SOMEone once said,

“I've learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.”

And THAT was DEFinitely true for me...guys, seriously - I've never done ANYthing like this before in my life, and I feel like I've done a lot of hiking and camping and whatnot but GOODness, it was an inCREDible 4 days. A quick rundown - it RAINed the first 2 days climbing, and we got a little behind schedule but I liked it that way (for one because my thighs were dONE for after hiking uphill for 5-6 hours the first day) and I really just wanted to enjoy the whole experience, you know, not rush things. The 2nd and 3rd night we stayed in a "bang house" (pictured below). We weren't able to camp closer to the peak because of a storm. BUT, the 3rd day the sun shone (i got burnt) and we were blESSed with blue skies hiking to the top of the kidapawan peak. Actually, a few of us got separated from the group and ended up climbing up the wRONG peak (davao peak), but it was cool because I got to see Samal Island and its accompanying Talikud Island from above, and eventually made it to the other peak, after a search and rescue from our guide (i'm exaggerating a bit). The entire 4th day was spent climbing down down down.

I really can't describe to you the feelings associated with hiking Mt Apo. It was all-terrain, sometimes we'd be walking a skinny dirt path in the middle of a jungle, and other times we'd be forging a raging river, and then have to scale a short rocky cliff, not to mention climbing hundreds and hundreds of manmade dirt/root stairs. Some parts reminded me of hiking in and around the Niagara escarpment, which was SO nice. AND, it was frEEZing - def. in the mid-teens, i think...plus EVERYthing was wet, ALL the time (even when it wasn't raining). Putting on cold, wet clothes at 6am in the morning sucks for the first few minutes, but once you start climbing, all thoughts of comfort and luxuries fly out the window. It was amazing. And, of course, it's ALways about the company your with - we had sUCh a good time hanging out in the tent, while it rained or winded around us. THe fOOD went SO well - I didn't have to worry about refrigeration! AND, another completely different part about thIS camping trip from any other I've been on was there are NO bears! Or any OTHER animal for that matter, so we didn't have to worry about putting food and such away at night. There were rumours of monkeys, but I never saw one!

Fresh springs offered fresh cold water in the middle of the trek.
We lugged fish, grilled chicken for curry, ground beef, aND pork adobo UP the side of the hill! Everyone was fairly satisfied before retiring to their tents.
The eerie fog and frigid cOLD of Lake Venado, a plateau about 8000 ft up Apo.
We had to cross this river 6 times total, as the trail curved through it when needed.
If there were no logs to shimmy, we'd forge through (already wet from the rain, it didn't really matter hOW wet we got).
A higher view of Lake Venado (an extreme difference in scenery when the sun cleared the fog and rain). Richard and Rachell (Joan and Genesis' friends) flew down from Manila to conquer the hIGHEST peak in all of the Philippines.
THis is on the plateau again, going to meet the only other climbers at the time. They had set up camp on the other side of the Lake.
At the kidapawan PEAK!...there was SO much of NOThing up there - except for the WINd, and the VIEW (which still takes my breath away). It was such a different climax of anything i've ever waited in anticipation for, but it was good.
Friday morning, back at the tourism office. The government regulates the amount of activity going up the mountain by enforcing a fee (extra for foreigners ;p). This also makes them aware of exactly how many climbers there are at a time, and able to search and rescue, if need be. They gave us a certificate at the end.

MOUNT APO - the tallest peak in the Philippines reaching a whole 9,691 feet above sea level, this volcanic peak (Apo, meaning "grandfather"), dominates 72,796 hectares of the national park where natural wonders bOW before thE towering peak.
and I am going to cliMB it =)

We (a team of approx. 12 ppl including guides) start super early monday morning may 12th, spend the day climbing to a (supposedly) freezing lake and flat ground where we'll camp for the night. THe second day will take us to the summit. The anticipation of sleeping there is ALmost too much to bear! Early Wed. morning will be spent viewing thE most beautiful sunrise (I'm sURE) I've EVER seen, at which point we'll hike back down to the lake to spend another night there. One more day will take us back down to the bottom, but we'll stay over (sOMEwhere) one more night in order to be there Friday morning when the office opens - this is to secure a certificate verifying we trekked the second highest mountain in all of southeast asia! In total it'll take the week, 2 days UP and 2 days down. I guess I'm planning the food.. we'll have one little gasul burner - dry wood is scarce. And. I don't know how to incorporate rice and canned corned beef into every meal - as per request =D hahaa.. it's going to be so much fun.

