First Trip to the OB in Nepal
I am very thankful that I already had a connection here to someone Tom & Alana knew who is a doctor at the local private clinic at the Patan Hospital. He set up an appointment with one of the OB's so that I can continue with my prenatal checkups while we're here in Nepal. I knew that this recommendation was a good and trustworthy one, but I was still very curious as to what the experience of going to the doctor would be like here. And, after my first appointment today, I can say that it went well but definitely was an experience.
The private clinic is within the Patan Hospital, and there was a significant lack of clear signage to figure out where to go, but we (Alana went with me) found it relatively quickly. We went to one side of the front desk to check in for the appointment. He gave me a form to fill out that involved no medical history or insurance information (as opposed to the thick packet you get in the States whenever you go to a new office) and only really contact info, for which they didn't seem to mind if there were gaps. He handed the paper to the guy at the other side of the table, and so we shifted over there. We were waiting, but lines are not really much of a cultural concept here, so someone else just went closer up to the counter ahead of us. As we waited, I noted a binder setting on the counter labeled PAPSMEARS and filled with papers. Not sure what the contents actually were, but it seemed an odd thing to have on the sign-in counter. Suffice it to say that the rigidity with which medical info and records are guarded in the States is not really a factor here.
We shifted closer to the counter, and the guy handed me my paper and another paper and told me to go to room 7. Room 7 seems to be a communal pre-exam room, which contained a desk with a guy sitting at it, a household-type scale, a blood-pressure cuff, and probably some other general use stuff. I handed my paper to the guy at the desk, and when it was my turn, he took my weight and blood pressure. Mind you, "turn" only means I was the one being measured at the time. Everyone is standing around waiting and watching each other, so I had an audience for these prep items. It's a different scale with a bit less precision, and I had to convert from kg to pounds, but it would seem I have lost about 6 pounds since my last appointment at Dr. Bickman's office 3 weeks ago.
Anyway, after this part was done, the man told me to wait outside Room 6. Oh, I almost forgot the best part of Room 7! As I was getting my blood pressure taken, another woman came in to hand her urine sample to the man at the desk. That is obviously different procedure than I'm used to in the States, but the truly notable thing was the bottle. You know those travel-sized bottles you can buy of things like Tylenol that hold about 5 pills? Yeah, that's the size of bottle she was holding. I couldn't help but wonder how on earth she got anything in there without peeing all over her hand. Perhaps she did not. Anyway, it was rather extraordinary! :)
As we were waiting for Room 6, I looked over and noticed a hand-written sign in both English and Nepali next to the door of the "Toilet" (bathroom): "Please keep all urine, stool, papsmears in orange box." There was an orange box setting on top of a metal cart right below it. I have to admit that I was a bit morbidly curious to peek inside the orange box but thought better of it. Alana and I were both a bit baffled by the sign. I mean, urine samples I can sort of understand, though I have a new appreciation for those secret little doors behind the toilets at office in the States. Stool samples seems an unfortunate thing to have setting out in a box in the waiting room...not to mention that I REALLY hope the containers for those samples are bigger than the one I saw for urine! But, the truly baffling one was papsmears. Is that sign really necessary for the nurses? If it's for the people getting the paps, why are they carrying it themselves? Alana was imagining a scenario where you have to go into the bathroom and give yourself the pap. Pretty sure that's not the case but can't quite make the pieces fit!
The waiting room is totally clean but so much different than a clinic in the US. The furniture was all purely functional (basic plastic or wood chairs, which actually seem like they would be much easier to keep sterile), there were no decorations or magazines to read, the walls were all plain white, and the signs were largely hand-written or printed on plain white cardboard and taped to the wall.
The portion of the appointment with the actual doctor was pretty void of interesting cultural bits. There are two parts to the room. I got called into the room by the doctor, who stays in that room. She was sitting at a desk, and there was a dividing curtain, behind which was the exam table. The exam table is not nearly as cushioned as the ones in the US, and there was just a normal pillow (not those odd paper like ones). Dr. Alka was very good, as I assumed she would be. I didn't get to hear the heartbeat or anything, which was a bummer, as I get used to that little reassurance at each appointment in the US. She did say she'll do an ultrasound at 20 weeks, and I'm supposed to go back in one month for another appointment.
