Lots of random thoughts

I'm in Michigan, caring for my mom this weekend. She's back in the hospital, with a complication of the PE she had a few weeks ago. It's very interesting, being on this side. I know too much. Sometimes, I think it would be easier to be my sister, the teacher. And I'm sure my mom's doctors are sick of me. No one is taking ownership of her, we have IM, urology, general surgery, vascular surgery, interventional radiology, and who knows who else rounding on her. It's pretty bad when I know my way around the back ways of a hospital that I don't work at! I'm pushing to get her out, because from what I can see, she doesn't need to be inhouse any longer. But too many cooks are in the pot right now, and I'm trying to orchestrate cooperation. I may push her to come to my house for a week or so. It's easier to manage her locally, but my sister is clueless...so I can't be of much help from long distance. My office manager is hollering at me to take time off, but it's not time yet.

Semi-private rooms suck. The hospital I work at has 100% private rooms and it's nice. My mom's roommate is a LOL with dementia and pneumonia. I've been hitting the call button for her when she's screaming "Help me, Help me!" over and over again. She also asks what day it is about every 30 minutes or so. We've taking to answering her so she doesn't repeat the question in 30 seconds. The current day of the week is becoming a running joke in our family. I promised Mom that I would unplug her if she ever was like that. That's why my sister is her medical POA. ;)

My mom's cat Ginger is sweet, but lonely right now, since she's been alone most of the month (mom hasn't done so hot). She has been obnoxiously cuddly.

I miss my kids. But I'll see them tomorrow.

We'll be back next weekend - we're billing it as an early Easter for the kids (I'm on call Easter weekend). They'll get to see their cousins and all grandparents. I'll be able to check up on Mom. I may try to go up to my Dad's gravesite...haven't been there since the burial.

I'm only a little crazy. OK, a lot crazy. Wait, I've always been crazy, now I'm crazy and stressed. :)

My prom picture with DH (yes, I married my high school sweetie) is on the wall here in the computer room (formerly my sister's room). Neither one of us have grey hair in the picture and I'm a hell of a lot thinner! I only wish I knew then how cute I was...I look at those pictures now and go "Damn! I was hot!" Now I'm a dumpy mom-jeans wearing overworked wife.

I am so sick of reading trashy magazines and women's magazines I could scream. I've been in OR/procedure waiting rooms too often this month. I bought Twilight to read - I can see why teenieboppers love it - They in LOVE! It's FORBIDDEN! He saves her! He's DANGEROUS! Although I do admit, I would totally have the posters plastered in my room if I was 20 years younger. Robert Pattison is hawt! (to quote teens)

I have great in-laws. Just had to throw that in there.

What doesn't kill me will make me stronger...

Lit Review

So my Green Journal for April arrived yesterday (just a little light reading between office and boring committee meeting) - hmm, lets see multiple articles why inductions are bad and how we can reduce them. Articles on the fact that there is no good way to screen for ovarian cancer.

And a lot of filler.

Will this change my practice? No...because I have the policy of no elective inductions prior to the due date. And I don't do ovarian cancer screening.

We're human too

You know, when my vacation is cut short because my mom is in the ICU, the following week when I see patients, I have little - actually no - tolerance for the whining.

So deal with it.

Getting big

My baby is now registered for kidnergarten and got his shots this morning.


"I don't like the doctor. She's mean and it hurts!"

Too fast, I'm telling you, too fast...

Turning, turning, turning through the years...

In some ways, OB is very primal. Associated with nature's cycles. Our months are measured in 28 days. Our years are 40 weeks long. And we can't count to more than 10 because we wouldn't have enough fingers...hence the 10 cm of dilation. ;)

There's just something, though, about getting a newly pregnant patient and calculating out her EDD. It's usually about 7 months out from today's date. And you occasionally look at the EDC and think "Wow, blah already?" I had that yesterday, her EDC is in NOVEMBER! That means pretty soon, we're going to be getting babies due in 2010!

And the cycle continues...

Amusing Link

The history of periods on TV, in brief.

The Roseann link is funny.

Although I have to say, why, oh, why do we have to hear about that "not so fresh feeling" on TV?

grrrrr

And she's BAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!

The chick from last night called again, thinking she's in labor. Not happy with my answer, she proceeded to call L&D to ask for advice. I found out when they called me about another outpatient. The night shift charge nurse was laughing as she told me about the phone call. Evidently, she's not too happy with me. Oh, well.

The charge nurse had had her as an outpatient last night...and this patient told her that "Of course, the doctor said she would start pitocin." WTF? On a Saturday night? When you are a patient of the practice that I'm cross-covering and I don't know a thing about you other than you're 37 weeks and a pain in my ass? And I repeat, inducing someone on a Saturday NIGHT? Are you kidding me?

I have a feeling I'll get paged at some ungodly hour about her. Yes, she's uncomfortable. Yes, quite frankly, it SUCKS big time to be late-stage in a pregnancy. But so what? You are PREGNANT!!!!!

After writing the above, I just got paged about her. She's still 1, thick, posterior and now discharged back to home pissed off at me, saying that I don't know jack-shit and asking to speak to her doc. Bite me.

Why did I do this again?
;)

Still not a reason to induce. Suck it up.