follow your bliss...and by bliss, i mean anything that has to do with babies

I love this clinical rotation!  I get to spend four 12 hour days at Evanston's Women's Hospital in fetal diagnostics, infant special care unit, labor and delivery and postpartum.  Yesterday, I spent the day in fetal diagnostics (prenatal exams for high-risk patients, ultrasounds, non-stress tests, etc).  I enjoyed my time there because I had the opportunity to get to know some great nurses and set up a few patients for their diagnostic testing.  Then on to the NICU.  I loved it there!!!  I got to hold a couple little peanuts, some born as early as 24 weeks gestation (the very brink of viability).  My NICU nurse showed me around the different nurseries, caring for babies who need to grow and feed to the very sickest of the little babies.  A fellow student got to watch a natural birth, a few epidurals and a c-section.  I cannot wait to go to labor & delivery next week!!


This rotation, after only one day, has definitely given me hope that, yes, I have it in me to work a 12 hour shift. :)
Also, I absolutely love love LOVE Evanston Hospital.  I am singing a much different tune about Evanston than I was nearly 6 years ago.  Starting induction chemotherapy on Evanston's oncology unit is a world away from working with the progressive, talented, caring staff in the Women's Hospital.  I would love to work there after graduation in postpartum, helping new parents get to know their babies and assist new mothers in learning how to breastfeed.  Maybe all this is coming full circle!  I can come back to Evanston, healthy, happy, as a NURSE!!! I have been working so hard to get here, it would be a great opportunity to come back to Evanston as a nurse and not a patient.  


Also, our friend and Dan's classmate, Sarah, gave birth to little Hudson Carter on Wednesday morning.  He is just adorable and we are so happy for Sarah & Josh.  Welcome to the world, little guy!

Don't babies make the world a much happier place?