Tuesday, November 18, 2008

You Put Your Hands WHERE?

I am a student. I have been accepted to medical school. While not frequently mentioned, these are the facts.

But I am also a nurse -- that was my original degree, and one that I still use. My background? Labor and Delivery. There is a bit of the rest of OB thrown in - NICU, Nursery, Mother/Baby, but Labor and Delivery is the thing I know best - the part of me that I can't forget...even when there are some days that I want to.

Although I am a nurse, I rarely talk about work, although I am really not sure why -- the stories that I have reach to the sky and back, both good and bad. And I won't lie - labor and delivery can be a highly entertaining place to be. It is stressful and tiring, happy and sad, and every other emotion under the sun, all packaged up to fit in a newborn sized diaper.


I see patients of all different ages, sizes, races, backgrounds. Last night I had a patient who was having her first boy -- she had daughters, although her daughters were grown. Admission, labor, epidural, yada yada yada, delivery. And then there was the look on her face -- the same rush of love an emotion that I see on every face, every time. But this one was different too. Because she had grown children already, she watched that little new person change from as new as it gets to all grown up in about three seconds. There is almost no way to describe that look, but I can promise you this -- when you see it, you will know it. And when you see it, it will be stunning.


Those diapers that look so teeny tiny? They hold more in them than you would ever guess -- an entire lifetime of hopes and dreams and wishes can fit into those little diapers.

19 comments:

Cara said...

You gave me chills reading that. It made me think of my two boys and how fast it seems to be going already!

SarahJeanie said...

This is a side of you we don't see often, but I like it! Thanks for sharing your heart! We miss you!

Christina said...

I agree - chills! Beautiful stuff. There really is nothing more miraculous!

Christina said...

I agree - chills! Beautiful stuff. There really is nothing more miraculous!

Kimberly said...

I never know what I'm going to get when I pop over to your blog Maggie. Will it be a funny photo? Some witty humor? Or perhaps, like today, something insightful and soul touching? A woman of many talents you are, indeed.

Brittany said...

Very well said, maggie. Very well said!

Colleen @AMadisonMom said...

Oh... now here I am.... a big sniffling mess.

Unknown said...

It really is such a miracle, isn't it. Even as I am holding my little puking mess tonight, I still feel it.

And...I think I would be an emotional mess every single day at work if I got to be a l&d nurse. What a great job!

Arizaphale said...

I love your photos but I love it when you talk to us maggie. I'm trying to imagine that expression..
Now, puzzle pieces are starting to come together. I knew you were studying but not what! Medical school? Coooool. Hard yakka though as we say over here. (look it up)

Jaimee said...

Wow...beautiful Maggie! Thanks for sharing it with us!

MichelleB said...

I know exactly what you mean because I gave birth recently and had that moment myself. I had no idea you are a nurse Maggie!

I think the best feeling I got after I gave birth to my daughter was when my hubby then surprised me with a gorgeous diamond ring from www.idonowidont.com at the hospital. Beautiful post!

jodifur said...

beautiful story.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Wow. This is my favorite post of yours EVER. I had NO idea that you did that but am not suprised, OB nurses are a special kind of nurse.

Anonymous said...

I love this!!! So beautiful!

Anonymous said...

So very true! Possibility and parental love are quite a powerful combination. Thanks for such a beautiful post.

kim said...

Congrats on being accepted into medical school!
What a breathtaking story.

Stacy said...

Thanks for sharing these sentiments, Maggie. It was beautiful to ready. :)

litanyofbritt said...

that was sweet. i got robbed of those first tender moments. once via shoulder dystocia, (good times, kay?), and once via c-section. both of the sweet tender moments of my childrens births were blanketed by numbness, vomit in my hair, and progressively worsening cases of PPD.

still though- i can imagine the moment as mine are growing, (even though just 3 years and 9 months), faster than i can't stand to (not) watch.

litanyofbritt said...

that was sweet. i got robbed of those first tender moments. once via shoulder dystocia, (good times, kay?), and once via c-section. both of the sweet tender moments of my childrens births were blanketed by numbness, vomit in my hair, and progressively worsening cases of PPD.

still though- i can imagine the moment as mine are growing, (even though just 3 years and 9 months), faster than i can't stand to (not) watch.