slowly through the last phase of labor.

i had my crew in place and we were all ready for a calm and wonderful delivery.

my patient quickly dilated and began feeling pressure and wanting to push.

i page the doctor (for the 3rd time to come STAT) and hunkered down at the end of the bed.

i'm freaking out at this point but can't show it because my patient's husband has a video camera zeroed in on my face.

i had delivered babies before, but the thought of delivering preterm twins terrified me.

and oh great, here comes a head!

i tell the patient, 'don't sneeze, laugh, cough until you see the doctor'

she obeys like all patients should and goes to her happy place but the baby's head is still looming closer.

more freaking out.

then the OB comes flying in and barely has time to get her gloves on before baby one comes shooting out.

literally, shooting out.

baby one done, on to baby two.

the OB assesses the patient and calls out 'he's breech'

let's just add some more freaking out shall we?

the OB requests we hold off readying for a c-section.

i turn to clarify her request and see her elbow-deep in the patient.

after a few moments she declares 'i got him' and proceeds to pull the second baby out head first.

um, that's a new one for me- just pulling a baby out. 

but whatever, it worked!

there is a collective sigh of relief from the entire OR.

and then we proceed to clean up like usual (deliveries are amazingly messy)

i remember tearing up once that second baby was born.

i was overcome with relief and happiness.

my patient and i had both gotten what we wanted- a safe and successful delivery with no complications.

i teared up again when i moved my patient to the postpartum floor 

(i was full of pregnancy hormones ok?)

the patient and her husband were overly kind and the patient hugged me tight before i left.

they wished me luck with my own delivery (scheduled induction was a few days later)

and we said goodbye.

i don't remember any of their names but i will never forget that awesome experience.

somedays i miss delivering babies.

ok, that's a lie.

everyday i miss delivering babies.

it's magical and terrifying and wonderful and horrible.

one day i'll return to L&D but for the foreseeable future, my place is in the ER.

hopefully someday i'll be able to split my time between both places.

until that day comes i'll be content reliving past deliveries.

and wearing scrub hats at home.

ps. wonder why katers has been looking happy lately?? we've been practicing smiling. that's right. we have to show our child how to smile. it's ridiculous and hilarious to watch. we really should've video-taped the process.

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