I am skipping work today. Well, you can’t really call it work. Generally, it involves sitting in a lawn chair, sipping Ginseng tea and reading a text book. It’s 8 degrees out. It’s rainy and cloudy. I love it, but it’s miserable if you need to sit in it for eight hours. On top of that, I am stressed out to the breaking point because of school–and it’s only been three weeks.

Yesterday was my first day on the postpartum unit after spending two weeks on labour and delivery. I saw both vaginal deliveries and C-sections. It was actually quite surreal, knowing that I was present for the birth of a child. I think that my brain knows that it was something special, but really hasn’t been able to process it yet–so that it still just feels like just another day at the hospital.

I remember sitting behind the glass in the observation room, watching a C-Section. When the baby was removed from the the woman and took it’s first breath, I felt an uncontrollable urge to stange and salute (no, I didn’t actually salute) her entry into the world.

Postpartum is a completely different experience. We spend the day with the women, partners in frustration as they desperately try to figure out breast feeding. I’m useless at this complicated art, so I just do my best. Usually an experienced nurse will at some point swoop in and fix all the problems and the baby will feed just fine. After several weeks of this, I’m sure I’ll pick up on all the secrets of breast feeding.

Someone asked me, “What is it like to be a man on this type of unit–breastfeeding, boobs, babies, vaginas–don’t you feel uncomfortable and wierd.” I thought about it, and realized that as a nurse, I’m allowed to treat a stab wound, even though I’ve never been stabbed…I can assist in brain surgery, even though I’ve never needed it myself…I can teach a child with asthma different techniques to prevent an attack, but I’ve never had asthma. So, why not a man on a maternity unit–even though I’ll never have a baby or breastfeed. Make sense?

Anyway, so, I’m skipping picket duty this week. I’m really sick of the good fight. I just don’t have any room in myself for passion–other than nursing.

I guess I’ll use that time to catch up on some reading (school of course–God forbid I read something extracurricular and enjoyable), and do some housecleaning. I’d like to do something fun today, such as catch a movie, or go to the mall. Oh well, that’s for people that aren’t in school.

I will just go and pout then!