continuity - jonna mae ANGCON

I've been with Mae since her initial prenatal, and have loved getting to know her. She always has so many questions, is so concerned about every little detail in pregnancy, and already lOVes being a mom. She had an ultrasound early on, making her EDD 04-17-08 and we alsO know she's having a little baby boy (most likely)!! I'll definitely keep you informed as to how it all plays out..

she's COMInggggg :D

Our class just finished a pretty intense assignment, and had the test yesterday. It went well! We're on to the next one, postpartum complications. The schedule for March has already been set. The second and third weeks of March will be filled with classes taught by one of our consulting physicians, Dr.Estrella I'm looking forward to sitting through lectures again! After that, I think there's something like 3 more assignments left. NUTS! The end is near. I've uploaded a couple pictures for your viewing pleasure, but mostly to make you jealous of my job!

Just a couple of the babies that were born on shift the other day. The little girl on the left is a low birth weight baby, just under 5 lbs. and her friend on the right is more of a normal size around 7 lbs. Two beautiful girls, both born within a few hours of each other, and both only a few hours old. The difference is pretty crazy eh.

SOmetimes I forget how lucky I am to be able to play with these little dolls every day.

Mercy's nEW AMbulance!

"..mOVing on uP, to the eastside =D.." (thANks for commenting guys.. it makes me want to blog mORE and mORE!)

my continuity: Mary Ann Tormento <3

Seriously - one continuity birth just beFORE outreach, and one just AFTERwards...how cool is that?!

My first night back Ann starting texting me in the miDDLE of the NIGht, and I really couldn't figure out WHY because she was going on about not being able to drink the protein shake I'd suggested she'd try to help fatten up her baby before birth. Finally, she said her tummy was painful. and THAT's when I clued in, blurry-eyed and tired, at 2am that she was in early labour. I encouraged her to stay at home, until it was so painful that she wasn't able to text me during a contraction! And didn't hear anything more from her the whole night. By 8am I was wondering what had happened to her, although not so afraid she'd push her baby out at home. She's 19 years old, super scared of labouring, plus it's her first baby.

She texted just before 10am to announce she was on her way to Mercy. After greeting her I could tell she was only in early labour.. I sent her home (she went relunctantly) at 4 cm and told her I'd text her around 5pm to ensure she stayed away until then. She came back at 12:45pm! haha, only a few short hours later, but I let her stay and she laboured well until starting to push at 3:45, and bb out (it got kinda stuck between the birth of the head and the body but Laura was there to assist) at 5:11pm.

The father's name is Jessie Reambonanza. As such, he was looking for a short, one syllable first name to counter balance the long surname. He wanted Kirt. I thought he said Bert. They must've read my reaction to the name Bert (I immediately thought of bert and ernie) because Ann asked me if I had any good names. I said my brothers names are Steven and RObert. Those were too long. She asked about my boyfriends names...aaand, i had nOthin! hahaa, I suggested my dad's name, Blake. THey didn't like it. So I asked about shortening the 2 previous options to either Steve to Rob. AND, ROb they liked. Jessie said his nickname could then be RR (Rob Reambonanza!). So, here's to you Rob, I named a baby after you yesterday!

OUTreach #2 - to Palet via Kapalong, Gupitan

Getting ready to leave thIS is how we ride 2.5 hours up into the mountains.. as we went I wore my hiking boots and kakhi pants. unFORTunately, we got stuck in one of the mud ruts we passed through. It seemed like an eternity as we sat there, tittering on 2 wheels, when in reality in was probably only a second before the bike starting tipping. The heavy bag of food was attached to the left side, and over we went - all 3 of us catching it with our feet, but not having enough strength to keep it up, I was FORced to put BOTh boots ankle deep in mud. hahaa, it was fun, i guess. At least I didn't have to worry about getting dirty after that. On the way home I opted for sandals to speed up and down the hills, fly past embankments and 'round corners so fast it would make your toes curl, if nothing more than to keep my flip-flops on! I got pretty good at jumping off the back of the bike, if ever stuck so the driver could do his thing up front.

