The bad news is I'm out of a job. Chestnut Hill Hospital is closing its ob department November 4th. Of course I'll be leaving before then as this baby is due sooner than that. The bad news is also that Chestnut Hill was the last community hospital providing ob care in the city. It was also the only hospital where CNM's providing homebirth could get back up and admitting privileges. And one of only a few that still offered VBAC's. The hospital is owned by a for- profit organization, and of course, ob isn't profitable. Why should the health of mothers and babies matter enough to be profitable. Bitter much? Yeah. I heard they're going to be replacing us with a bariatric surgery department.
The hospital is giving everyone an incredibly crappy severance package. Unfortunately neither the nurses nor the midwives have ever had employment contracts so no basis for negotiation. A lot of the nurses have worked at CHH for 10 15 or 20 years and are now facing having to find employment elsewhere.
Anyway, on a personal level the timing couldn't really be better. I'm not going to have to deal with the question of when to go back to work. I will get my crappy little severance package which will help cover my maternity leave. And hopefully Al will have a full time job by the time our benefits run out (at the end of November--generous of them, wasn't it). I'm looking forward to being home with the kids for a while. At least a year, I'm thinking. Even though it might seem like indecision to work for a year, stay home for a year, work for a year as I have been doing since D was born, I think it has more to do with the reality of having young kids and also being committed to having a career. Different stages in my life and the kids' lives and our family seem to dictate different job arrangements. I feel really fortunate to have a career that doesn't punish me for taking time to be home with my family--unlike so many other professions.
The kids are doing well. I locked Penelope in the car last Saturday, but she weathered it well. Lucky for her I turned the car and the a/c on before locking and shutting all the doors (hello pregnancy brain). The police came and called a nice man from a tow company who was able to break into the car without doing any damage.
The kids are both back at school. Diego is thrilled to be back with his little pack of wild boys (I pity their teacher). Penelope had been doing well--happy to go in etc, but this week she has cried both days during the drop-off. My poor girl.
I am way behind on posting pictures. I have a bunch from our Fire Island trip, Penelope's birthday and the kids' first week of school to post. Plus I've been doing a lot of crafty baby-preparations. Do you believe me when I say a lot? I mean it. Unfortunately I am still getting the hang of this computer and I'm not sure how to get the pictures off my camera and onto here...
More soon, hopefully.
Jessi
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4 comments:
Just heard from my doula that Midwifery in Doylestown is looking. She said Joanne is the only one delivering these days.
Yeah but that might interfere with my collecting unemployment. Actually I'm looking forward to taking a break from midwifery right now..
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