Saturday, June 25, 2011

A better way

It has been a bit of a ruff week for me, we have had several transports and had to go in to the hospital. I want to cry every time that I go in to the hospital here, things are horrible! One of the students and I went to visit a patient that had to be transported and while I was there I saw cats walking around the ward, the hospital does not smell clean but like cat pee and humans shoved together. And the sad thing is that people here say that this is better then it used to be! The pictures here are not of our hospital, I have been unable to get pictures so far. These pictures are of a hospital in Minnila but they look the same.

A crowded OB ward


Two to three moms to a bed


These mommas are in labor











I know that these conditions are better then nothing however, I think that it would not be that hard to make things a lot more clean and safe. We had to take a baby to the picu two nights a go for breathing trouble, and my heart broke. The picu was very small there was nowhere for parents to sit so they sat on the floor. They do not have ventilators so the family takes turns breathing for there baby, and the only place to sit is a mettle frame work with no seat. But the thing that really got to me was a dad breathing for his preterm son, the baby was on a counter with lights to keep him warm and his dad was just staring at him. The first thing that I thought when I saw him was "he is not going to make it" it was a sad thought and I had no reason to think that he would not live but I just knew. A few minutes later I heard some beeping and a doctor and a nurse came in and started CPR, they worked for about 5 minutes then discontinued all recitation efforts. After the doctors left the dad arranged his sons body and made sure that his head was covered with his hat. I know that God is the author of life and death but it sill never gets any easer to watch a dad fight for his son or daughter. So as I go to bed tonight I will say a prayer that they have peace and comfort in there time of trial.

Location:Davao city

6 comments:

  1. Seeing photos of the hospital in Manila reminds me that we are very blessed in this country.

    It is always tragic to see a life slip away. But thank God you are there to pray for the families and let us know so we could pray for them as well.

    Margaret
    CA

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  2. We who live in the United States cannot comprehend conditions in other lands. Thank-you, thank-you for reminding us that we are in the land of plenty and more and that we need to appreciate our many, many blessings. We will pray for you and the young mothers, fathers and babies you minister to in your daily walk. It must be difficult and painful to see loss but your compassion is a gift to those families. A touch, a prayer and a hug go a long way showing the arms of Jesus. How wonderful God has placed you in Mercy Maternity Clinic.
    May you receive great strength to share.....
    Grace Tome

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  3. Joan,
    With the hands on experience that you are gaining and witnessing there, you are also learning and obtaining the valuable gift of Empathy. You will be most fortunate in Knowing, instead of just having Sympathy. You are climbing the rungs of Jacob's ladder in virtue.

    What you are witnessing is validated, and are all relevant concerns for needed improvements in infection control procedures. Their hospital patient care standards seem substandard to you compared to those in the US, but to them, this is their current standard. It is the best they can do right now with what they have available and within their culture.
    It must be viewed and coped with on a gradient scale with your experience in world travels.

    Few healthcare persons here in the
    States have ever practiced outside of these national borders, or have ever been exposed to the overcrowding and unsanitary conditions that are common place there. Most would not be able to cope in those conditions because they do not possess the strength, personal will, or faith in God that you possess.

    I can share this though with you, judging from the pictures you have posted, that there are far worse conditions in many rural eastern countries.
    It is all relevant and all to be understood on a gradient based upon your travels around God's earth and where he places you.

    If you ever decide to perform home visits in the US, there will also be homes that you enter into to render care in, that will be quite hard to cope with. We are not there to rearrange their homes or lives. We are present to teach, provide our called service, and to do it with the grace from God.

    Keep your chin up and hug yourself. You are doing
    what God has called upon you to do, with grace.

    You are in my prayers daily.

    Remember what you see and do there, and reflect upon the importance of the kind and loving contributions you make to each person you come in contact with.
    You are expanding and growing.

    God bless you Joan.

    notutopia

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  4. He said go and you went....that others may "see"......

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  5. Others will "see" through your actions and deeds Joan.
    They cannot "see" American standards of Care, except through your deeds, prayers, actions of kindness, and teachings.

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