After the time with the doctor, I took my chart out to the cashier where you pay in cash (roughly $12 US). Then I took it back to the sign-in desk to set up the next appointment, and then I walked out with my chart in hand, presumably for me to bring back with me next time. :)
All in all, a good but colorful experience!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sorting Thoughts
So, my head has felt like it is spinning now for a few weeks. Wrapping up jobs and seasons of other roles we've invested in deeply, trying to clear our apartment to make space for someone else to live there, packing up stuff for four months for our family, leaving dear friends and familiar things in Los Angeles, and making the long journey to be here in Kathmandu for four months...There has been a lot to sort through in thoughts and emotions. There have been moment of clarity and a lot of muddiness to wade through and many things to reflect on more and try to express to share. So, as I find myself wide awake since 2 a.m. for the second night in a row, I figured I might as well jump in on starting to make note of a few.
While we are only gone for four months for now (and will see what God has for us beyond that), it has still been a season of major transition for us. Even when we return to LA, life will be different. Things as we have known them for the past season won't ever be the same. In some things we have had a sense of closure, and in some, there are still things we had to leave without seeing them all neatly wrapped up and made clear. It has been an intense and often overwhelming season, and as the time drew closer to depart, I felt myself detaching emotionally. I was feeling so drained emotionally and mentally, and with a new pregnancy, often even physically. I kicked into "to do" list mode with time running short and so much left to do. After a dear friend asked me about how I was interacting with her, it made me realize how much I had slipped into this functional detached mode, partially out of practical reality but also partially out of self-protection to avoid engaging the hard emotions of leaving.
If anyone had told me within my first year or two of living in LA that I would have such a hard time leaving it, I never would have believed them! But, I have put in roots. I have invested deeply, and many amazing people have invested in me and in my family! I have shared my life with dear friends and a community. On one of the last nights in LA, our church council prayed for us, and one of the things Brad shared was about the leaving that came in the calls God gave people TO something.
In Genesis 12:1, the Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." When Jesus called the first disciples, they left everything and followed him (Luke 5:11). In thinking about what we were heading toward, I think I forgot about the leaving that is involved in being called into something new. I had avoided it, but as the last week in LA unfolded, I felt the impact of the leaving. Of leaving dear friends that I have shared life with, of leaving a home that might not be much but has been home, of leaving what if familiar and comfortable to head into what is unknown and new and sometimes scary.
And, as we are here, I still feel that impact. I know God has good things here for us, but the leaving is hard.
While we are only gone for four months for now (and will see what God has for us beyond that), it has still been a season of major transition for us. Even when we return to LA, life will be different. Things as we have known them for the past season won't ever be the same. In some things we have had a sense of closure, and in some, there are still things we had to leave without seeing them all neatly wrapped up and made clear. It has been an intense and often overwhelming season, and as the time drew closer to depart, I felt myself detaching emotionally. I was feeling so drained emotionally and mentally, and with a new pregnancy, often even physically. I kicked into "to do" list mode with time running short and so much left to do. After a dear friend asked me about how I was interacting with her, it made me realize how much I had slipped into this functional detached mode, partially out of practical reality but also partially out of self-protection to avoid engaging the hard emotions of leaving.
If anyone had told me within my first year or two of living in LA that I would have such a hard time leaving it, I never would have believed them! But, I have put in roots. I have invested deeply, and many amazing people have invested in me and in my family! I have shared my life with dear friends and a community. On one of the last nights in LA, our church council prayed for us, and one of the things Brad shared was about the leaving that came in the calls God gave people TO something.
In Genesis 12:1, the Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." When Jesus called the first disciples, they left everything and followed him (Luke 5:11). In thinking about what we were heading toward, I think I forgot about the leaving that is involved in being called into something new. I had avoided it, but as the last week in LA unfolded, I felt the impact of the leaving. Of leaving dear friends that I have shared life with, of leaving a home that might not be much but has been home, of leaving what if familiar and comfortable to head into what is unknown and new and sometimes scary.
