Day 7: Clinical/Swing Shift

Well, I slept like a log last night, & had a relaxing morning, as I didn't have to go to work until 7:45 am!!! MUCH better than 6 am (Day Shifts)! LOL :D I would have to admit that so far, my favorite is the Night Shifts, because there are less people, to take the less jobs, making more experience for me!! :D It's been neat though, as Jordan (who is always on the same shift as me) & I have been able to trade off births, in the ways we get stuff done....

So, today, we had Clinic in the morning. After worship service & teaching, we started Prenatals (9 am). I got to work with Sylvette (a really sweet 24 yr. old Filipino, that I worked with yesterday in Day Shift, who is just precious). From the beginning, we took turns seeing patients, & by the time everyone had been seen (there were at least 6 Prenatal beds going at once) around 11:30 am, we had seen 11-12 gals between us (I was Primary under Supervision on 6, doing EVERYTHING!!).

The last gal I worked on as Primary, was a total Muslim (dressed in Burka, leggings, socks, & all). It was really interesting, because of course I had to get to her belly, & for those of you who may be wondering, Muslim women look exactly like everyone else, & really are sweet (at least so far. All I really could do is feel compassion for her, because they are SO deceived!!

We have the option to pray with our girls before they go. Some girls just don't, some girls ask if they can, & others just do it. Well, at the first Prenatal here, my 'leader' had just prayed over her, so w/o thinking, that's what I did for all them. LOL

While doing her the Muslim gal's Prenatal, I mulled over what I should do, but seeing that on the previous Prenatals, she had been prayed over, I went ahead & prayed for her. She had a funny look on her face afterwards, but I don't think she minded it.

Part of the Prenatal Clinic upstairs

Jordan & I get back to the Green House at 12pm, & had 1.75 hrs. to relax, eat lunch, & chat with the few girls that were there.

We then headed back to Clinic to do the Swing Shift. Day Shift had 5 births (between 7:30 am & 2 pm!!) The last birth (at 1:45 pm) was that of Jaycho, who weighed 4:14 lbs. I was assigned to shadow/assist Michaela (or Kai as the Filipinos affectionately call her) for the whole of the Postpartum/Newborn checkup, & was able to give both the Vit. K & Hep B shots to Jaycho, as well as chart, do vitals, etc.

Jaycho's mom (who speaks English amazingly well) REALLY opened up to Kai & I about her past, struggles, fears, etc. which was really neat & eye-opening...so from 2-5:30 pm, that is what I was preoccupied with.

Once I got done, I found that there was a gal in labor, that Jordan was involved in charting, etc. with. Since Jordan had it all handled (of course the midwife was doing all the major stuff), I didn't really do that much with this girl (except observe), though I did do some vitals, get/hand things, & be moral encouragement, etc.

She had a beautiful, little girl at 6:42 pm, & had a 1st degree tear as well, which need suturing. I'm not sure exactly what they named her, but it was long & beautiful, & I think it started with an "I". :D

I got a chance to talk to our inside guard, who is actually hired by MMC. His name is Felix, & is really sweet. Actually, both the outside guards are precious too. They all have a lot of guts to be able to be there, outside a thin-walled Birthing Clinic most of 24/7...

It was really interesting hearing how he got his job at MMC (it's more than guarding....he admits the Clinicals/Laboring gals, gets their charts, & helps however else). I guess his wife had twins more than 7 years ago, that were delivered by MMC, & then he got the opportunity to work there at MMC, & has been ever since!!

We had another gal come in that was in early labor, & after helping to conduct the physical on her (got to do vitals & charting on her), we admitted her for the night. By this time, it was already 8:30 pm, & since she didn't give birth by 10 pm, she was endorsed to the Night Shift team. It was interesting though, as she was also Muslim, but was more of a modern Muslim.

This is something that I am just realizing as I write, & I'm not sure what or where God is leading in this, but in the past few months especially, God has been opening more & more doors for me to hear/find out more about the Islamic Cult. Slowly, I think He is giving me a heart to minister to these lost people. I don't know where He will take this, but please pray for me as I minister & serve to these lost women.

To give you an idea of what we are dealing with, here in the clinic (something I am just starting to grasp):

- Approximately 80-90% of the women we are serving here, are unmarried women/girls.

- Homosexuality is also rampant here in the Philippines. (e.g. One of the gals we worked today, revealed to us that she was a Lesbian in her late teens, but that every time she went to church she felt 'guilty', & so stopped, & doesn't have those 'feelings' any more. She still feels guilty though, because she now has a baby out of wedlock, & she knows that that is not right either.

- The main religions here are "Christian", Catholic, & Muslim.

- More than a few of the unmarried mothers we serve are 5 years older than their "husbands/boyfriends". Also, the guys are VERY involved in the births, & if you didn't know they weren't married, you would totally think they were.

Okay, before I go, I just have to say something that most of you will probably laugh at, but it has been bothering me all night. The Balut biker has been past our place at least 7 times tonight!!! & it's midnight here, & he just passed AGAIN!!!! What is wrong with him???? :D LOL

PS> As I finish this post at past midnight, I saw my first rat!!! It ran next to our porch, but I think it sensed me & ran off....then, it ran by again, on the opposite side. It's body was a white/tan color, & it was about 4-5" long, with at least a 5" tail. Now I know that they're real, & why we make sure our doors are closed!!!

I'm doing Night Shift tomorrow (my favorite!!)