It DOES get better

So I just finished my first week of "OB, round two." As the title indicates, it is not nearly as painful as round 1!! Even though I had Saturday call this weekend, which makes me post-call today and without a day off until October 27th, I feel so much more comfortable (and faster) with things on L and D.

I was really actually very disappointed earlier in the week as, as I am on days, there are lots of people who want to get "in" on deliveries-- me of course, Brenden (although he doesn't really like ["hate" might be a better word] OB and probably would gladly give me all his deliveries!). an FP second year, medical students, etc. I remember that, as a student, I was so frustrated b/c the interns wouldn't let me get deliveries. However now, as an intern (and being considered the OB intern when I'm on), I realize the pressure to get numbers and build my delivery skills, so I'm finding it hard to "give up" my deliveries to the others! The OB residents get to go do rotations at Kaiser, where they get a lot of volume and autonomy, but I don't, so UCD is my turf and my chance to catch babies!

I think it's partly being selfish, because deliveries are what keep me going! When all you are doing is rounding, paperwork (this hassle has multiplied exponentially! Now you have to fill out, among tons of other stuff, a form indicating whether the woman wants a pneumovacc ]NO INDICATION!!] or flu shot while hospitalized! Yeah- like when women are coming in in labor, they really are going to care to discuss with you their vaccine schedule), dictations/discharge summaries, taking care of postpartum issues on the floor, cross-covering on gyn-onc patients, following up on things, and clearing out triage (the ED for pregnant women over 14 weeks), life and work are pretty miserable without the thrill and joy of helping babies be born now and again! It's just plain fun!

Luckily, last night I did 3 NSVDs of my own (good [or bad!] thing about weekend call is that you are on as the solo intern), as well as watching forceps (and I missed a vacuum). So I'm a bit more heartened-- I need repetition to feel as though I'm reinforcing my skills! I have probably done close to 30 this year, but I would love to have many more than that (I really think I could do deliveries all day long :)).

Anyway, so I'm pretty tired. There was no sleep to be had on call-- it was crazy as usual, and my legs ache from running around and being on my feet so much. I've slept some and, after taking care of Lefty for a bit (Kate's in Vegas!), I will probably go to bed pretty soon. I'm due back on L and D around 5 a.m. tomorrow :)