And, as we are here, I still feel that impact. I know God has good things here for us, but the leaving is hard.
Monday, August 16, 2010
So, I'm obviously a bit behind with updating this blog! We are three days away from leaving for Kathmandu, Nepal, so there is much going on for us to prepare practically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. My brain is feeling a little fried tonight, so I won't try to start capturing it all now, but I wanted to actually make a recent post to get me back on track so that I'll get back into updating during our adventure ahead!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Father's Day (Observed)
Since John will be driving across the country with a group from Refuge on the actual holiday this Sunday, we set aside some time today to celebrate Father's Day. We were originally going to take Isaiah "swimming" for the first time, but all of the pools start their summertime hours NEXT week. So, we went to the California Science Center instead. They have two "Discovery Rooms" that are especially made for little kids.
The funny thing is that Isaiah is often most fascinated by the what seem to us to be the simplest of objects. There were these three thin metal rings that were maybe around 10" in diameter, and he probably could have sat there and played with those for an hour. And the metal latch on the floor that catches the door...and a stool that is bolted to the ground...and the cushion on the bench. You get the idea. We laughed at having taken him to the Science Center to play with metal rings, but it really is kind of fun to realize that things we completely take for granted are actually fascinating.
He did enjoy the tanks with live animals, but he really had a hard time resisting the urge to pound on the tanks, so we couldn't stick around those for very long. It's also a little tricky to try to get him not to explore the entire area by putting everything in his mouth!
The section of the museum is called "World of Life" or something like that, and there was one doll that had velcro to open the shirt, which exposed cloth displaying her ribs, which also was closed with velcro and could be opened to reveal little stuffed versions of all her internal organs, which could all be removed (but stayed attached by string) and reattached with velcro. While educational, that one weirded me out a bit as a toy!
We did go through one long narrow room on the way out of that section that was basically a long wall of screens with amazing photographs of various living things rotating. He was mesmerized!
After a little stretch at the museum, we went to John's favorite bbq place to have lunch. It's called Mr. Cecil's California Ribs. It was pushing nap time, and serious crying started in the car, so we were a little skeptical, but Isaiah did great! We really are so blessed that he is such an easygoing little guy who rolls with a lot and eats anything! :) We had taken the food mill along, so Isaiah tried some ribs and some baked beans, which he seemed to especially enjoy. I also took out some pieces from the middle of my hush puppies for him to eat. Not the most nutritious meal he's ever had, but he seemed to enjoy it!
What a fun day! And, really, the best part is being able to celebrate what an amazing dad John is! Isaiah and I are both SO unbelievably blessed! Frustrations come, and sometimes we just have to deal with tedious or frustrating things in life, but my prayer is that I'll be able to have eyes to see more of the time the gift that God has given me in being married to John and being able to raise a family with him. God uses John to show us His love and to bless us in so many ways...not to mention that John's just a FUN guy! :)
So, I feel very thankful today. I am thankful for the opportunity to do fun things, explore new and exciting or even simple things with my son, and eat good food. And more importantly, I am thankful for John as my husband and Isaiah's father. So thankful!
The funny thing is that Isaiah is often most fascinated by the what seem to us to be the simplest of objects. There were these three thin metal rings that were maybe around 10" in diameter, and he probably could have sat there and played with those for an hour. And the metal latch on the floor that catches the door...and a stool that is bolted to the ground...and the cushion on the bench. You get the idea. We laughed at having taken him to the Science Center to play with metal rings, but it really is kind of fun to realize that things we completely take for granted are actually fascinating.
He did enjoy the tanks with live animals, but he really had a hard time resisting the urge to pound on the tanks, so we couldn't stick around those for very long. It's also a little tricky to try to get him not to explore the entire area by putting everything in his mouth!
The section of the museum is called "World of Life" or something like that, and there was one doll that had velcro to open the shirt, which exposed cloth displaying her ribs, which also was closed with velcro and could be opened to reveal little stuffed versions of all her internal organs, which could all be removed (but stayed attached by string) and reattached with velcro. While educational, that one weirded me out a bit as a toy!