a bit of lIFE outside clinic walls -

Some of my friends take the fun (and art) of karaoke very seriously. This is at World Palace, a whole building of rooms done up in different themes from around the world to accommodate its tone-deaf customers! We rented the CLOUD room full of puffy cushions made out to look like we were floating on a cloud! IT was pretty cool.. and we sand our windpipes hoarse =)

This pic was taken at Gardena Fresca, in Matina. Tiffany is delivering Cathy's baby and threw her a baby shower here. The fun, food, and games made for a very successful baby shower! aaaaand, when Cathy delivers, Tiffany asked me to be the assist! Which is cool, because Cathy isn't just another patient, she goes to our church and has a caucasian husband.

In the middle of last week we all packed in the Germains jeepney and took a day trip to Samal Island to visit Hagimit Falls. It's an incredible place where you can jump into different pools of water that the rushing water have carved out.

And, who can forget IV-insertion class?! Not me, especially when I have 2 gross bruises on the back of both my hands, one goes down onto 3 of my knuckles - it looks like I've been duking it out with something/one. The first-year students had this class, and a few of us were asked to "supervise"! It was really fun, and also very successful...after 7 some odd pokes =) (TK's a rock!)

Update from the birthroom - we had [surPRISE] TWINS born at the clinic last April 16th. It was during a dayshift that the unknowing patient came to the clinic already in active labour, and ready to push! Naomi, a first year student, quickly got things together to facilitate the birth. Krys was supervising at the time, with Ate Elsa assisting. The mother had a normal size tummy for a pregnant, full term baby - there weren't any signs that would lead one to suspect a multiple pregnancy. I had even done one of her prenatals, a few months back but couldn't determine the position of the baby (nOW i know wHY!). THe first baby slipped out weighing 5lbs. 5oz... when the patient's stomach still looked pregnant, Krys checked with the Doppler for another set of fetal heart tones inside, and sure enOUGH, another baby was waiting to be frEE! Krys ran to get another filipina supervisor while Ate Elsa double-clamped and cut the cord of the first baby. THe mother pushed again and the second baby fell out, weighing a mere 3lbs. 5oz. [both baby's were born in the caul]. THANKfully, everything went ok - the mom DID have to be transported after a few hours due to continuing bleeding but she got to spend time with her babies first and also Naomi was there to care for them. They hung around the clinic for almost a wEEK while their mom was in the hospital! - basically FAMOUS in Mercy circles, we started calling them bean-sprout and sweet-pea =) ...so thEN the mom gets out of the hospital and her and her husband pick the names Swheety and Cuttie (pronounced like sweety and cutie) for her two new daughters. GOODNESS! hahaha, what fun we have here in the phils!
It's a crazy feeling to hold something tHIS small and fragile. But, they are both thriving (thanks to a little wet-nurse action from Naomi and the love and care everyone has been showing to them). The family is now at home with their TWINS, and Naomi is going thERE for baby check ups, instead of having the mom pack everyone up to come to the clinic! But SERIOusly, as a midwife, you wait and wait and wAIt for the chance to see something like this...and i miSSed it! Sayang!

Luke&Ruth Schroeder

I had the HONour of witnessing Ruth Biral (momi ruth) and Luke Schroeder get MARRIED yesterday at All Nations Christian Fellowship. The "Mercy girls" (Lo, Tiff, Medea, and I) had the task of doing HAIR&makeUP for the bridal party - it.was.so.fUN! THe girls (from Zamboanga) are sO inCREDIbly beautiful, putting makeup on their face was aLmost unnecessary. It was such a great morning. THe ceremony started at 2pm, with dinner to follow, and dANCing after that! I was fairly impressed at how the groom got every dancing, mainly by starting off with the easter song, followed by the macarena, and so on. ALL filipinos have EXcellent rhythm and LOVe to dance so little encouragement was needed to get the party started! SO FUN.

AiJEY's 1st Birthday!

