We Only Come Out at Night

So, I finished my week of night shifts and in five hours I have my OB/Gyn shelf exam. My take on nights: I hate nights. I'm too old for that crap. I'm exhausted, and cranky, and I've had a headache for three days. I realize that some nights are inevitable pretty much no matter what you do these days, but ugh. Most other fields, at least around here, have a night float system where you only have to do a week or so of nights at a time, and for surprisingly few weeks per year. On OB you spend months on nights. Months. And speaking of OB, I have one word for you about "NSVDs" (normal spontaneous vaginal deliveries--OB/Gyns flippin' LOVE their acronyms). Here is that word.
UggggghhhhhhhhhewwwwwwwyyeeeeeeeOOOOOOUUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHHHHHH-
uuuuhhhhGROSS!

Ok, so, OB/Gyn. I have to say that it was my least favorite rotation so far. Now, I do also want to say that around here, OB/Gyns sort of had a reputation for being awful to work with as a medical student, but I have to say I found the opposite. Everyone (okay, with a few scary exceptions) was fantastic and really interested in teaching. It's just that I don't like the rotation. The hours are awful, and just through luck of the draw I was on during one of the more depressing months in history, patient-wise. You know, pregnant moms being diagnosed with metastatic cancer and being given 2-6 months to live, moms miscarrying a second trimester multiple gestation after trying for 10 years to conceive, stuff like that. Wrist-slitting.

Also, at least half of the patients speak Spanish, and I do not speak Spanish. Well, I sort of do, but kind of like Tonto if he were drunk. (Me student. Me no talk large in Spanish. Tall pain is having you where? You have water from your (indecipherable)? Big water or little water?)

Okay, it is time for me to go study for the shelf exam even though I am getting hives just thinking about it. But I will post again soon and I already know exactly what I would like to rant a little about: a little something our school likes to call "Professionalism Evaluations". In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy, "Big deal! I'm very professional!"