Thursday, December 30, 2010

I don't want to be thankful




I have to go to work today, and it is the last thing I really want to do! I am having some trouble with one of my mangers who is manic-depressive. I called my mom in tears yesterday and was telling her how it felt personal and how unfair it was. And true to my mom I was told that I should be thankful for this Manger and be glad that God was giving me the opportunity to learn how to deal with people before I was some where that I could not come home and bounce these things of of her! Of corse I rebelled at the thought, but after going back to work and thinking about it for a while I knew my mom was right (again) I have a lot to be thankful for and really can't complain, I have a job that is making me money so I can go on this trip and the mangers are just a stepping stone to the real wold, I some times hate it when mom is right! But she is right most of the time so I should be used to it by now!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

My to do list!


Well I have quite a lot to do now until I go! My next order of things is neonatal resuscitation. I was certified about 3 years ago but let my certification laps ( a very bad idea)  I am heading in to our local hospital Jan 12th to take this class. Today at work I got about half of the book re-read! It was a very slow day. After that I am going to learn how to suture, place a IV, draw blood as well as about half a million other things.  I am now thinking that 5 months will not be that long! The great thing about this school is that I am entering as a entry level midwife, so that means that I will be just getting in and getting to work instead of being in a school room setting. We will have some clinical things that we do but I am thinking that they will be restful after 60 to 80 hours of being on your feet delivering babies!

Well right now it is a toss up between sleep and study! ( I am leaning towards sleep)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

The long wait is over!


After three months of waiting for the school to review our applications and let us know if we are going to be accepted, we finely got a email from the director of the school! Are you ready? Our whole group was accepted! We now have a date of departure and we are really going! I am very excited but also very scared. We will be leaving on May 31 and coming home Aug 31. It is beginning  to feel real, the last month I was pretty sure for some reason that we had not been accepted and were not going but then came the call from the midwife, that we had be accepted and that we better get ready to go!

Here is so information on the island that we will be staying on

Location

Davao City is approximately 588 miles (946 km) statute miles southeast of Manila, 971 kilometres (524 nmi) by sea.
As of 2010 built-up areas used for residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial purposes represent about 10% of the total land area. Under the approved land use plan built-up and settlement area will cover 15% of the total area, while agricultural will be maximized with 67.19%. The remaining 17.68 will be devoted to forestry and conservation.


Climate

Davao City is typhoon-free due to its location. The city enjoys a weather that remains balmy all year round. It is characterized by a uniform distribution of rainfalltemperature,humidity, and air pressure. It has no pronounced wet or dry season. Weather predictability makes it highly conducive to agricultural production. Temperature ranges from 20 to 32 degrees Celsius and average rainfall is up to 2,000 mm yearly.


Language

Bisaya is the most widely spoken language in the city, while Tagalog comes a distant second. though, a local "dabawenyo" dialect is also spoken by a few.
Bisaloglish, an informal mixing of the above languages, is spoken as well. English is the medium of instruction in schools and is widely understood and spoken especially in the business community and for all official documents. Other notable languages are Hiligaynon and Ilocano
A local Spanish based creole, Chavacano, a treasure of the cultural heritage from the Spanish era, is also still spoken, mainly by immigrants from Cotabato and Zamboanga.


Religion

The largest group is the Roman Catholic at 80% of the population, other Christian groups such as Protestant churches (Evangelicals, Born Again, Ang Dating Daan, Kingdom of Jesus Christ) comprise 18%, and the remaining 1.17% belong to other non-Christian faiths (Islam,Buddhism,animism)

And here is some information on the school that we will be going to Newlife International School of Midwifery is a Christian school for direct-entry midwife students. Although our school is based on a U.S. curriculum and standards outlined by the National College of Midwifery the entire training is actually done in the Philippines. Most of our students are from the United States and Canada. However, other countries represented include South Africa, England, Denmark, Jamaica, Ireland, China and Switzerland.

We are a Christian mission organization comprised of approximately 70 individuals who come from a variety of denominational and non-denominational backgrounds. The overall team is comprised of missionaries (married couples with families as well as single individuals) and a wonderful group of Filipino Christian workers.
Newlife International School of Midwifery is operated as an extension of our birthing center, Mercy Maternity Center, which is the largest charity-based birthing clinic in the Philippines serving almost 20,000 patients (prenatal exams) annually. Families living in severe poverty conditions that cannot afford quality health care comprise our primary target group. All services provided at the clinic are free of charge. We simply desire to show women God's mercy and kindness in a practical way as Jesus taught. The hands-on and deeply relational skill of midwifery is proven to be a powerful avenue to bring God's love and kindness to suffering people.
Last year our staff and students delivered approximately 1,500 babies. More than 17,000 babies have been delivered at our clinic during the past 15 years.
Newlife International School of Midwifery is unique in that student tuition fees go directly to fund Mercy Maternity Center. The clinic is self-supported and funded by the tuition of students enrolled in our school. Therefore, knowing that each student's tuition is directly serving impoverished families, enrollment in Newlife International School of Midwifery can be deeply fulfilling. Each student actually functions as a 'missionary' while they are studying at the school that is located on the mission field. Basically, students can earn a degree while serving the poor in addition to learning how to be a missionary.

Well that is all for now but I will try and blog more often and keep you up to date to what is going on, we are on the fast track now!


