When, as an Advanced Care Paramedic, I was working in Labour & Delivery in a Maritime Hospital, I had an experience that surpassed all others!
A 36 year old single girl came in who was nine months and twenty minutes pregnant! She was accompanied by her boyfriend, mother and aunt.
Right off the bat she declared that she would not have a sedative – not now and not ever!
At the very first painful contraction she screamed – literally – for an epidural.
Even with the pain killer, she continued to scream, swear and cry!
The doctor checked – she was almost dilated to 10 cm – close enough that the doctor said,
“I want you to bear down please.”
The girl looked around the room at Mom and aunt, visually asking what the doctor wanted.
“Bear down please!” the doctor insisted once again.
Still nothing more than an enquiring stare at her relatives.
The doctor tried something new, “Make like you are having a bowel movement.”
Still no reaction – and clearly no understanding.
A long pause while the doctor waited for a reaction and the girl waited for an explanation.
Then her Mother literally screamed out to her,
“Shit, girl ….. the doc is telling you to shit!”
A few minutes later the baby’s head was out ………. the girl jumped off the table and headed for the Exit door, crying, “I’ve decided I don’t want to do this any more – I’m going home!”
[We got her back on the table and the baby was delivered.]
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