Spreadin the Word

A recent graduate from the residency was in town last night so a group from the hospital all met for dinner. Only a couple other residents and spouses came but several of the nurses and other staff from the hospital came.

I love going to dinner with the nurses. They are such a lively group and it is really interesting for me to see my husband from their point of view. Residents and nurses have such a unique dynamic. The residents are not really their boss (unlike the attendings) yet they are the authority when it comes right down to it. Even so the residents learn a lot from the nurses. Gaining their trust and respect is important but so is making sure that your instructions are followed and listened to. Like I said it is a very unique dynamic.

When your husband works 80 or more hours a week it is a given that these women spend just as much time with him as you do. When I worked at the hospital in HR it always amazed me to hear what they thought about him. Some of them were intimidated by him, others thought he was cocky, while others just loved him (sometimes it all depended on the day).

Last night I found out that Bret had not really "told" anyone that I was pregnant. I am friends with several of the nurses on facebook but haven't really put anything on facebook that was obvious. Some how one of the residents mentioned it and word spread quickly. Once the word hit the clinic several of the nurses were waiting for him outside of the exam room ready to pounce him with questions. Of course once the nurses found out EVERYONE in the hospital found out too. Bret said it was weird to have attendings come up out of no where to congratulate him.

It wasn't like we were keeping this on the down low (obviously..lol) but neither of us felt the need to make a big announcement. Not that we aren't excited..it's just that with our third it's different. We are having this baby for us. We are excited and for us that is enough. It's awkward to bring up the topic. People wonder but don't ask. We think "I wonder if they know" but don't want to just bring it up out of no where because if they do already know it's weird to be telling them again. I digress.

Dinners like last night is good. You get to hear what they thought about last years chief's, this year's chiefs, the interns, the attendings, and of course your spouse. They all know me and my kids. Not only are we regular visitors at the hospital but I send them things to. They know my Christmas candy packages, cookies, and other treats that I send to the floor regularly. The "floor" consists of two different areas. There is the resident clinic and the labor/delivery floor. The clinic has WAY fewer nurses so we know all of them much better. Bret's assigned nurse, Amber, is a saint. The L&D floor has so many nurses it is hard to keep them all straight but there are a few that I have gotten to know. There are a few that I pray will be on when I go into labor and a few that I pray will be no where near the hospital but that is how it usually goes.