Doctor for Delivery!

It was a normal Sunday evening in Albertville. Sydney had gone to sleep at her regular time, and Ryan was studying after cleaning up the dishes. I had just changed into my pajamas in preparation to study and finish a take-home test we get each weekend when there was an urgent knock at our door.

"We need your help. C is in labor. We are going to the hospital, but they think it might be going too fast." I quickly changed back into jeans and a t-shirt, and I ran down the stairs. When I got outside, I peered through the dark, rainy night into the car lights only to realize that the car was empty. Oh, the labor is going too fast in the apartment! I thought.

I raced back up to the second floor to the apartment which is just below ours to find C and her husband trying to walk towards the door. But the contractions were coming too rapidly and C felt she needed to push. Her water had broken only 30 minutes before. "Do you want to go to the hospital?" I quickly asked. "Yes," C said. "Ok, then we need to go now if we want to try to make it." C replied, "But I can't walk."  Well that is a problem. The next contraction came quickly, and I could see what she meant. "Well, then you can just have the baby right here. His head is right here!" She held onto her husband, gave a push, and the head was out. I helped guide his body out and into the waiting arms of his strong mama. He cried immediately.

"Great job! He's beautiful. Do you want a pediatrician?" I asked. C said, "Yes. That would be nice." Almost immediately, several people from our apartment were at her side, helping get water and blankets. We had 3 nurses including an OB nurse, and a pediatrician, surgeon, and myself as the OB present immediately after delivery.

When I spoke to the French ER physician by telephone, she assured me that the ambulance would be there in 10 minutes maximum. She chuckled when she heard there was an OB and a pediatrician already there. "That is impressive. Sounds like you have it covered." The ambulance came in about 5 minutes, and an ER doc was present with the paramedics. Curious, I asked if there is always a doctor riding in the ambulance. He replied, "Only 5% of the time, with these kinds of emergencies." I went to the hospital in the ambulance with the family where they were provided excellent care.

It was an honor to be present for the birth, and I was happy to be able to practice medicine. We were all thankful that God had orchestrated the right people at the right time to work out so well for the precious family. (The new parents were relieved that their 2 year old slept right through the exciting events happening just outside her bedroom.) Needless to say, I didn't get my take-home test finished for class the next day. But I think I had a pretty good excuse.