We stayed the first 2 nights, in Lanang, FLorida. Here Ermie, Michelle, Serena, Mary Jean, and Guang-guang pose while eating dinner the first night in the village - fresh (and I do mean frESh) chicken soup and rice, and bananas for desert.

This is the room we slept in the first 2 nights - on woven mats atop the wood floor, under a blue mosquito net! It was pretty cold. But after sleeping on such hard surfaces, I don't like my own bunk bed.. I woke up sorer this morning than any Other morning this week! The precious little children were CONstantly peeking in, staring at what we were doing, even if we weren't doing much of anything! We went to their school in the evening and played "teacher" (i was the teacher =D) and, when it was time to leave, they struck up a song unexpectedly "goodbye my tea-cher, good-bye! goodbye me tea-cher, good-bye! It was incredible, aaaand made me want to actually bE their teacher. How cOOL would it be to be the village grade school teacher?! ..there's sO much to dO in life!

Serena brought plasticine for the kids to play with, and we had SUCh a great time sculpting things. It's cool to see what "they" come up with to make, as opposed to what we would think of. One little boy held up what looked like a bowl (we'd make each other guess), but I was wrong...he'd made the toilet bowl in the outhouse! hahaa. aweee.

WHile we give the women prenatal care, the mEN are all about having their blood pressure checked.. as the feared "high blood" is talked about quite frequently. Needless to say, I took a lOT of blood pressures.

my continuity: Jay Marie Moricawa <3

During our prenatal check-up last Friday, I told Marie (who was 39 wks pregnant at the time) that she needed to wait ONE WEEK before going into labour because I'd be away on outreach. It was more of a joke than anything else, I really didn't think she'd go. Marie is 18, it was her second pregnancy, but she had had a spontaneous abortion with the first and this is why I took her on as a continuity. Saturday night I get a text from the clinic informing me that Marie had arrived in labour! I came as quickly as possible, but sent her home after examining her (she was only 4 cms dilated and there has been too many transports lately due to prelonged labour (quite possibly from just being hERE, at the clinic too long!). I went to bed that night excited, knowing she'd most likely text me at an insane early hour to say she was coming back to Mercy. At exactly 3:46 am I received the text.

Marie was a little..."needy" (which I thrive on!) and with a little encouragement from Ate Susan she pushed her baby out into this world at 8:47am! A little boy, who has the same little skin tags on his right ear as his father. It was an amazing birth! There wasn't even a little skin split to suture! Later on, Marie said (to the best of my translation) "man, my pwerta must be really big if my baby's head was able to go through it without tearing!" hahaa. Bonnie! I gave the blue onesie you sent to her son, John Rievin =) THANKS again!
Truthfully, I had been having sort of a rough day - all my friends were sleeping on the beach on some deserted island for Tiffany's birthday but I had decided (with my head, not my heart) that I'd stay behind to do homework, save money and pack for outreach. After they'd all left, I was REALLy regretting my decision. But THEN, Marie came in and I realized what I had stayed home for! NOT homework, but to help this sweet sweet little girl have her first baby =) It was moRE than I could have asked for a consolation! i lOVE my jOb =D

[and THEN this guy came into the clinic...he'd jUST hit a dog while on a motorcycle and it looked like he skidded out real bad! I cleaned and dressed his wounds, then JH sutured his one elbow (crazy deep cut)]
[and THEN I had another labour (i was also working swing shift today) and she came in and I thought "oh man.." because she was acting super pushy but from an IE only 3 hours ago, she was only 1 cm) turns out she WAS fully, and delivered her baby shortly after I said she could push! wow...what a day. now I will sleep for approx. 6 hours before starting the long trek out into the mountAINs =)...hopefully life will be a bit slower out in there!]

another UPdate..

