A random day in my life

5:30 alarm goes off

6:00 get on tread mill at gym

6:10 officially wake up

6:20 fight the urge to get off the treadmill and begin dancing around the gym when “Hollaback girl” comes on my ipod. (Crank up the mph to 7.5 instead)

7:45 eat Cliff bar on my way to coffee shop

7:47 arrive a coffee shop where barista already knows my order

8:00 arrive hospital

8:10 round on postpartum patients

8:30 begin seeing patients in office

8:40 first patient is in her early 20’s. She looks at me glassy eyed as I discuss health issues, encouraging safer sexual practices, quitting smoking and healthy eating. Ummmmm….. I really just need a refill on my pills. Fine, I say.
While I’m doing her pap, she stops texting long enough to say “Why would you EVER want to be a gynecologist???”*

“I enjoy delivering babies and helping people live a healthier life.” me

“Oh” “You know I really HATE this!” her
(By the way, 90% of people say this during their pap smear)

“Yeah I’d be a little concerned if you actually liked it” I reply with my canned response.

The next patient wants to discuss hormones. She starts by saying “Well Oprah says….. “ at which point MY eyes glass over…

9:20 Labor and delivery calls with a patient in labor. I walk over and check her in. 2 cm with first baby.

See several other patients

Avoid several drug reps

Office manager stops me to sign some checks
We pay HOW MUCH for PAPER???? She tells me were getting a good deal because we’re buying in bulk. I believe her.

12:15 done with morning patients

12:20 do circumcision

12:30 eat canned soup and cookies

12:40 Labor patient is 3 cm

1:00 Afternoon patients start

I see an annual exam who I delivered 2 of her babies. We compare notes on Halloween costumes and chat.

Next patient comes for a “hormone check”… but is really just depressed.

Next patient doesn’t need me to fix her….. she just needs to talk to someone. I let her talk as long as my schedule allows (probably longer) and then get her a referral to a counselor.

Next patient comes in for a “yeast infection that just won’t go away that’s now blistering.” Sorry honey, but it’s Herpes….. pass the tissue box. That wasn’t a pleasant conversation to have.

Next I get caught up discussing Twilight with a patient (you better believe already have my New Moon tickets and my Team Edward T-shirt).

3:30 Labor patient only 4 cm. Call husband let him know I probably won’t be home for dinner.

3:40 OB comes for 12 week checkup. US reveals no heart beat. She had no reason to think anything was wrong. They had been trying to get pregnant for over a year. Telling her that she had lost her baby made me feel physically ill. I hold her hand as she cries. Big tears. My own eyes sting as I fight to hold my tears in. I take her to the back door to let her out so she wouldn’t have to walk through the waiting room, as I closed the door I get a stat page to L and D. I race across the parking lot to the hospital…. The baby’s crowning. I quickly gown and in one push, a beautiful baby girl is born. I lay her immediately on the mom’s belly. Blood, vernix and tears are everywhere. The daddy cuts the cord. I have to guide his hand because he’s crying so hard he can barely see. Pictures are taken. Hugs are exchanged.

The grandma looks at me and says , ” You have the most amazing Job in the world.”

“I’m very blessed”

4: 15 I thank my NP for helping see my patients while I was out

5:00 Finish seeing patients and start catching up on charts

5:20 Get home

5:40 Eat left over pizza

Play with son and talk to husband

8:00 Multiple books read to son as I put him to bed

8:15 Drink large glass of red wine and watch Flight of the Conchords on DVD with Hubby curled up the couch. Laugh.

9:00 Reflect on the craziness of my day. How I can go from tears of profound sadness to tears of joy in a matter of minutes. How I can love and hate my job so my all in the same day.

9:45 Fall asleep in bed reading a book.

*Which inspired me to write this post