A beFORE and AFter shot of my dear little godson.. he turned ONE year old on April 11. It's kind of hard to believe that a baby I delivered is already walking!, but I guess there are many more out there - babies I've helped - just walkin' and talkin' (NUTS!) hahaa, some filipinos follow a tradition of not cutting a baby's hair until its first birthday. Aijey had some cr-azy hair patterns going on...and on his birthday they bUZZEd it! I went to their place on the day after and didn't recognize him at first! They put a lock of hair in a bible, and throw the rest in a flowing stream or river (in the hopes of long, flowing hair!) hahaa. Aileen said that "they" say she needs to buzz it 5 times in a row, to help the hair grow in thick and beautiful! I guess hair is a big deal here. It was cool because they've moved out to Comval Province (which isn't so cool because I don't get to see them very often), but Jeffrey (Aileen's almost husband, boyfriend) picked me up on his motorcycle and drove me almost 2 hours out into the country to visit them for the day!

a triBUTe.

I've been SUPer "pre-occupied" lately (if you could call finishing an assignment pre-occupied)... but, as of tOday, I am finished the LASt (big) assignment of what could very well be my academic career (so much for those plans to go to Ryerson =P - i'm just kidding). BUT. for now, I am done. Next week we have a few lectures on ethics and communication and whatnot and that'll be IT. Crazy eh...I can't believe it's already been (almost) two years! I'm looking forward to starting work in Agdao, with a prenatal day and even mORe buntis (preggo) girls to keep me occupied, as well as starting exam/NARM review, switching to wednesday prenatal days at Mercy, which means new teams and a chance to work birthroom shifts with new people! A lot is happening on this side of the world, and even mORE planning is in the works in regards to what everyone will do when they leave - I'm pretty sure Lois has until summer of 2009 all planned out, almost to each day of roadtrips, visiting long lost friends, and working to pay off loans! I wish I was that organized! But, for now, I will watch my classmates all leave one-by-one (except for dear Charity, of course, who'll also be staying on). Goodbyes suck. I'm already not looking forward to watching them go..but thEN Brianna will come! THere's ALso the excitement of getting to know these incredible women outside the Philippines - seeing their homes, and meeting (the rest of) their families and friends and being able to hang out in our own settings.

ps. bk! you are rULing our street lately with graffiti aLL ovER the place! hahaa, every time I see one I fondly think of you... just know that you're already a part of the life here sa Philippines - and your initials are everywhere to prOVE it! LOVe

ALmost UNbelievable

Another great story...without any pictures (sorry!)

A while back I had a continuity who delivered while I was away on a midwifery mission in the mountains. However she was/is still vERY attached to me and goes so far as to call me her best friend (kIN-da scary, but she means well, for the most part). She started texting me again asking if I could help her "fregnant friend" =), Ludivina Jayme who, according to her, is very poor and will come to Mercy for friday prenatals (my prenatal day). Honestly, I kind of ignored the request because it's tiring helping EVERYone and I really didn't feel the need to.

so thEN, thIS morning during prenatals I pick up a chart, and call the name of the patient "Ludivina Jayme", thinking to myself that I must've done a prenatal on her before because her name was so very familiar...only minutes after talking to her I realize she knows Madel (my other cont). I was surprised because I thought she'd be around Madel's age (17) but she was 37! AND this is her 10th baby! AND her husband just died in october leaving her with her nine children (all still alive, praise God) and one on the way. She didn't know she was pregnant at the time of his death. And I can't even beGIN to imagine her despair on finding out. Needless to say, I took her as a continuity.

Krys (the director of Mercy) did her initial prenatal last time and, given the situation, wrote on her chart that Mercy would pay for the lab works needed to deliver at Mercy: blood typing, HBsAg screening, and a urinalysis. She waited for me to finish prenatals and we went to a clinic in Agdao. It was cool because it was such a small place I asked the technician if I could watch him (I got my blood type also - mom, I'm "A" positive!). UNfortunately, we discovered Ludivina is hepatitis B REACTive. Shoot. The technician was clear she'd have to have all of her kids tested...and, a (+) hepB screen means I'll have to refer her to the local hospital for delivery, as Mercy's policy prohibits delivery. I will still be able to see her through pregnancy though. I wish I had a picture of her, for a 37-yr old mom with 9 kids to take care of, she looks aMAZing!