Things have been sUPER busy. I apologize for not keeping you more informed! I handed in the art&history assignment that occupied January's days and nOW it's February and a new assignment is upon us - Antepartal (maternal) Complications. It's a fairly long and difficult assignment, but we (as students) are looking to complete the entire lot of undone assignments by APRIL. Therefore, we've only got until Feb.15, about 2 weeks, to finish this one (which is doable). BUT, I've had the amazing opportunity of going on another mountainous outreach with the same midwife, Mary Jane, this coming Sunday. It's very short notice because the girl who was supposed to go has some crazy diseases (possibly from last time she went on outreach) so, you could pray for that! I'll be gone from Feb.3-Feb.8th and am really looking forward to it. ALthough, this only gives me just one short week after coming back to start and finish the AP complications assignment, plus work, and keeping my sanity. It'll be a fun challenge!

ALSO, I had a mtg. with Krys, the director of my school yesterday and it's official! I'll be staying on another semester to acquire the post-grad experience required by Ryerson before applying to their program. To me, this is REALLY GOOD and REALLY SAD. I am really ok with staying a bit longer, although it'll be more than a year since being home, and Krys has amazing ideas on how I can more easily complete the number of births and hours I need for Ryerson (more on thAT latER!). Unfortunately, I do not have the time or funds to come home at any point through the summer. My goal is to finish by the beginning of December, which would allow me to be home before Christmas!! I miss all of you so much, and your encouragement and support (especially through the remainder of 2008) means so so much. I'll be gone next week on outreach, but will report back to you next weekend =) lOVE

Alexandra Mosqueda

was born last night @ 2:11am, my first handle in TWO WEEKS! Her mother, Kaye, was such an amazing woman to work with. Alexandra, being only 5 lbs 10 oz, peeped out and came out all in the same contraction. She's the smallest baby I've ever delivered, and therefore, thought I'd share her with all of you! Just think about how small that is...a little 5 lb weight. YOu can kinda tell how big she was by the size of my hand next to her, which is basically the length of her trunk. She's beautiful!, strong, and very healthy. Oh, and Bonnie- I gave this beautiful little girl the little pink onesie you sent in my Christmas package. Her mother was very grateful!, a mother of 3 now, i'm sure she'll be able to use a new outfit, instead of those hand-me-downs i'm sure she'll get stuck with! THANK YOU!!

AIJEY's baptism!

My continuity, Aileen Baluran, together with her boyfriend, Jeffery Bunao, asked me to be the "ninang" (godmother) for AIJEY (the CUTest boy EVER, shown above), whom I delivered last April 11, 2007. His baptism was last Sunday, an event I've looked forward to for quite a while! I cannot believe how big he has grown in the past year. He laughs (and cries!), and says "mama" and "dada", and even eats rice like a true filipino!
I was honoured to be a part of this celebration! Here the priest is pouring water over Aijey's head. It was crazy for me to attend a Catholic mass, and then sit through the instructions of the baptism (to which I understood very little!), and what my responsibilities are as a godparent. And then, all the babies were shuffled to the aisle seats (there were a lOT of people there, baby baptisms occur in mass amounts). The priest came around first with oil, and crossed the forehead, and then again to lay hands on and pray for each baby, and then again to pour water, and thEN to cross with oil again. It was kinda funny for him to keep going up and down the aisle, doing each thing once to each baby before going on to the next step - SOMEwhat impersonal. But at least I didn't have to go up to the front.
This is a picture of me, Aijey, and his godfather, Stephen.
And THIS is a picture of the after-party, which was better attended than the actual baptism! hahaa, filipinos go all out for occasions like this, anything for an excuse to make a hECk of a lotta food and eat all.day.long! Relatives come and go all day long, it's amazing! I was glad to be a part of it. and nOw, I'm an official godmother!!

a bunch of bb-sitting.

Last week Monday - Tuesday I agreed to watch Mary Joy's (my continuity) 2 month old little boy - you might remember him, the super fast labor and absolutely no effort as the baby fell out of his mom, thus being named "Hurry John" :) (so great!). His mom wasn't with his father because he has a lot of girlfriends, but I was encouraging them to go out on a date, saying that i'd watch Hurry. Well the date turned into class, and lasted overnight :S Being a mom of a 2 month old is crAZY hard! I got less sleep that night than if I had of been working nightshift! But, it was fun to have the little guy lying around for a bit, I guess!

