And....It's Time for Superwoman to Have a Seat.

Photo Credit

...Because she was put on bedrest this morning.

The fluid around baby was a little on the low end today so my doctor thought it would be best for me to take it easy and drink lots and lots of water until delivery. Everything ended up being fine, but I'll go back Monday to recheck. This baby might be making an earlier debut than anticipated...

My OB reassured me that this is a pretty common occurrence with the residents that are have babies - being on your feet all the time and the stress is sometimes blamed for low fluid. It helps that I am somewhat familiar with all this now too so it's less distressing. I'm not worried. God is in control and Baby J will be fine :-)

Naters gets back from my mom's house this weekend, and then he will be home with me until it's time for him to go back to school in August. Kind of bummed because I had all these big plans for our last hoorah as just Mommy and Natey (zoo and museum trips, long walks, hanging out at the park), but now I'm going to have to chill on that a bit :-/

And don't get me started on how NOT ready I am for a baby to get here soon. I need to run walk slowly out to Target and get some crib sheets, and onesies, bottles, and Dreft. And now would probably be a good time to pack my hospital bag... The blessing in all this is that I was only two days away from the end of my rotation and the start of my official vacation from school, so this doesn't set me back at all or leave me with a bunch of time I'll have to make up when I go back.

Any good books or movies you recommend? Who am I kidding... I need to get working on my personal statement again. So much to do, so little time...

I've only been on bedrest for 6 hours now and I am already bored. Oh boy...

Reflecting on My Clerkship Experience: Obstetrics & Gynecology

This is looooong overdue, but better late than never ;-) Since I did an additional month of OBGYN in June, I am going to include the details of that too...

From the AAMC Careers in Medicine Clinical Evaluation 

1. Name and Location of Clinical Rotation: 

• Indiana University Hospital High Risk Obstetrics & Benign Gynecology 
• Ambulatory Obstetrics & Gynecology: IU Hospital & Wishard Hospital 

2. What did I like most about this specialty?

• The patient population. Women's health is awesome and all women patients is definitely my favorite...sorry guys!
• The variety. It is a great balance of ambulatory care, surgery, and even inpatient management.  
• The longterm patient relationship. I love the idea of keeping up with my patient's lives and having them remain a part of my practice for years...
• Being a part of such an intimate and unforgettable moment in a family's life. Delivering a baby is an experience that has not compared to anything I have experienced during my clinical years.
• The subject matter. Being an extrovert can really help you in the medical field, but I think that my openness with sexual health and subjects that others may be less comfortable discussing is another big reason why I love this field. 
• The hours. OBGYN has such a bad reputation historically with not being family-friendly and not having time for a life outside of the hospital - which used to be true. I really obsessed about speaking with all of the moms that I worked with during my rotation (and thankfully, there were many!). Each physician was very candid about how balance can be a challenge, but they also had great insight on how they made their hours work for them. 

3. What did I like least about this specialty?

• Miscarriages and loss of term pregnancy. It is so heartbreaking :-( But I will say that I am glad that I feel capable of supporting my patients when they go through such a terrible experience. 

4. Did this clinical rotation give me a good sense of what practice in this specialty would be like? 

Yes, for sure. I got to experience regular obstetrics, maternal fetal medicine (high risk), benign gynecology, night float (5PM-8AM) and even urgent care. I also worked with a lot of different physicians, so I was able to see the different ways one can practice OBGYN as well.

5. Did my interests, values, skills and/or personality "fit" with this specialty? If yes, in what way did they "fit"? If no, why might they not be compatible? 

YES! As far as personality, my attendings and residents have all been very laid-back, open, and approachable. Most days it is a very happy place to be and they celebrate with their patients, and when there is loss, they mourn with their patients too. Regardless of the circumstance, I can see that they love what they do and they love to teach.  I think I would fit in well. The whole time I was on this service I felt like I was with "my people".

And I actually enjoyed studying for this exam because it was all so interesting to me. Even now, with no exam to study for, I find myself reading journals and genuinely interested in learning more and more. Other doctors tell you that you just have that feeling when you know you found your niche and I feel it for sure. I'm so excited!

Photo Credit

6. What are the possible practice settings for specialists in this field? Which of these settings interest me and do I know enough about them? 

All of my exposure has been in the academic field, which I think I would like because I enjoy teaching - even now, it is fun to work with the third year medical students and help teach exam technique. It's funny because that was me like a month ago, but I feel so much more comfortable and capable now. I would like to spend some time in more of private-practice model just so I can see how the two differ.

7. What information do I still need to find out about this specialty? 

How soon can I start? LOL

8. Has my perception of this specialty changed based on my clinical rotation experience? 

Yes, see #2 when I talk about the hours...

9. Did my clinical rotation experience influence the likelihood of choosing a career in this specialty? If yes, how did it influence me? 

For sure. I had a feeling that I would enjoy OBGYN, but I had no idea that I would end up loving it so much!

10. Right now, on a scale of 1-10, how interested am I in this specialty as a career option? 

10!! This is it!

11. Other comments or reflections about this rotation or specialty: 

• This experience has made me seriously consider Maternal Fetal Medicine (high risk obstetrics) as a career option. I enjoy the gynecology part of the specialty, however, so now I need to start figuring out if this is something I would be willing to part with in my pursuit of MFM. 

