Monday 6 April 2009

Repeat c-section on a repeat patient

There were a couple of patients scheduled for c-sections this past Thursday, and the other docs appointed me to be the surgeon of the morning.  The first c-section was for twins.  The next case was a scheduled repeat c-section.  I walked up to the patient to introduce myself.  "Moning!  Nem bilong me Dr. Stephanie.  Mi dokta bilong katim na rausim pikinini." or "Good morning!  My name is Dr. Stephanie.  I am the doctor who will be doing your c-section."  The patient responded (in Pidgin), "There was a doctor Stephanie who did my last c-section."  Really?  What are the chances...  When was your last c-section?  In 2005.  February 2005?  Yes, indeed I had taken care of this very patient when I was here in PNG for one month as a resident.

And the more I thought back to that month, I actually remember Temar.  She was admitted to B-ward with preterm labor and I took care of her there for a week or two.  The labor eventually progressed and her bag of water broke, necessitating delivery of the baby.  The baby was lying sideways (transverse) and could not be delivered vaginally.  I did her c-section with one of the other volunteer docs and welcomed her little girl into the world.

So four years later, I meet Temar again and deliver her second baby (which was much easier than the first if I remember correctly).  #2 was a boy :).




6 comments:

  1. Wow- what are the chances?! Amazing that our Lord allowed you to deliver Temar's 2nd baby!
    ~Alison

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  2. That's a great story! Did you get to meet the 4-year-old you delivered in 2005?
    P.S. Please say Happy Birthday to Katherine for me!!

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  3. wow! God does have a sense of humor! =)

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  4. That's pretty cool! Great to hear about your day to day life in PNG! Thanks for your entry today!

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  5. That is absolutely unbelieveable. She remembered that first doctors name was Stephanie but did she know it was you? God is so amazing. God Bless you.

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