We had been in touch with SuperPed much before I gave birth. The entire history of what had happened last time was clear to him, and we wanted to be prepared.
SuperPed, the OT staff, and the NICU staff are the reasons behind my daughter's well-being post-birth. Figlia was born a week and a day later (in gestational age vis-a-vis her sister), and that's why we escaped the fruit of prematurity that CBub had to endure - P.DA (which is not fatal in itself but it complicated stuff)... but she had aspirated the amniotic fluid, just like her elder sister...(why does that phrase somehow take me to Gone With the Wind....just like Papa?)
Anyways, as soon as Figlia was out, SuperPed was all 'go go go'....making sure no time was lost in taking care of the neonate. He came to see me everyday, even when Figlia was in NICU. He updated me on what was up with her.
The fact that I had been physically able to meet my daughter the day post-C section kept me sane.
The evening he came to told me that he was ready to shift Figlia into our room....he says he remembers the twinkle in my eye.
That was the first night Figlia woke us up next day from never-slept.
SuperPed kept coming in everyday...to check on her, and for any updates.
The last day in the hospital, just before we left the hospital...I had a meltdown. I was crying because I was miserable...there was bleeding, I was not sleeping, the hospital food was awful, and I was not sleeping, and there had been a tiff...
"You have to become a smart mummy. You have to."
I never really understood what that meant....till a couple of ped appointments later he told me that in me he saw unpreparedness and naivete. He said that the excitement is all good till the baby wears you down. Eventually the exhaustion wins, the excitement fades.
And he laughed at me. On my face!
At any other time, I would have felt very humiliated. I would have vowed to never see his stupid face again. I would have chosen some crazy name such as DuckFace for him.
Except, I knew he was right.
Even now, when I take Figlia for her shots, he opens the conversation with, "So Elsie, tell me some new stories."
I will be seeing him this week for another round of Figlia's immunization...maybe this time he will be glad to see me in-control...he senses things like that.
I love him for the kind of doctor he is. People like him, irrespective of the profession, always intrigue me.
Don't feel as if he was laughing at you. Every single Mom out there will tell you that we all started our motherhood journey's the same way, full of naivete and excitement with out really having a clue what was in store for us.
ReplyDeleteI think doctors and nurses see the same kinda stuff over and over again and sometimes they like to share their little pearls of wisdom
ReplyDeleteOh hon, we all have those meltdown moments when we are new moms. I distinctly remember mine.
ReplyDeleteOverall, he sounds like a fabulous doctor.
I think Nadine is right... I would have felt SO insulted! And yet, looking back, I can see now how extremely naive I was about everything baby in the beginning. Though it's not exactly a confidence-booster, is it? Glad he took such wonderful care of Figlia.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate a straightforward approach - even if it involves someone laughing in my face. At least I know they're not holding back to be polite. But more importantly, it sounds like he feels a connection to you. That's priceless.
ReplyDeleteI'll take a competent, straightforward doctor over a congenial, clueless one anytime.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like you don't really mind his attitude. Which is good, since you know you can trust him with your daughter's health. Which is not bad. Not bad at all.
it sounds like you have a very good ped if maybe a bit gruff. but the most important thing is that he is a good an attentive doctor who cares about his patients, and it sounds like he really does.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be abnormal NOT to have a meltdown (or 12) in those first days.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like a pretty good doc. So true about the melt downs. I try to tell my new moms to expect those feelings and to allow them. It's all normal.
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