Life and Death - Part 1

Today I was supposed to go to the river, but instead I was called into the hospital.  Danae wanted help in maternity. The hospital doesn't have an oxytocin pump, so I had to monitor the drops. I had my swimsuit under my scrubs ready to burst out of the hospital and jump into the river.  It was over 100 degrees inside, but I managed to stay focused anyway.

For two hours I watched the oxytocin. Second by second, drip by drip, nothing was happening. Although the patient had been on the drip for 6 hours, she only had a few sporadic contractions. We had been trying to induce her for seven days. The patient had already lost many babies due to chronic hypertension. Danae chose to induce labor because she was determined to save this child. Sadly, the baby died last night. 

While I was making sure the solution stayed in cadence, another lady was rushed in with a TBA close behind her. She had contractions 4 minutes apart. I didn't speak enough French to understand what was going on. So, I did what the doctor ordered and counted the drops.  

It was so sad watching the lady.  She was  heartbroken over losing her child. The other lady screaming due to labor pains didn't help the situation. Even the sound of a baby crying set her over the edge.

When the medication was complete, the IV was removed and the lady left the room. (Apparently, the nurses were supposed to give me another drip until she was in active labor. They didn't do what they we supposed to and Danae got really mad at them). I was about to leave as well. However, the head nurse stopped me and told me to put on gloves. She wanted me to assist in delivering the baby. 

It was me and the nurse. I tried not to panic as we prepared the delivery kit.  Let's be real, the previous delivery I watched was already prepared. The nurses worked quickly and efficiently.  It was so fast that I couldn't see every little detail that took place. To top things off, last time I was solely observing. Now, I was actually catching the baby!!

After waiting about half an hour the baby was born. The nurse clamped and cut the the umbilical cord then handed the child to me. It was a health baby girl. Thank God she wasn't in distress. (That means the nurse did all the hard work). By the time I finished cleaning off the baby Danae came back and told the nurse I was a newbie. So the nurse starting teaching me. She tried to explain what to do in simple French for the next delivery. I actually understood most of it, and learned a lot. Next time, I'll be even more ready!