Moving, Snorkeling, Jack's Ridge, and Fourth Catch!

Juni and I before our run.

One of my roommates came back from house sitting and we went for some runs. We also have been going to the pool on occasion for a cool off. One night, Juniper and I went for a run while Kelsey and another missionary were at the pool. We returned to the pool and after some splashing and laughs I was in the water for revenge! 

On Friday the 29th we moved from our temporary birth room two houses down back to the clinic. It was being painted and having some tiles repaired. The temporary site was a bit cramped at times and so it was pretty nice to be back in our original space. At the end of shift we all pitched in and moved everything down the street. There was 20+ people and it took little time. Thankfully there was only one labor and one postpartum during the move so we were able to move quickly. I helped and then left for home. 

Tilly and I had McDonald's for dinner. I conquered the Coke Float by asking the cashier for the ice in a separate cup rather than with my coke and ice cream!!  I packed my bags for the Saturday boat trip. Due to the schedule, I thought I was going to be unable to go on the boat trip but one of my roommates (Juniper) was an angel from above and suggested working for me until we returned (I was scheduled 2-10pm and we were to return around 5pm). Since she has been here for a year, the supervisor was okay with the substitution. I am so very grateful to her!

the spread of food {yum!} and cabana we rented

All of us midwives who have caught babies at the beach

heading out for the day

Saturday the 30th we went on a boat trip to the ocean to snorkel and enjoy some sun! I left early in the morning to go to the docks and pick up Lisa, another summer missionary, and for the other girls to rent snorkel gear. Juniper had gear that she let me borrow so Tilly and I didn't have to rent (it would have been 150pesos, or $3.50USD). We all loaded onto the boat and headed out for the day, all 40 of us. The boat was packed! It was about an hour's cruise to our first snorkel site. We went to three sites total including our lunch stop. The last site had a beautiful drop off/wall that offered a great view of the deep blue waters and a cliff of coral. The total cost for the day was 200pesos, or $4.67USD! That my friend is what you call a steal! 

The pontoon we took out for the day

Lisa, Me, Kelsey

check out our ride... look ma! no hands!

It was my first time snorkeling and I thoroughly LOVED it! It was so incredible to see a whole new world under the water! At our second stop we had a pot luck lunch. It was a fantastic picnic with fried chicken, watermelon, and potato salad! It was so fun to get to know the other midwives outside of the clinic setting and let loose. A bunch of us got the opportunity to ride on the pontoon runners from site to site, what an experience as well!

He was trying to push us off. We jumped shift first!

I returned from the snorkel trip to shower and relieve Juniper from my shift at the clinic. I arrived at the clinic around 5:30pm to a slow shift so I got to bond with Eva, another missionary until an active labor came it. The woman delivered fast and with a healthy baby! Praise God!

Eva's catch, I assisted

Sunday was an extremely LAZY day in our house! I woke up while Tilly and Kelsey slept after night shift. Juniper, Jacqueline and I had a feast for breakfast/brunch: bacon, scrambled eggs, and homemade hashbrowns! Later in the day, Kelsey and Tilly went to the pool while I stayed home and worked on journaling. We got ready fast and went to Jack's Ridge and for massages around 4:40pm. 

Jack's Ridge is a park in Davao, that "once formed part of the headquarter of the retreating Japanese forces towards the end of the World War II. The Americans had landed in Davao on May 1, 1945, forcing the Japanese to beat a path to Matina Hills where they had a commanding view of the Davao Gulf where the American ships were anchored. Fierce fighting soon erupted between the two forces, and as history shown us, the Japanese lost. Today, more than half a century later, Jack's Ridge is filled with reminders of its historic past. Caves dug by the Japanese pockmark the area, and once in a while people still find bullets and other war materials in the rocky soil.

There is also talk that hidden somewhere in the caved are gold bullions and other treasure that the Japanese had taken from other countries and brought to Davao.

Whatever the truth is about the treasure, Jack's Ridge maintains the feature that made it an important outpost for the retreating Japanese forces, a commanding view of Davao City and the Gulf, the same view within the premises is also refreshing, since the owner has made its mission to preserve the natural beauty of the place." 

It is on top of a mountain and offered a beautiful view of the entire city. We took a taxi up. We grabbed dinner while there and headed back to a spa for massages. 

It was Kelsey and Laurie(another summer missionary originally from Iowa)'s first time to have massages and I think they both had memorable experiences! It was an open room with curtains and so all five of us were in the same spot with separate therapists. It was great to relax and bond through this as well! 

I hurried home for night shift in a bit of a rain storm, showered, and went to meet Kara (a new summer missionary) to head to the clinic. We arrived to a dead clinic so I showed her around and answered some of her questions. I was second up for catching a baby based on my last catch and hoped for some action.

