First week in Pune!

Hey everyone,

I have almost completed one week in Pune! This week we were posted at the Deenanath Hospital in the OB/GYN and pediatrics department.

My very first posting was in Gyn. OPD with Dr. Doctor. No joke that is her real last name. So I got to see and observe a whole bunch of ladies getting antenatal checkups. There were a few there getting regular check ups and pap smears. I got to see my very first birth! Most women here in India don't get epidurals since it is too costly so they do it all natural. The system here also do not allow any family members in the labor ward. So, from the time they get admitted to the time they deliver, they do it all alone :( The lady was having her second child, and had to be cut since the baby's head was too big. Ouch! She had a healthy baby boy. Although she really wanted a girl. When she heard that she had a boy, she looked so disappointed and that she might actually burst into tears. Which by the way is really uncommon in most families.....

The next day I got to see another birth! I felt so bad for the mother to be since this was her first child and there was no one there to really guide her and support her like in the US. She actually had to have her water broken manually and was put on oxytocin to speed up her contractions. When she was fully dialated, it only took about an hour for the delivery. She had to be cut since the baby's head was too big. We went out to where the family waits and congratulated the new dad! It was an awesome feeling to do that!

On Wednesday, I was posted in the operation theater and I saw tubal banding. It was a laproscopic surgery and it was really awesome to see it on the tv screen and live and in person. When that was over, I headed over to the pediatrics opd and observed a doctor there. He was a really great doctor who took the time to explain things and we actually got to palpate a baby's spleen. Later on that day we joined him and his residents while on of the girls presented her case. I realize that you have to know and remember a lot of info. And I really do believe that every doctor should to a residency somewhere to just gain more hands on knowledge from someone who has been in the business for a while. Otherwise doctors are just screwing around with you pretending like they know a lot when they have no flipping idea.

Today, I did pediatrics OPD again with a doctor who specialize in epilepsy. I learned a lot about the disease, and the doctor was really good at explaining cases to us. Later today we watched a hysterectomy and the slinging of a prolapsed bladder. Both the uterus and the bladder was prolapsed so they took out the uterus first. Then they removed a part of the vagina that was hanging out. Then a urologist came in to put in a mesh sling for the bladder. It was crazy to see. An epidural was done and the needle was HUGE. They had to attempt multiple times to find the spinal space to inject the medicine. Plus the patient had hepatitis b so extra precautions had to be taken. It was flipping awesome to see that surgery! I don't think that I will ever get the chance to see that again. And good news, I can stand the sight of blood, no worries!


Tomorrow is at the same hospital. I guess we'll see what will happen then!

The food here is good. All veg and tons of fruit (bananas to be exact! Two a day) So maybe no more bananas for me back at home for a while?

Well times up, more later!

Love you all! Muah!