Macgyver Midwives

couple Middies in training

Here's to you Lindz....
Have you ever thought of those "never gonna happen" situations but you want to be prepared for just in case??...Well my roomies and i were sitting in a Taxi the other night getting ready to send Lindz off to Canada and we were thinking..if someone were to go into labor on the plane we could totally deliver the baby!!!! we could be the one that when everyone freaked out on the plane and were like " is there Doctor on the plane?" we cold answer back..."no, but there is a midwife!" ha ha ....Maguiver status. so we all made up a list of the things we could find on the plane to substitute for medical supplies. Luckily working in a third world country it has prepared us a bit for this kind of resourceful delivery...here is what we came up with..
1. Straw: from the mini bar to use instead of a bulb syringe for suctioning
2. Plastic Prep Gloves: that the stewardesses use to prep the food, we can use these to catch the baby with, obviously not sterile but we are being remorseful remember
3. Pads: ask a female for a pad to use after birth...
4. Newspaper: ask the guy sitting next to the mom if we could barrow his newspaper to put under the mom so we can measure blood loss, and also so she has something besides airplane seats to give birth on
5. cup of Ice: ask the mini bar for a cup of ice and water for moms hydration and thirst appetite, and lets go ahead and order some peanuts while were there, and perhaps a glass of wine for relaxation.
6. Towel: heat towel in Microwave for baby after delivery to keep warm
7. Plastic Bag: to wrap placenta in after delivery, we would keep it attached to baby until we landed and could cut cord with a sterile blade
8. Kick out people from First class and set up camp there.
9. Airplane Blanket and Pillow
10. Flashlight
11. Watch with a second hand
PS: All this is depending on the very unlikely scenario that there is no first aid kit on the plane...that the airport let a 38 week women on the flight, and also that as a midwife you had to check in your Midwife kit because the security guards thought you were a terrorist...but if all the did happen this would be my protocol.

And Five hours Later...

just a couple different estates.


So I wanted to blog about birth or about some amazing adventurouse story…really I do, but I’m not. Instead I shall write about Jane Austin’s 1997 film, Pride And Prejudice because it rocked my world this week. This week Kayla and I have only had one birth, this is record breaking for the Antipolo clinic, this gave us a little more time to something productive like taking five hours of my life and devoting It to Mr. Darcy and Mss Bennits’ Love affair. Now I know what you are thinking…#1: why was I not getting some of my piles and piles of homework done that I have been putting off, #2 your maybe a little surprised that I actually watched a 5 hour movie, and didn’t sleep through it…or #3 it reminds you that you have been meaning to watch it…in which I highly recommend it. I feel like Jane Austin just gets people, I found that I could relate with just about every character and sadly reminded me how life would be so much more uncomplicated if marriages were just stinkin arranged, actually hold that thought…dad don’t get anymore ideas…well all I can say is what if all the pride and all the prejudice were taking out of our generation....what would the complection be? Would there be peace and balance in both houses as it was in the film? Will it take a rather harsh yet honest profession of the truth in order to get the attention of those who need to hear as Mr. Darcy did? All i know is that it worked in this case and maybe that is what it will take in order for the cloud of pride and prejudice to be lifted off our heads and justice to reside. just a thought.

You've Got Mail....YES!!!!

You've Got Mail...NY152 and Shopgirl were totally right when they said that these are three powerful words. After a long 48 hour shift at the clinic I log on line and impatiently wait for my mailbox to deliver the much and anticipated mail from my friends and family. My eyes quickly scan over the junk mail then announce to the girls in the next room who are doing the same, that i have received some "Lovin" as we call a good outcome in Emails. I never thought that those three words would impact my day as much as it does, being here I have relied on my relationships to stay intact through the amazing world wide web...which still blows my mind when i think about it. I have mail...what a gratifying little simplicity that makes my day...so thank you for your lovin...The Philippines would be a little more lonely without you.

The Michel's Fam Vacation 07'

The Fam

My Dad and all the kiddo's in Pinkian

My Mom and Gerelene at the clinic

Halo Halo
The Broski and I in Coco Beach!

This last Tuesday I said goodbye to my family as they flew back home from an amazing Family Vay-k, here is a little look at our adventures…
DAY 1- Pinkian, we spent the whole day with Gerelene and her family. I made my brother and my dad partake in the famous Halo Halo. Which might I say this was not the best stand that I have been to, However my dad had a good time starting conversation with the “head Barista” at the stand. My dad made it a point to talk to everyone on this trip, there was not a Jeepnee ride or Taxi ride that my dad didn’t go into great lengths about something from “when I was in Venezuela” or “my daughter lives here”. Most of the times he received blank stares or like at the halo halo stand laugh with embarrassment. That day we were also was able to give Gerelene a huge duffle bag full of medical supplies and newborn care items. Thank you supporters for all your help! My Mom was able to meet a few different mothers and the babies that I delivered and that was so special to me and to the moms. Magnolia was amazed at how beautiful my mom was; she also hit on my brother…asking him how old he was then proceeding to ask if he was single then to saying that she was single which Obviously was not the case…
DAY 2- Antepolo and The Flood, Tuesday started off as a very chill day, we slept in a bit and then hit Greenhills, which is a huge indoor peddlers market where you are continually bombarded with Filipinos trying to sale stuff to you, as you pass a booth, you hear one long slur of… “Hello Mam-Sir…you buy….Mam-Sir...Rubber shoes…Mam-Sir…I give you discount…Mam-Sir…” After Greenhills we headed up to the Antepolo clinic where the Fam met the midwives there and then we took a long Jeep ride back to my house. However on the way we were informed that Rainy season started the next day…at that moment it started storming so badly…not like a little drizzle of rain or even a heavy shower…this was more rain and more pressure than what comes out of my shower head… As we neared our stop we all geared up for our exit out into the dark and what was turning into a FLASH FLOOD right down the main street, “ON THREE….1 2 3 GO!!!!!” My dad instructed…. First step off the Jeep there was water up to middle of our shins. My mom and I clutched our umbrellas that in seconds turned inside out. My brother and my dad worked on rushing us to a safe place to try and cross the 8-lane street. We started to cross when we realized that the water was getting too high and traffic was too crazy so we looked for shelter underneath a nearby awning, only to find a naked Filipino man enjoying his bath in the rain! At this point my brother and I were laughing uncontrollably, but what was even better was when the man started dancing and singing, that would be when my mom decided that we would cross the street immediately. My mom and I made it across first and noticed that my dad and brother were not with us; my dad had lost his flip-flop in the middle of the 8-lane street and my brother and he decided it was a good time to stop traffic and look for it. Lighting and thunder were getting louder and louder and rain was coming down more and more “ Were gonna die, were gonna die!” my mom repeatedly said in shock. After about 20 more minutes of swimming up the street that leads to my house we arrived home safely. My brother and I were laughing so hard the whole time and once we arrived to my house, we all were all laughing out of disbelief at what had just happened.
Days After The Flood- The last few days were spent in Coco beach accompanied by Kayla and Linds, we had such an amazing vacation. I would have to say it was one of the best. I love my Family so much and I was so excited that I was able to share with them what I have been doing on this side of the world.