And thEN, Lois and I have spent the last 4 days watching our director's (Matt and Krys) kids while they took a long weekend to getaway. This was an amazing time for us! Not only did we have our own house, AND our own helpers, AND our own car...we instantly became the moms of an adorable 6-yr old and a pre-teen 11-yr old. And after "running kids all day" (as my mom used to say) I can truthfully say I am able to drive standard! It was interesting! But, for the most part, SO good. And Matt brought us back a box of Krispy Kremes EACh...which we duly offered them to everyone who was still awake at 11 or so when we got home last night!

LIFE is GOOD! ..it's not so hot. and I have been sitting here now for almost an hour without needing a fan! I'm in the middle of our art & history assignment - which I'm having fun with...a little abstract art, and imagining and creating our own clinic anywhere in the world. Hope all is well at homeeee <3

aaaand i jUSt got a filipino license!!

2 thousand&EIGht!

We had reservations at Claude's Cafe de Ville on New Years' Eve - the VIP "zebra" room, a private room off the back of the restaurant (same location as last year..). And, although different from last year's crowd, thIS celebration was definitely not lacking the laughter and excitement! We had organized dinner games planned, complete with questions surrounding 2007. This first picture is of some of the girls dressing for the event.





Lois, Jes and I had to be to work for 10pm that night, so we booked it outta there, rented a jeepney home and continued the party at the clinic! There weren't any labouring women to be checked, so the next few hours were spent hanging out with each girl presenting an animal they had researched. As midwives, we know plENty about human labor and delivery, and as girls we know a thing or two about ..."mating rituals", or at least the courtship it entails. ANYhow, we decided to each research one animal's mating habits, period of gestation, and how the animal gives birth to expand our knowledge of labour and delivery (nOt to mention, the incredible wORld we live in!). It's 2008!!

Christmas EvENts wrapped UP in a blog~

Charity's got this sweet new underwater camera...it lOOKs like a normal digital, but you can get.it.wEt! So when Lois' parents took us all to Paradise for a night, we were experimenting with it! This is just one of the shots of fiSH...marine liFE gets me every time.

On the bed at Paradise, indulging in the Toblerone they brought for Christmasss..in order of heads from left to right it's Tiff; me; Laura; Jenny; and Charity - these are the girls in my class.

ChICken fights in the ocean.

My entire class, again, at Jack's Ridge, celebrating Laura ANd Jenny's december birthdays...this would ALso be a good time to say Happy Belated Birthday to my father as he, too, is a december baby.

Tiffany and I at Mercy's Christmas party..which was extREMEly well done. We had fOOd and drINks and gAMes and tEAms and prIZes, a gift exchange and, oh - it was alotta fuN! Girls Only!!

3 BABIES in 1 week is enough christmas blEssing for mE! - All very normal, natural births, the babies have been hearty and healthy! I've been stunned again and again by my 'secret angel' who leaves little notes and (big) presents under the tree for me! I now have my very first pair of umbilical sissors and a hemostat, thanks for her (SO fun!). I'm procrastinating at the moment, as my final is tomorrow afternoon. Between this computer and a book my mom sent me I'm never without sOMEthing to keep me occupied! I can hardly wait for this weekend to begin - friday night is Mercy's Christmas celebration, and on saturday my class is off to PARADISE resort for a night on the beach, celebrating 50 babies caught and the Christmas season (I'm in dire need of a tan..). Monday's the 24th, with a possible boattrip to the islands, and a Christmas service at church. Christmas morning we're planning on brunch in a new park downtown (with rumours of REAL GRASS!) Normal people hope for a white blanket of snow on Christmas, but we are in search of actual grass - it should be exciting! Christmas dinner will be at Chad and Naomi's house (a married student, and our neighbour). And I don't work again until nightshift on the 25th AND the 26th, with the exception of clinic tomorrow.

