Power of a Positive Attitude

There have been many studies and bodies of thought regarding the power of a positive attitude on everything from health, to intelligence, to success, to sports. Though I don't know the actual numbers and such regarding the results of these studies... I am a subscriber to the pattern of thought that a positive attitude goes a LONG way towards helping you to reach your goals, etc.
As much of an effect as a positive attitude has - a negative attitude is almost worse in the impact it has on your outcome!
A few weeks ago I had a patient who was there for a scheduled induction for her 2nd baby. She was an "overnighter" induction - meaning she had slow, cervical ripening for 12hrs prior to starting the pitocin induction in the am, along with a magnesium sulfate infusion for PIH (she had about as much PIH as I have but, whatever!!). The problem with a induction with a mag infusion (used to prevent seizures) is that it is kind of like pushing on the gas pedal while simultaneously pushing on the brakes!! Very hard to get muscles to contract adequately while pouring in a potent muscle relaxer!!
However, this patient had had this same exact scenario with her first child and after a long (26hrs) labor, she delivered a 9lb 9oz baby vaginally. So obviously, it could be done!
And this baby was estimated to be around 2lbs smaller than her first so we were thinking - no problem, right?
When I sat down with the night shift nurse to take report, the first words out of her mouth were, "You owe me BIG!"... "uh-oh", were my first words. The poor nurse looked exhausted as she explained, "this girl and her family have wore me out tonight - - she hasn't slept the entire night because her family has stayed here all night long, in and out of her room... so NOW she is completely exhausted and will probably tank on you now that I have gotten her an epidural..."

Sure enough, when I went into the room, the patient was sleeping soundly. Upon awaking for my assessment she reported that, "she hadn't slept at all and was now utterly exhausted and hoped to sleep and that her labor wouldn't as long as last time because she was tired of this already!!"
Wow! I explained how labors are all different but seeing as this was her second go around there was a good chance that it would be quicker than last time. However, I cautioned her regarding being on mag while trying to induce and how that could slow things down too.
She gave me a half smile/half pout and stated how she couldn't handle another long labor. Her overbearing mother piped in from the peanut gallery, "yeah, this baby needs to get here faster, she is too tired for a long labor". My thoughts were "well, if you guys had let her SLEEP LAST NIGHT she wouldn't be so darn tired right now!!!". But, I merely smiled and went on to discuss the plan of care (poc) for the day.
After dealing with numerous "are we there yet" questions, complete with whiny voice and rolling eyes, I was COMPLETELY DONE with her by 11am (did I mention that I work 12hr days - 7 to 7??) when after checking her and having her screech and try to climb off the bed because the pressure of me checking her hurt (did I mention that she had an awesome epidural and was feeling NOTHING with the contractions?!), she broke into tears when I announced that she was only 4cm (she had been 3cm that morning). Her mommy was immediately at her side, shooting me "evil eyes" because I didn't immediately stop checking her when she (the MOTHER) told me to "take it out, take it out" when her daughter started huffing and puffing when I was checking her cervix. Mommy grabbed her 27yr old baby's hand and wiping away her tears, asked "why are you crying sweetie - because it hurt or because you are still only 4cm..." simper, simper.
The girl sniffed and hiccupped loudly, wiping her dripping nose with her hands and said, "I'm just so tired and I want this to be doooonnnee".
I reassured her regarding her progress (she had made significant change - but labor does take time, especially when your body isn't ready to be in labor yet!!) and then quickly exited the room.
As the day continued I found myself wondering how this childish woman functioned in her regular life as a 7th grade teacher and a mother to a 6 year old!! I repeatedly explained the labor process, encouraging her regarding her progress and in her body's ability to do this. Nothing Doing!!
Even when I grabbed her OB and had her go give her a pep talk because she was so discouraged - the entire time the doctor was talking with her and the family, the patient stared glumly straight ahead at the wall, never making eye contact and ignoring everything the MD was saying while wiping stray tears off her cheeks. Seriously??
Her family spent the afternoon trying to cheer her up and train me at my job, which they OBVIOUSLY knew much better than me!! Her mom questioned me from everything regarding why her daughter was able to move her legs because that meant her epidural wasn't a good one (even though she wasn't feeling ANY pain) to grilling me on whether or not the baby was head down - because she thought it felt like he was lying sideways in the girl's belly and that is why it was taking so long to dilate. I gritted my teeth, bit my tongue and went on cheerfully explaining the poc over and over, discussing the progress that she WAS making, albeit slower than the patient and family may have wanted. The patient's response was to start sobbing again and state, "I just want to give up NOW!"
By the end of my 12 hrs I was ready to RUN out of the unit, because I wanted to strangle my patient and her mother!
So - back to the power of attitude thing - as it turned out, this girl worked herself into such a tizzy that the OB ultimately performed a c-section on a girl who had previously given birth to a NINE + pound baby!! This baby turned out to be 7lb 2oz and everything was fine, except that the girl had bought herself a major abdominal operation from which she now had to recover... However, seeing as her mother garnered her self-worth from micromanaging her daughter's care - I'm sure she did just fine.