We went out to lunch after the having the lab works done and I asked her to list off the names of her kids, from oldest to youngest! I took a census as she did:
- Marilyn - 18 yrs old
- Liesel - 16 yrs old
- Liesa - 14 yrs old
- Gerald - 12 yrs old
- Jason - 10 yrs old
- Jessica Lyn - 9 yrs old
- Charlyn - 7 yrs old
- Jeffrey - 6 yrs old
- and little Jay Mark - 2 yrs old
- plUS one due in June!
Please remember Ludivina, and her kids - there is no telling how many of them have the actual hepB infection.. I doubt she'll have them all tested. But, I'll keep you updated on what happens with this family! I suspect she'll just stay at home to have her 10th, that's what she has done with all the others..

...just thAT kinda people -

recently there have been 2 little girls hanging around on our street...NORmally, there's a pack of a bit older kids who always make me smile with their broken english, fun games, and interest in anything I have to offer. But these 2 girls I have never noticed before.

I was just coming off shift and they were there to greet me as I went 2 doors down the street to our house. I invited them inside because I knew Jenny's mom had brought some chocolate kisses for us (I'm good at being generous other people's stuff/food). The bold one came right on in and started exploring the unknown of the foreigners house, while the other one stayed back, warning her friend not get in trouble. I pulled 4 kisses out, 2 for each, placed them in their open palms, and sent them back outside. (here's where the story gets good!)

a few days LATer, I saw them again and they asked to come inside saying sOMething about "chalk-co-late" =D This time the timid one wasn't so and came right in and stopped at the fridge! I pulled out the entire (bIG) bag of kisses and let them help themselves this time. Oh gOSh! It was so cute. They both took ONLY TWO! I couldn't believe it! Dozens of memories ran through my mind about little rude white kids grabbing at candy, taking more than their share (and most of those were of mE just the other dAY!). But these cute filipinas were the total opposite, and they can't be more than 5 years old!

Every time I think about it, it warms my heart!

introducing Jonna Mae ANGCON~ her bf Jerson Velila, and their NEW SON Chaff Hickory <3

SO, I've blogged about this continuity before, and told you i'd keep you up-to-date - well, today was a bit of a shOCker when Holly called me from the birthroom saying Mae was at the clinic in lABOUR (Mae hadn't texted mE at all!)...she texts me about everything eLSE to do w her pregnancy and YEt somehow forgot the fact that she was in labouR! Actually, she said, "it's too painful Jen, I couldn't teXt!" That, and the fact that I had told her in prenatals that March 27 was the date she would be 37 weeks' gestation, and therefore allowed to deliver at Mercy, anything before would be considered premature and transported to the regional hospital for delivery. Because it was only March 26, she was scared of the fact that she would be transported. THIS resulted in her coming to Mercy fULLY dilated and ready to push (a midwife's dREAm continuity..)
IT was her very first baby, and she pushed that baby boy out like she'd done it a million times (another AWEsome blessing for mE!). SHe cried when I put her first-born son on her belly only seconds after he'd slid out (which made mE tear!). He looked only about 37 weeks' gestation, covered in vernix and missing creases in his palms and soles that mark maturity. THe picture below shows this well..
The supervisor on shift, Ate Estef, kinda laughed when she saw his testes, saying that in the Phils they believe that when it's super dark the boy will be vERY bRAVE! Which is nuts, because Jerson (the father) had chosen the name "Chaff" (not chafe) which ALSO means "brave". To make a long and funny story short and sweet, dear Chaff is going to be one brave little fil! This pic was suPPOSed to show the absence of the creases on the soles, but also captures his...(sac) quite well.

mORE pics - the resort had a trampolinE! In this pic (from L to R) is me, Lois, Pastor Genesis, Tyron, and Joan...the boys had nEVER been on a trampoline before, and it was pretty funny watching 20-something year old men try to figure out a bum drop. hahaaa, this activity made me think of brianna <3

and a tuBE we got to play on in the pOOL! Lois and I are on the bottom, and Laura and Joan are on top!







thIS is a good view of the pOOL - the INFINITY pool that made you think (or at least look like on camera) that you're swimming in the ocean! It was such a nice pool, with a waterfall across the front of it splashing down into the lower level.




thIS is a pic under the beautiful gazebo, a wrap-around bar, and some of the bOYs that helped mAKe the party a party!