Have a vERY mERRY Christmas, EveryonE!!
Hopefully, we'll be able to connect on the phone over the holidays..

bacK at it...oH the mIRacle Of Birth -

I've had shift the day after getting home from outreach, and by 2 hours into it had caught a 9lb little girl (that's sUPerr big for the phils!). I had Sunday off, but Monday was back in the birthroom, with Krys as the supervisor on shift. And IT WAS NUTS! Babies were being born at 1/2 hr intervals! Tiff, Jen and I all had active and pushing labors - each born around 8am, 8:30, and mine (the last to go..) at 9:08am! Two more were born around10:30 and then at 1pm for a total of 5 brand new bundles of jOy on our shift!!

TIff and I side-by-side, encouraging our girls to push out a baby...really, this is thE bEst job in the Entire world! I couldn't ask for better midwives to work with.

to the MOUNtains!!

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to join one of our apprentice midwives at the clinic, Jane, to her "hometown" out in the country with 2 other students, Jen and Medea on a midwifery medical outreach for the past week. We packed noodles and rice for a week and headed out on a bright Sunday afternoon from Davao. By the time we reached Tagum by one long bus ride and a jeepney ride it was raining so hard we decided to postpone the next leg of the trip (a motorcycle ride into the village) until it was only sprinkling. We made it to Mary Jane's house (the local midwife, and the midwife/healthcare worker for a number of remote villages) and just rested up that night in preparation for our "courtesy call" to the Mayor's office the next morn.

After the Mayor's visit, a little volleyball game, and negotiations for some free meds we re-packed, ate lunch, loaded the 3 motorcycles taking 8 ppl (including our drivers) a couple hours into the mountains, and were off again! Monday afternoon was spent travelling and then resting before dinner. Tuesday morning we were prepared for 100 some odd ppl of the village (population of around 7-800) to gather in front of Mary Jane's modest little health center (where we spent the nights) for our services. exCEPT that it was RAINinggg that morning, and therefore the patients and pregnant women just trickled in all morning long. Medea handled most of the first aid and health problems (she's a registered nurse in Switzerland) while Jen and I worked with the prenatals. IT was so cool because we were able to bring a Doppler, and most of the girls had not heard their baby's heart beats before..actually, everyone was intrigued by the swooshing sounds! The afternoon was spent finishing up prenatal and health check-ups and I was able to steal away for a bit a play with the kids... who, are sO adorable!! I remembered my hemp and they have tiny coins here with a hole in the middle of it, not worth much, and we made probably about 50 bracelets with these coins and hemp and tied them off on each child's wrist.


The coolest thing, ALSO, was meeting the trained hilot of the village - a 60-something year old shriveled up, soft-spoken woman who gave us acupressure massages (it really hurt...they are CRAZY!). A hilot is the traditional birth attendant here in the philippines, and are known for handling stressful complications. She was very sweet.

Whaaaaat else..., because it was raining there was no shortage of frogs and that first night we went out in the rice fields and caught about 20 of'em and stuffed them in a bag. The next morning i helped gut them, behead them, skin'em and fry them - wow, i neveer thought it'd be good, but they WERE! THat day we also hiked through a banana-tree forest to a pretty tall waterfall where we could swim and jump and play around. Thursday we did some Motorcross biking (except with 2 or 3 ppl to a bike) to yet another, more remote village. We did mOre prenatals there, and I assisted Medea in a minor surgery - a little 2-yr old girl had a crazy boil on her knee that we sliced open and drained (I felt sick afterwards..)






































































All in all, the week was relaxing but eye-opening and really very exciting! We accomplished a few physical things, but mostly just hung out and made solid friendships with people who speak a different language. IT always amazes me how easily bonds can be formed without the use of words, communicating instead through eyes and facial expressions and hand signals - i really like that. I was blessed oVEr and OVer again. Thanks to all who were thinking/praying for me while i was away...hopefully I'll get to go again!!