This first month has been eventful to say the least. I'm writing this at the end of the fifth week so you can all be assured that l am still standing and student midwifery-ing.
Starting with the academia... I have begun Antenatal and Postnatal Care of Mother and Baby 1, Health and Wellbeing and Introduction to Professional Practice. The first two are assessed practically, the last one is by 2000 word essay.
Like the last degree, I am infinitely more concerned about the practicals or OSSE as they are called here.
At times I'm feeling rather intimidated by the knowledge in the group and like I'll never ever know enough to qualify. Seeing the second years on our breastfeeding session just depressed me. Like, I'll never be as good as them.
Part of the sessions this week contained a link to a site, with a banner that l swear was the assistor of me down into the tunnel of postnatal depression. Seeing it in a non depressed state really brought up the Rage in me.
Where do I begin?!?! The cute blonde white girl? The perfect hourglass figured tops? The perfect garden? The make up? The statement that she's alpha? The smug smile? Or... or the halo?
It makes me wants to commit acts of random arson.
Anyone, I'll stop before I get referred to the NMC for unprofessional online conduct.
Which segues me nicely into personal life. Back in the first week l underwent as LLETZ due to abnormal cervical smear. Although I didn't know it at the time, a biopsy was done and a microscopic area of cancer was found.
It's stage 1a1 and my choices were a request LLETZ or hysterectomy. Given my birthing days are done, my fiance wants no children together and I'd be worried a bit of it got missed and it was stoating off somewhere, l chose the hysterectomy.
It's an overnight stay on the local gynae ward so definitely back on the other end of the stethoscope again. As I have to be there for 0730 in the morning, I'm travelling up the night before and staying in a hotel.
I just hope l don't feel too lonely on my own the night before.
Next week we start Clinical Skills. As of the 29th, I'll be on a months sick leave whilst I recover. Although I'm not allowed to attend a live online lecture, I can work and read at my own pace. I want to because I don't want to end up behind and on a back foot for placement.
In the words of looney tunes, that's all folks and I'll see you after the hysterectomy!
