Happy Doctors' Day

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If the choice of studying Medicine and Surgery had not been mine, on several fateful days in the past, I would have been angry with the person who counseled me to study the profession. 

A particular encounter remains indelible.

The year was 2011. On that day, I was unfortunate to be on 24 hours duty in my hospital of postgraduate training. A woman had just been admitted into the labour ward when I took over from my colleague who had worked overnight.

Work load was heavy as usual but tolerable. The woman's progress in labour was initially as expected - a relief for any medical professional monitoring women in the twilight hours of their pregnancy.

Then the cervix stopped dilating. Her contractions were adequate in strength and frequency but her uterus (womb) stopped opening when it got to 5cm. The baby is expected to be delivered after the cervix must have reached 10cm in diameter.

The woman kept shouting due to painful distress. The vital signs of her organs remained stable; likewise, the heart rate of her unborn baby was normal. So, we gave her a little more time to see if the cervix would behave itself and begin to open. It didn't.

The alternative was to deliver the woman through Caesarean Section. She was counseled on the necessity of the surgery. She refused vehemently.

Through painful outbursts, she kept repeating, "My pastor said I would deliver normally ooo."

"Ma, Caesarean Section is also normal delivery. Your baby ..." I reassured her.

"No, doctor!" she interrupted me, "my pastor told me I would deliver normally. I don't want any surgery."

Which kind wahala be dis? I mused as I kept returning to her bedside, amidst other clinical duties, to ensure that she and her baby remained healthy, 

To reduce her pains, I discontinued her oxytocin drip which was responsible for the futile contractions.

I reviewed her case with my consultant on call duty, who also agreed that Caesarean Section was the only option of delivery. All efforts to convince the woman fell on deaf ears.

Time did not wait for anyone - three hours - four hours - five hours... During the period, she had summoned some people who prayed with her. They prayed intensely. I was also hopeful that she would have her wish. God had different plans that day.

After about seven hours of my perambulating her bedside, she and her family members reluctantly gave consent for surgery. Less than twenty minutes after she had signed the form, she was delivered of a macrosomic baby (weighing more than 4kg) who had loops of cord around the neck. The baby had a high probability of dying if anybody had continued to attempt delivery per vaginum.

About three days after the surgery, she was discharged home with her healthy baby. 

She did not even apologise to me and the nurses on duty for giving us unnecessary stress. Yeye woman!

In commemoration of Doctors' Day, I celebrate my colleagues who experience difficult cases and difficult clients in the discharge of their duties. 

PS - Both deliveries per vaginum and by caesarean section are normal deliveries. Her pastor's prediction was right.

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