 My patient arrived at 10:38pm but was not in very active labor at all. Her contractions were spaced out and she was still smiling and laughing throughout my questions and examination. Prior to checking her dilation, she asked if she could go home! My supervisor decided to check her before sending her home since she was  G2 P1 (Gravida 2 aka second pregnancy Para 1 aka had delivered one baby, a two year old cutie!). Generally G2's progress through labor much faster than G1's so we wanted to be on the safe side. We checked her and she was only two centimeters dilated and so we instructed her when to come back. She thanked us and headed home. 

Marrian Mae #4 7-2-12 1:52AM 2900grams

I was able to get about an hour's rest by the time things settled down and at 1:45AM I heard Kuya  Felix (guard) saying "Labor. She's back." I hopped up and headed to the cubicle. My patient's water broke on the way to the bed and I readied myself at the bed. She pushed well and baby girl was out at 1:52AM! I followed all of the advise from past labors and supported the perineum as the baby's head crowned and wiped the face after it was delivered. I think that my skills are improving in terms of catching! I feel less lost and know what to watch for and where to put my hands!

 It was Kara's first observe and first birth ever, praise God that it was a normal birth! There was no cord wrapping or low heart tones. Baby came out with an APGAR of 7 (-2 for color, -1 for tone) and improved to 9 within 5 minutes of birth! The placenta came out well and complete which is very good for mama and helps the uterus to return to a smaller size quickly. I have become more confident in explaining the placenta to the charter as time has gone on.

Kara, Me & Marrian Mae, "Che-Che" (mama)

footprints for mama Marrian Mae

I got to do all of my patient's postpartum checks, baby's Hep B & vitamin K, newborn exam, birth certificate form, and transfer mama to the postpartum recovery area. At one point Sylvette, a Filippina Midwife, asked me if I had told the bana to wash the linens and I of course said no. It turns out that while I was busy with transfering his wife, he had taken the plastics AND the linens from birth to handwash. We require the banas to wash the plastics on the beds (to reduce our exposure to blood) but have the linens washed for sanitary reasons by the helpers at the clinic(bleach, etc.). It is not uncommon for hospitals here to require that they wash any used linens before they leave so that is why he started that task. I would have to say he is one dedicated man! They named the baby girl Marrian Mae! This was my fourth handle!

I endorsed my patient to day shift and headed home for some much needed rest! I slept from 8am-4pm when Tilly and I headed to Crocodile Park to make a down payment on the white water rafting trip we will take later this week! The park is pretty tourist driven and included a zoo with a huge crocodile, parrots, and lizards. With our package for rafting, we get tickets to the park, a zipline place, lunch, water bottle, and tickets to a butterfly house.

After our trip to the park, we headed to the other house for dinner where both Tilly and I became sleepy and took short naps. I called home and then headed home for a good night’s rest before day shift on the 3^rd. 

Day one Baby Check for Marrian Mae

Day shift on the third was pretty slow as well. Since I caught a baby on the 2nd, I was last up and Brenda (one of my roomies) had just returned from her month long break and was first up. We had one birth, at 8:08AM and her postpartum cares. Most of shift I talked with the other midwives, journaled, or snoozed a bit. I did get to see my baby from the previous day for her one day baby check. I love getting to know the patients more with each subsequent check-up, as a woman is so very different when she is not in the throws of childbirth. Baby Marrian Mae appeared healthy, and I just reminded her mama to breastfeed every two hours for 20minutes on each side, even if it means waking the baby at night. This is a hard concept to teach around here, as the parents like to let the baby sleep through the night but the baby remains lethargic (tired) if they don't eat. It is a viscous cycle, additionally the baby doesn't gain weight as well either. On shift I also did a prenatal check up without the assistance of my cheat sheet!!!!!!! I would say this is an accomplishment because the Vesyan is what hangs me up during assessments. 

hanging out at the end of my shift, start of theirs

 

Special surprise for Landon! 

When I returned home, I learned that the chicken that has taken up residence in our yard had her chicks today! Seven total! I ran out to look and they were running around the yard with their mama! Our neighbors had asked for her back earlier in the week, and came over tonight to collect her and the chicks. I will miss Roxanne dearly (PS- I asked her owner and it turns out her name is Jasmine, I thought maybe I should tell him he should reconsider ;) ). We joke around the house that Roxanne (Jasmine) knew that she could hatch her chicks safely here due to all of us being midwifes. 

 While I was talking to him, his wife peeked her head over the fence and said that her daughter was born at the clinic we are working at! So many people recognize us in the city and can tell us someone in their family who delivered their babies at our clinic. 

Our neighbor, Roxanne, chicks, and his daughter who was born at our clinic

It is ending July 3rd here now, and I am reminded of all of the festivities that occur back home on the 3rd (as in FIREWORKS!!!!), especially since it is dark here. In honor of the occasion, enjoy some fireworks! If you catch this sometime between the 3rd and 4th- grab a burger, hotdog, brat, sparkler, or something else entirely celebratory for me! Love you all! 

 The last video is a personal homage to the song selection of good ol' KDST!

Love you all! Happy Independance Day!

July 3rd 10:35pm