Yet another emotional day for me…
Saw my very last patient at 7.45am. I was supposed to finish work at 8am having worked overnight.
I am tidying up when another name pops on the screen.
It is a young girl in her early 20s with painful period.
That should be easy, I think as I call her through, already dreaming of my warm bed.
So she tells her story of having a really painful period past three days. Both paracetamol and ibuprofen haven’t helped.
So I asked all the usual questions and then requested her to lie on the couch for examination.
Now this lady is big.
However when she lay down, her tummy was BIG. Very Big!
I placed my hand on it and looked at her.
‘Did you say you are on your period?’ I asked.
‘Yes and it’s been really painful.’
‘I think you are in labour,’ I replied.
‘You are pregnant.’
‘What? That’s not possible??! I have been having my periods.’
But a urine test confirmed she was indeed pregnant.
She sat there shocked.
She was adamant that she didn’t know.
She cried a little bit.
‘We need to get you to the labour ward’ I said gently.
‘You will need someone with you.’
She was here studying. Her parents were across the globe in the US.
‘What of your friends or flat mates?’
She wasnt keen to call anyone. I contacted labour ward and sent her over.
Fast forward 24 hours later, I call her to see how she is doing.
‘I have had my wee girl. It’s the cutest baby ever’, her voice tinkled down the phone.
I was genuinely happy for her.
Her flat mate was with her and her mum was on her way over to meet her unexpected grandchild.
I smiled as we chatted.
Forget UNI for the moment.
Forget how she was going to cope.
Forget all the upheavals this lovely addition to the world may bring.
It was heartwarming to know mother and child were both well despite not having any antenatal attention, no pregnancy vitamins, no preparation at all for its arrival.
It’s one day at a time.
All in a doctor’s day…
Adaeze x
Adaeze Ifezulike 