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Some of my pictures

I am sorry that I have not bloged in a while, frankly I am not a very good bloger and my life at this time is not the most interesting! I did just buy a text book that the test I have to take is based on.

I do a little amateur photography, here are some of my favorite pictures.









































Monday, August 23, 2010

To all of the generous people out there

I have gotten several offers of donations for my cause and would like to thank everyone who has offered money for my trip. I am not going to take donations until I know for sure that I have been accepted in to the school. I can not submit my application until September so I will no know until then. So I wanted everyone that has offered that I am not ignoring you I just was not sure what to do, but talking with my mom and dad I will wait until I know if a really am going or not.

I was really touched by all of the offers. I was not expecting it and I did not start my blog to get money. Thank you for all of your generosity.

Latest news from the Philippines, and it is not good!

To day while my mom and I where talking she told me about a news story that she had read about that happened in  the Philippines . This really made me think about the danger that is over there and I could be afraid and call the whole thing off but I do realize that danger is walking out my front door every day and going to work. Knowing that I could be on a bus like this in a years time is a little frighting but I will still be going. And I do have to wonder, did the guy who took all of these people hostage and killing 7 of them, really think that it would help him get his job back? My dad did say that he would get AK47 and teach me how to properly use one and field strip it, so I will be good on that front.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Who I am

I have done a lot of talking about what I am preparing for but not a lot about me. As I have said I am 21 and living under my fathers roof.  I was a EMT-B for the last 3 1/2 years, I am currently not  with and ambulance but have a application in with a local fire department.  I got my love of medicine from my dad, when I was about 4 he was a EMT-Fire fighter and I use to go with him to the department and fell in love with that. I became a EMT as soon as I was old enough.

My love of midwifery came when my little sister "Princess Dragon Snack" was born. I love the atmosphere in which she was born. It was  very calm and mom and baby where right where they belong. I felt called at that time to be a midwife and have been working off and on for about three years to that goal. Besides me not studying like I should have a lack of births in this area has been a deterrent from getting my CPM (Certified Practical Midwife) I was the primary midwife for my little brother "Master Calvin's" birth. Even though he was born in the hospital (he needed a little persuasion ) I loved every minute of it.



I have a ham license though I still do not know how to use it! I have not found a ham operator to teach me that can speak in English they only speak in ham.



I also keep honey bees. I love the bee's though they are hard to keep. I have not gotten any honey for the last two years and am not sure what I am doing wrong but I am sure in time I will figure it out. They are fascinating creatures and I love watching them, and nothing can beat fresh honeycomb.


Well that is all for now. Thank you for looking.

The pain of getting a Passport

So for my trip I have to get a passport,  now I am not going until next summer but I have started the application for my passport. What a pain! I have a bunch of information I have to fill out, which I filled out on the computer but I can not apply in line, I have to do it in person at a post office and I have to have a special picture taken at a approved passport photo place, I will have that done at Costco next time I am in town. Then I have to go to the post office and turn in my application  and my picture, after that I have to pay the fee which is a arm and a leg, $165.00 oh and hear is a interesting peace of information, the government will not allow you to pay in cash money! You can pay with a debit card a check or a money order. Some places may allow you to pay with exact money but most places will not. Then I have to wait for upwards of 3 months just to see if I have been approved and will be allowed to receive a passport!  Ahh the joys of working with the government!


At the end of all of that all I get is one of these!  I am not sure that it is worth all of the money and trouble to get one. I know that I need them to leave the country but wow.

On a different subject I am off of work tomorrow and Monday! I am so glad that I do not have to go to work for two days. Monday we are going to see my grandparents for a day and we get to go out for chines food my little brother " Master Calvin" is very excited to see "Poompa and Bump" (Poompa is Grandpa and Bump is Grandma)

Last night while I was out work I had some guys ask me if I wanted to come and view the local nudist colony! I said no. The last thing that I want to see is a bunch of very naked fat guys. 

Well that is all of the news for now.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Hi, ho its of to work I go

I have had a few days off and now it is back to work. I really do not want to go, I prefer to be home but I keep telling my self that in one year I will be in the Philippines...... I hope. Yesterday I went to work and there had been a scheduling error and all of the tills were being maned. If  I had wanted to stay they would have let me but I decided that if I was going to stand a round and do nothing I would just go home, I felt like I getting a way with something!  But today I have to go to work. I will be working the closing shift the rest of this week which means that I go to work at 1:30 and will not get home till almost 11:00 and I am not a night owl. Oh well another day another dollar  right?  And next year at this time....

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Introduction

Hello, many of you may remember me as Trauma Queen or know me as Maid Elizabeth. But for those of you who are new I will introduce myself. I am a 21 year old woman living under my fathers roof and am planning a mission trip to the Philippines June, July and August of next year.

I am currently a checking at our local grocery store to earn money to fund my trip. I have been training to be a midwife for the last 3 years( although, I have not studied as I should have) but we  do not have the numbers of births in a year that I need to be certified.Over in the Philippines I will attend 25 to 30 births a week so I will be getting plenty of experience.  I have currently saved up enough for the plane ticket and am working on my room and board.

I am quite excited to experience the culture and help the ladies who need help. In the Philippines out of ever 1000 births 200 mothers or children die. If you go to a hospital without money in hand they will send you home to labor as best as you can. Only the wealthy can afford to go to a hospital.

When I come back to the States I will have enough births to take my midwife test and start my own practice. Well that is about all of that in a nut shell. Thank you for looking and please come back.