February | 2012 | UCCS Blogs

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halebopuccs 2:25 pm on February 24, 2012 | Comments Off on Oh baby! | # |

Recently, in my OB (obstetrics) clinical rotation I had the opportunity to watch a c-section delivery! While it isn’t what most people think of when having a baby (and I admit surgery isn’t the first thing I think of when I think of having a baby either), it is still exciting and exhilarating. CAUTION: if the thought of blood makes you queasy, STOP READING NOW.

The procedure began with creating a sterile field, preparing all necessary equipment, prepping the patient, and making sure all the paperwork had been completed. Next, the surgeon cut through the skin and fat to get access to the uterus. (Interesting fact: incisions are no longer made straight down the abdomen like they used to be, they are now smaller horizontal cuts just above the pubic area) Once the uterus was visible, a cut was made just large enough for…. POP-out came baby’s head! As I watched, the surgeon grabbed hold of the baby and literally just yanked it out. Let me tell you, it was messy. While the ‘miracle’ of childbirth is a ‘beautiful’ thing, this baby was by no means pretty. It was covered in blood and looked like it had just been swimming in a pool of old yogurt.

I watched as the newborn was weighed and measured. Everyone seemed so happy! The surgeon and anesthesiologist finished up with the patient, and I was able follow the nurse around. One of the responsibilities of the nurse during a c- section is… you guessed it… to deal with the placenta! When the placenta is removed, it must be packaged up and sent to either the lab or to storage.

Well guys, guess what?!?! … I actually TOUCHED the placenta! It was slimy and slippery, and dare I say kind of fun to play with.

All in all, it took almost 2 hours to prep mom and get the surgical team together, 1 hour in the operating room, and 1½ hours in the recovery room. That’s longer than some vaginal deliveries!

But, as gross and gnarly as it might have been… I sort of want one now. My womanly instincts are kicking in, and I may have contracted a bad case of baby fever:/ (Hopefully I will get my fix this semester by playing with other people’s children)

I am thankful that Beth El has established good relationships with our local hospitals, allowing students to have such unique experiences. I take pride in telling the nurses that I am from Beth El and work hard to maintain the reputation of our school and the standards that should be expected.
halebopuccs 4:37 pm on February 6, 2012 | Comments Off on Let’s Get Trashy! | # |

This semester, the UCCS Office of Sustainability has rolled out a new program on campus. It’s cool, it’s modern, and it’s super green. It’s COMPOSTING!

My dear friend, Drew Johnson, has been working on this project and has done an amazing job getting the word out about composting. For the last 3 weeks, students and faculty have volunteered in the Overlook Café and The Lodge to coach students on how to recycle and compost their foodstuffs. I like to think that I’m pretty up to date on “green living” and environmentally friendly habits, but there is so much even I was unaware of! Did you know any container that has food on it must be thrown in the landfill, even if it’s plastic or glass? Moral of the story is, all you have to do is rinse out those plastic dishes that were once filled with orange chicken and chow mein from the Overlook, and they would be recyclable.

Composting stations are now located at the dorm cafeteria (aka The Lodge) and all over the University Center. Jazzman’s, our notorious coffee shop on campus, even uses compostable coffee cups!!! (not to be confused with Starbucks or Dazbogs, whose coffee cups must be thrown in the landfill).

So what’s next for the Office of Sustainability? The answer is paper towels. Composting of paper towels in all bathrooms on campus is certainly going to be a challenge, but if anyone can do it, it’s UCCS. Coming from a small liberal town in California (I’m from the only town in the U.S. run by the Green Party), I am so glad to associate myself with a campus that is passionate about sustainability and takes action to make this world a better place to be.

Peace:)