We did go through one long narrow room on the way out of that section that was basically a long wall of screens with amazing photographs of various living things rotating. He was mesmerized!
After a little stretch at the museum, we went to John's favorite bbq place to have lunch. It's called Mr. Cecil's California Ribs. It was pushing nap time, and serious crying started in the car, so we were a little skeptical, but Isaiah did great! We really are so blessed that he is such an easygoing little guy who rolls with a lot and eats anything! :) We had taken the food mill along, so Isaiah tried some ribs and some baked beans, which he seemed to especially enjoy. I also took out some pieces from the middle of my hush puppies for him to eat. Not the most nutritious meal he's ever had, but he seemed to enjoy it!
What a fun day! And, really, the best part is being able to celebrate what an amazing dad John is! Isaiah and I are both SO unbelievably blessed! Frustrations come, and sometimes we just have to deal with tedious or frustrating things in life, but my prayer is that I'll be able to have eyes to see more of the time the gift that God has given me in being married to John and being able to raise a family with him. God uses John to show us His love and to bless us in so many ways...not to mention that John's just a FUN guy! :)
So, I feel very thankful today. I am thankful for the opportunity to do fun things, explore new and exciting or even simple things with my son, and eat good food. And more importantly, I am thankful for John as my husband and Isaiah's father. So thankful!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Most Exhausting Place on Earth
Went to Disneyland today. So tired now.
Some of John's family was in town visiting, and they are huge Disneyland fans! So, we took Isaiah for his first trip to "the happiest place on earth."
I was in no rush to introduce Isaiah to Disneyland or subject myself to it again. But, some of the reasons why had faded. They are now fresh again...
1. SO expensive!
2. Crowds. I don't like crowds. Being an introvert and a smidge claustrophobic, I get maxed out for the day in about the first 5 minutes there. Serious energy drain for me.
3. Lines. I'm not a patient person, and I don't like wasting time. Standing in line for 30 minutes (if you're lucky) for something that takes 3 minutes challenges that.
4. Princesses. Would take far more time to explain that one than I have energy for tonight.
5. There are at least as many gift shops as there are attractions.
And, to add a new one to the list...
It takes a LOT of preparation, stuff to lug along, and mental and physical energy throughout the day to take a wiggly little guy somewhere like that!
Ok, all that being said, though, we did have a really nice time. I'm just exhausted!
Isaiah did great! He seems to have gotten at least a significant dose of John's adaptability, which is a blessing! And, he LOVED Small World, which is the one thing at Disneyland I might never get tired of! That's my boy! :)
Monday, June 1, 2009
Protection
Wow, ok, so after a ridiculous gap, I'm determined to be back at blogging! I blame (in part) Facebook...it is way to easy to pop off little one sentence blurbs, which don't come close to capturing life but take so much less time and seem to at least give a basic thought or update...I'm determined to get back to a bit more depth of thought given to what is going on in and around me!
So, back at it!
So, we had a few "exciting" moments this afternoon. First of all, Isaiah was playing in the kitchen while I was getting some things ready. It is exciting that he is able to entertain himself a bit and enjoys exploring...but it is also a bit nervewracking! He definitely has figured out a way to get around and get himself into some mischief. The other day, he found a cereal box in the recycling pile and emptied out the remaining pieces and ate them off the floor. Today, he pressed the button on Roomba (our robot vaccuum thing), and it turned on and started going right in front of his face and fingers, and he got freaked out! I was afraid he got his fingers pinched, but he was fine, other than a bit scared.
Later, when we went to get the mail, I was carrying him back up the stairs to our apartment and (VERY foolishly) being silly and playful with him. I was sort of quickly and bouncily going up the stairs and watching him more than the steps, and I tripped! I fell and smashed into the steps, and he started to cry, and I think my heart absolutely stopped! I felt panic and fear. I was so afraid he had just gotten badly hurt. Somehow, he didn't get a scrape or bruise or anything. Again, I think it just scared him. I was so wrapped up in whether he was ok or not and badly shaken by him almost getting very hurt that I didn't even notice until about 15 minutes later that my hand was smashed open in several places, and my other arm was all scraped up.
