just another day at the office, you STILL want to be an ultrasound tech?

see this?



so you see a baby in there? don't worry, i can hardly see it myself.

this patient came in today, excited for her ultrasound, wanting to know if it was a boy or girl and STRESSING that her mother (waiting patiently in the waiting room) REALLY wanted a girl. ok, i thought, wondering if i was going to be able to see ANYTHING at all being that this patient was on the chunky side. but, ok, let's give it a try. luckily for her, i felt pretty confident that this was a baby girl. let me also say that i NEVER guess, i only say when i feel pretty certain.

well, the mom comes in and the daughter plays some guessing games with her and everyone is laughing and everything seems fine....this grandma REALLY wanted a girl. so she got her girl BUT, she still has to ask me a dozen times more and then shouts out randomly "oh! i see balls! oh no! i see balls!" as i am scanning (sorry but "balls" is just tacky). ok....deep breath, almost done, everyone seems happy....last picture, last check for baby girl parts...done! daughter is off to the bathroom.

now, what does her mom do? she asks me a couple more times if i am SURE it's a girl, what is the percentage of a chance it might be a boy? i tell her it is always 50/50... we just tell the patient what we think, there is no guarantee...blah blah blah...help me! the final question: have i ever been wrong? well, i say, i have never had anyone come back and TELL me i was wrong so i am not sure...and she says (grabbing my arm) "you wanna know something? if you are wrong about this baby, i WILL come back, you can bet on that." and i am not kidding, it was like out of a movie or something, she had a little glint in her eye and added a little hee hee...not kidding type laugh.

holy crap! get me out of here! daughter comes out of the bathroom and off they go.

now thinking about it later i feel pretty ticked off, i dont have to tell a patient whether they are having a boy or a girl, that's a courtesy. it is not part of my diagnostic protocol to sex the baby, it is only important for twins and for people who carry genetic malformations that are sex-linked. geez people, now i have to add "fearing bodily harm if i make a mistake" to my list of worries...thanks a lot. i have an ultrasound friend who NEVER tells the patient what they are having, never ever. she was sick and tired of this kind of wacky patient and family. i always thought she was hardcore over the top, but i think i am moving in that direction myself.

:)

back to work i go!