• Also, as a fourth year I got to participate in Residents' Day - it is the day that fourth year residents graduate, so all the residents have the day off for events. This meant that the MS4s were able to act as the interns (first year residents). I was first assist on a c-section and a vaginal delivery that day. It was nerve wrecking because I was actually in charge, but I loved it! (OK, our attendings were the bosses, but nurses were calling us first...)  Definitely gave me a good taste of what it would be like when things were official :-)  

Things Natey Says: Summer Vacation Edition

Me: Come on, Nate, we're going somewhere...
Nate: Are we going to Target?!
Me: Nope.
Nate: The dollar store?!
You would think we don't take him anywhere -_-

Nate: I don't want to go to camp!
Me: A lot of your friends are going to camp this summer after school gets out.
Nate: Not L---, he's going to Florida.

Walking in on his dad reading the manual to the car:
Nate: Is that your Bible?

Nate: How is the doctor going to get the baby out of you?
Me: Mommy has to go to the hospital so the doctor can help her and I am going to push the baby out.
Nate: Oh, how did you get that baby in you?
Me: Well, when mommies and daddies love each other they can make a baby.
Nate: But how did that baby get IN you?
o_O I didn't think I would be having this conversation so soon!

After seeing a commercial for Gymboree on the TV:
Natey: Hey Mommy, we can take my baby there!

I'm going to teach my baby how to read!

We have been working on sight words and reading. One day in the middle of the lesson...
Natey: Mommy, I love when you teach me how to read.
Me: Me too Nate, I love teaching you to read. And you are doing so well, how do you remember all this stuff?

Summertime!

Natey: God tells me.

In the car with his Dad:
Nate: I know everything. Ask me a question.
Hubby: (there is a blimp in the sky) Hmm...How do blimps fly?
Nate: Well...that is a very good question...They use hot air
Haha good to know he pays attention in school ;-)
~~~~~~~

15 MINUTES into our drive to New Orleans:
Nate: :long sigh: Ugh...this is such a long trip!

6 hours into the trip and way past his bedtime:
Me: Natey, you should try and go to sleep.

Nate: I don't want to go to sleep because I don't want to miss anything exciting!

Nate: What is there to do in Tim Horlins (New Orleans) again?

Walking into the hotel room and opening the curtain:
Nate: This is so nice!

After hearing someone cuss in the French Quarter:
Natey: We aren't allowed to say "damn", right daddy?

Being Pregnant is Officially Sucking...

I am 35+3 weeks (OB speak). I am tired, but can't sleep. I am stiff, but too sore to stretch. I am hungry, but I am positive my stomach has the capacity of a teaspoon. I am nauseous. I am short of breath. I am so. uncomfortable. right. now. :tear:

Word. 

Oh, and last week some man asked me if I was carrying "one baby or two?" I usually don't have the urge to say rude things to strangers but I was almost there that day...WTH.

I know it's best to let the baby bake until 39/40 weeks but I am hoping that next week when they measure baby J with one more ultrasound, he or she is really big and they start talking about the 38 week mark. I start going to the doctor every week now. Good thing, so I can complain more frequently.

It also helps that I am still on my ambulatory OBGYN rotation so everyone asks me how I am feeling and cares about my aches and pains. Today is an OB day, and that's when my patients and I share our discomforts - it's kind of therapeutic....haha

Okay, you can turn off the violin music, I'm getting off the mic now...

Being Proactive, Intentional, and Better in 2013

Photo Credit 

"You show that you believe in your future by planning for it."

Yes, this post is kind of about my New Year's resolutions. I wrote them down but never posted them. Don't judge. Anyway, last year I put my resolutions here, and I'm proud to say that I really did work hard on doing them! I think that since we are now halfway through 2013 (still cannot get over how fast time is flying), it is a good time to look at if I am moving to the next level this year like I want to..

One of the biggest blessings in 2012 was that I learned how to be content with where I am. In no way is my life perfect, but when I think of how far I have come, I can't help but be at peace because I know that God is still working on me, and for that I am so so SO thankful.

1. I think I say this every year, but I want to eat better and make it a lifestyle change. I would love to have a more health conscious pregnancy (including increasing my physical activity) and now that I am in the home stretch I want to make sure , and I started working on that. In 2012, I made some pretty consistent effort at times to take my long term health into consideration when I chose food but I think I need to step it up a notch. Maybe no fried food? Pescatarian? Less red meat? More salads?

2. In 2012, I also took more conscientious steps towards making sure I took care of myself - i.e. monthly pedis with a friend, frequent hair appointments, buying cute clothes for my rotations, so i think I will just continue to keep that up.... ;-)

3. In 2013, I wanted to commit to a specialty...DONE!

4. In 2013, I will continue to read The Word consistently and become more active in church. I definitely fell off towards the end of 2012 and still feel really disconnected from God. I have to keep reminding myself that He doesn't disconnect from me, I just need to stay connected to Him.

5. In 2012, I struggled most with balancing all of the responsibilities of my constantly busy life. I think that for 2013 I need to be more specific about what my definition of being a great wife, mother, and student are. I have this pieced together image, both realistic and non, and I think it would be to my benefit and sanity to hold myself to my own standard.

Can you believe it is already June?! How are you doing on your 2013 goals?