at ONe point during the day, I figured it was time for cake, candles, and a little sOng and dance (by the way EVERyone was all whispering and suggesting that I go play frisbee w some Others)...but thEN, they surrounded me, offering a "mango shake"


as it turns oUT the shake was ACTually raw scrambled eGGS. and they proceeded to throw cups of this at me, afterwards completing disaster w corn starch sachets.. sICk! I DO remember hearing about this old filipino tradition, but reeeeeally didn't expect it. Half way through the rumble I realized the eggs wEREN't a mango shake like Ty had said, and therefore licking it off was OUt of the question! blahhhh, my bathing suit stILL smells.

a whOle 24 on the 24th -

I didn't have time to think about being another year clOser to a 1/4 century (but thANks for that reminder, michellE!) as this past Easter/bIRThday wkd flew by in a whIRl of bEAChes, friENds, homemade gOOdness, exCItement, eGGs, cAKes/cUPcakes, swimming, sunburns, pACKages and a webcam hOMe, a massagE, karaoke sONg&dANce, and even mORe friends. Although nO champagne was had this time around, I did receive a few gOLden wishES! Lois' blog entry entitled 23 n 24~ has a bunch more pictures for your viewing pleasure. I haven't compiled all mine yet, but whEN i do, I'll be sure to post.

lOIS turns 23!...starting oFF the day wearing gOggles (thIS coming from the girl whO said birthdays aren't really special =D) with a shirt to match even!

We had an early morning coffEE @ Arturo's pool/cafe/grill/etc. and a swim! and thEN went back to the house for frESh, hOMEmADE bagels and cream chEEse (herb&garlic...about as close as we could get to a tim hortons speciality)

WE also were able to hang out w some of Lois' past patients...at People's Park and out for lunch at the infamous bbq chicken place - bANoks! (too bad the chicken was late (we had to rush back to school for a test!))

We went to the mALL!, this photo taken in the back of a tricycab.

Aaand did a little MALLingg =D - let me take this opportunity (and AWful pic) to say that toDAY was Lois' birthday, and THEREfore we all tried our bEST to smILE as Lois does every Other day of the year, hahaaa, she's got some pretty characteristic faces.

We THEN tried to surprise Lois by meeting up w the rESt of the students for dinner at a favourite Thai restaurant, but alas, she knew...all along. mer. By 8pm we were done and dOne, no energy left to even play gAMes - instead we opted for a mOviee. So, was it SPECIAL?!

the bRIDE-to-bE: Ate (Momi) RUTH

Here are a few shots from the bridal church shower we organized last night! It was an amazing time! We had "heavy snacks" which constitutes dinner in this country - chicken adobo, rice, pancit canton, deviled eggs, brownies, cookies, and cAKe. And, of course, coke. Ate Ruth is in this picture between Tiffany and I. Ruth was honoured with blessings, words of advice, and gifts (I can not post thOSE pics). The wedding will be April 20th on the island of Zamboanga, and i reeeeeally would love to attend. It's a dangerous region though, and am not yet sure if i'll have permission to go. alThOUGH, she IS marrying a missionary boy named Luke - so, there wILL be other foreigners around!

the lAtest&GREATest..

A pool/cafe/restaurant/bed&breakfast/WIFI place opened up just around the corner from us, in the quiet little subdivision we walk in...aaaaand, it's pretty much my entIRe houses' nEW FAV. spot...so perfect, in fact, that we plan on spending every day studying there! hahaaa. You can get a pool membership in groups of 5 for sUCh a good deal. And tHIS pool is the ONLY pool we've (or Laura, rather) found in Davao! It's a whole 8' deep! THe onlY thing missing is a couch and/or lounge chair - but i gUEss if one was doing hOMEwork, those things wouldn't be necessary ;p

I'm stILL hERE! Unfortunately, my camera is not working at the moment, and so I'm seriously lacking in pictures..I try, whenever possible, to steal some from the other girls though - acTUAlly, it works quite well! Here are just a couple of pictures from my last assist.. I was helping out Naomi as she handled this birth.
Depicted here are the soon-to-be parents (the mother in mid-push, and the husband - sO nervous, this was his fourth child, but he'd never seen a baby come out before! He almost broke down and cried when it did finally come - he thought it was dead! awe, hahaaa, poor guy!), our supervisor - Ate Susan, and Naomi at the labouring woman's feet. It was an exciting birth!

Aaand waiting, waiting...sometimes we're forced to have more patience than i've ever had to practice (but other times, they fly out!) It's always a good time in the birth room, either way!