First of all, I just have to comment on the cat calls and little comments from the passer-byers on the streets when we a walking to go to dinner or things like that. There are like a million policemen all over the streets, in the stores, in the parks, EVERYWHERE. Sometimes people say stuff to us, and I'm not really sure if they know what they're saying. It kinda makes sense, but kinda not..and definitely is not flattering. Like one man to my friend, Sarah: "Ello Beautiful. Give me you butt." Gross. The other night a guard at the lighthouse stopped us to tell us we were "muy bellas"...very beautiful. And tonight we were on a sidewalk saturated with these guards, and one guy with a huge civil war rifle looked at me and said, "ello baybee." So funny, but also scary considering he was carrying ammunition.
OK well, this first picture just shows what we do best here. Wait for stuff. Some are talented enough to catch a nap in these little bits of time, but I've never been so lucky. Today we had our first day at the maternity hospital. This other picture of me is taken just moments before I almost passed out for the 7th time. Love these high-water/capris scrubs??? The shirt was like a tent too!
Well, we went into the laboring area and then into the delivery room. It was HOT. Hotter than normal, and I was already light-headed before I got there. I'm a pretty experienced passer-outer, so I could feel it coming on...the ringing in the ears, the nausea, the blacking out/seeing stars. Face masks are the death of me-oxygen supply gets pretty cut off! My face was sweating so bad! So I sat down for a while, then I eventually went out into the hall and sat down with our hospital guide, Vincent. They wouldn't let me lay down or even sit down on the floor at first, but I just slid down the wall to the ground, so there was really no other choice. The good thing was that I DID NOT get a concussion from hitting my head, so I think it was a successful day. :)
The rest of the day at the hospital was actually really good. We did a lot of labor support-things like pushing on the knees or on the backs of the patients during contractions and talking them through it. The women are all in a room together without any curtains between them. So really no privacy, and their families can't come with them at all. So they're just on their own having a baby. One lady was just crying because she said she wanted her family so badly. It didn't exactly make me want to birth any babies anytime soon. They rarely get epidurals, but c-sections are more common. If they are taking too long, then the doctors will just have them get a c-section. I got to see one and a birth of another baby. The area of the hospital we're helping in is public, so it's a lot cheaper or basically free (if the people qualify financially). The private area of the hospital has nicer rooms, but I'm not sure what the quality of care is like.
Well, it was a good day...and tomorrow will be even better I'm sure. Love you all.
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