On my first day at Benh Vien Hung Vuong I observed a cesarean section. I was very nervous and afraid initially, but when the doctors began the surgery, the uneasy feelings left as I became captivated with every move to safely deliver the baby. Over the course of two weeks, I have seen about twelve cesarean sections and many natural deliveries. I have seen twin deliveries, still birth, placenta previa, and emergency deliveries where the child’s life was on the line. One of the most memorable cases was a 30-week old baby that had to be delivered within minutes because it’s umbilical cord has descended outside of the vagina, thus limiting the oxygen being delivered to the baby.
The operation room is a roller coaster of emotion. The joy of seeing a baby being delivered is beyond what words can describe. I am always overcome with this inexplicable joy when I see the baby open its eyes for this first time and twitch its little feet. Unfortunately, there are times when the mother, baby or both lives are in danger and there is this panic that overcomes the room. Sometimes you experience a stillbirth delivery and wonder how unfair life is. There are cases when the umbilical cord wraps around the baby’s neck, and there are other times when the umbilical cord tangles by itself and doesn’t deliver oxygen to the baby. In some instances, there are complications during the surgery and the mother is bleeding excessively and the crew goes into panic as they want to deliver the baby while keeping the mother alive.
Every day I see something new and I experience a different type of emotion. It’s like you never know what goes on in the operation room and you do not know what to expect. It’s a thriller. Every emotion I have experienced and all the things I see in the operation room are exactly the reasons why I chose to intern in Vietnam. I chose to chase after the knowledge that I cannot gain from a textbook and I am glad Benh Vien Hung Vuong gave me this opportunity.