The Circle of Life

Last night was my 7th night. The end of week 1 of my run of nights. I went to work rather happy, knowing that I have a week off just 12 hours ahead of me. I had a good sleep during the day, so I arrived at work feeling rather refreshed.

Only to be greeted with a very solemn event. My colleagues at work has had a tremendously tough day. A lady had just lost her baby, who was previously well grown, normal, and term. She came into labour ward via ambulance in good labour and was pushing. Before they knew it, it was a foot sticking out of her vagina. He was going to do a term vaginal breech delivery, and then the disaster happened. It was stuck!!

And there was nothing he could do to bring the baby out. He tried all the manuevre he could think off, and studied in the books. He paged for any consultants in the hospital, but there was nobody around... and the consultant on-call was on her way in...

BUT the baby was already half way hanging out~! But its head was too big to fit. 5 mins, 10, 15... there was no fetal heart. 25 mins later, they gave up and went down to theatre for a code. She went to sleep, and the baby came after some pulling, not breathing, no heartbeat... no signs of life. The baby was stillborn.

I almost teared during handover when handed over the situation. I thought my day couldn't get any worse.

The next minute, I get a page from the ward. Our antenate who is currently 31 weeks is contracting. She has been in the ward for weeks with major placenta praevia, APH, prelabour premature rupture of membranes, gestational diabetes on Insulin... well, basically, you name it, she's got it.

I arrived in the ward, and she was clearly looking distressed. She kept saying that she wants to push, and feels like something's in her vagina. I promptly did a speculum examination, but had very poor views as she was a rather large lady. No bleeding... but hang on! I think I see fetal parts! She's breech!

She was then rushed to labour ward on a wheelchair, STAT! She got there, and stood up to hop onto the bed. She pushed, and baby's out! On the wheelchair... OMG!! Not breathing, heart rate of 70 bpm. I pressed the emergency buzzer~! Baby was on the resus cot, and getting CPR. Neonatal paeds in the room, resuscitating this poor little one...

After much adrenaline rush, he made it :) The little one's gone to NICU and mom's safe as well. No complications after the birth, surprisingly.

The night kept me busy with a few other things. An emergency caesar, a normal birth in a multi, a pre-eclamptic, and many other SROM's amongst other things. My day ended with a posterior vacuum delivery~! (little light at the end of the tunnel).

I was exhausted by the end of the day, but my spirits were lifted by Peter's two gorgeous little kids - Millie, 6 and Jonty, 2 - both watching Veggietales, while waiting for Daddy to finish work! (obviously, mommy dropped them off).

It was really heartwarming, watching his happy family together. Their dad ended with Pete carrying little Jonty over his shoulders, and holding little Millie's hands - while the 3 of them head to McDonalds. While, I... headed home to have breakfast with mine.

Isn't it funny how life finds its little ways of balancing things? Some people come, some people go. Some leave in very unexpected ways. Ways that crush your heart, and leave a prominent scar. It's okay to grief and cry. But it also makes you a stronger person. Sometimes, it takes an event like this, to make you see yourself.

It makes you appreciate the little things in life.

Things that you might have forgotten about,

or been taking for granted.

Things that you may never have realised is important.... until now.