So, tonight, I'm feeling a bit banged up but mostly just reeling a little from the experience. All I could do and think for most of the evening was to thank God for protecting my little boy! It just felt like it sunk in to me how quickly something can happen and how I am not really capable of protecting him. I am so thankful that Isaiah is in God's hands because they are far more capable than mine, but I have to admit that having his protection not completely within my control (though obviously, this particular incident could have been vastly improved by me being more safety-conscious and less clumsy!) is rather unnerving!
I never want to be one of those moms who is filled with fear and hovering over my child's every move and keeping him from exploring and experiencing life, even with all of its risks, but I have to admit that there is a part of me that totally feels a pull to try to shield him from all harm. I don't want a Bubble Boy, but a big padded suit has at least crossed my mind several times today! :)
My little guy is sleeping peacefully now, and I am sitting here on the couch with an aching hand but mostly rattled emotions that I am trying to release. I just pray for nothing to be able to stop God's plans and purposes for little Isaiah's life. I pray against any attacks of the enemy! But I also pray that I will have the grace to not get in the way of all the adventures God will take my little guy on in life, as I realize (again) tonight that I am called to nurture him and protect him at some level, but ultimately, he belongs to God and is in HIS hands!
I think I will bake some Pillsbury Cinnabon rolls as an aid in soothing my nerves and try rest in God's peace! :)
So, back at it!
So, we had a few "exciting" moments this afternoon. First of all, Isaiah was playing in the kitchen while I was getting some things ready. It is exciting that he is able to entertain himself a bit and enjoys exploring...but it is also a bit nervewracking! He definitely has figured out a way to get around and get himself into some mischief. The other day, he found a cereal box in the recycling pile and emptied out the remaining pieces and ate them off the floor. Today, he pressed the button on Roomba (our robot vaccuum thing), and it turned on and started going right in front of his face and fingers, and he got freaked out! I was afraid he got his fingers pinched, but he was fine, other than a bit scared.
Later, when we went to get the mail, I was carrying him back up the stairs to our apartment and (VERY foolishly) being silly and playful with him. I was sort of quickly and bouncily going up the stairs and watching him more than the steps, and I tripped! I fell and smashed into the steps, and he started to cry, and I think my heart absolutely stopped! I felt panic and fear. I was so afraid he had just gotten badly hurt. Somehow, he didn't get a scrape or bruise or anything. Again, I think it just scared him. I was so wrapped up in whether he was ok or not and badly shaken by him almost getting very hurt that I didn't even notice until about 15 minutes later that my hand was smashed open in several places, and my other arm was all scraped up.
So, tonight, I'm feeling a bit banged up but mostly just reeling a little from the experience. All I could do and think for most of the evening was to thank God for protecting my little boy! It just felt like it sunk in to me how quickly something can happen and how I am not really capable of protecting him. I am so thankful that Isaiah is in God's hands because they are far more capable than mine, but I have to admit that having his protection not completely within my control (though obviously, this particular incident could have been vastly improved by me being more safety-conscious and less clumsy!) is rather unnerving!
I never want to be one of those moms who is filled with fear and hovering over my child's every move and keeping him from exploring and experiencing life, even with all of its risks, but I have to admit that there is a part of me that totally feels a pull to try to shield him from all harm. I don't want a Bubble Boy, but a big padded suit has at least crossed my mind several times today! :)
My little guy is sleeping peacefully now, and I am sitting here on the couch with an aching hand but mostly rattled emotions that I am trying to release. I just pray for nothing to be able to stop God's plans and purposes for little Isaiah's life. I pray against any attacks of the enemy! But I also pray that I will have the grace to not get in the way of all the adventures God will take my little guy on in life, as I realize (again) tonight that I am called to nurture him and protect him at some level, but ultimately, he belongs to God and is in HIS hands!
I think I will bake some Pillsbury Cinnabon rolls as an aid in soothing my nerves and try rest in God's peace! :)
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