Peruvian "Birth" Day
Update from Sybil serving in Peru
I just wanted to let you all know how I spent my day yesterday. Around 7 in the morning, Alicia, our 15 year old that was pregnant, went into labor. We could not find Luz, our nurse, so I grabbed money for the hospital and went to get in the taxi. However, there was no room because three other people wanted to go. I had to get another taxi for myself.
When I arrived at the hospital, two of the three that went with Alicia wanted to return to the home and didn´t even want to carry her paperwork up to the 3rd floor where the delivery room was. So I grabbed the paperwork and ran up the stairs. The other person took the money that I brought and went and bought medical supplies at the pharmacy. You see, the hospital gives you a list of things you need, like toilet paper, medicine, syringes, etc. and you have to go buy them and bring them with you. I didn´t know that hospitals were BYOMS, bring your own medical supplies!
She was in so much pain and scared, but they do not allow anyone to be with the moms during delivery. The nurses and doctors were all so mean, I felt like all these ladies were being sent to their execution. Usually the birth of a baby is joyous, but this idea definitely did not exist in this hospital.
I took my seat in the cold and dirty hallway with all the other families and dads that were awaiting births. The nurses would come out and call out a name and then the family would go running with the medical supplies to the nurse. After 30 minutes or so they would roll the mom out of the delivery room and past all of us in the hallway, poor thing - it was like she was on a nightmare parade. 15 minutes later the baby would follow. They take the moms to a community room that has 50 some beds in it. About 5 minutes later, they rolled the stretcher back into the delivery room once again past all of us in the waiting hallway. The stretchers would have bloody towels balled up on it, grosssss!!!! Do I even need to say that there are no sheets or pillows on these beds and that the nurses work without gloves. I still can´t believe that they do not allow anyone to be with the expecting moms.
Alicia was not quite ready to deliver so after Luz arrived, we got Alicia some special tea to speed up the process. Finally around 4:30 in the afternoon, Alicia delivered a baby boy that she named Anthony David, after Tony and David {missionaries who run the home}. Since she is a minor, she couldn´t hold the baby until today. We were able to get the doctor to take a photo for us so we could see him. She is supposed to come home this afternoon with the baby.
Well, I can´t say that the whole ordeal encouraged me to have kids, but it did make me grateful that at least in America the delivery of a baby is not so nazi death camp oriented.
Not much else has happened lately, but this Saturday we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the home. A big day is being planned for this and many other churches will be coming to join in on the festivities. I am currently trying to decorate and find table games for the youth center so that it will be semi-ready for this Saturday. David and Debbie come to Arequipa on Friday for 2 days or so. Things are going well and are busy! There is lots to do! My girls´ bathroom is being redone, hopefully it will be finished within the week. We have been showering elsewhere for the past week. Look forward to hearing from you all!
Sybil
I just wanted to let you all know how I spent my day yesterday. Around 7 in the morning, Alicia, our 15 year old that was pregnant, went into labor. We could not find Luz, our nurse, so I grabbed money for the hospital and went to get in the taxi. However, there was no room because three other people wanted to go. I had to get another taxi for myself.
When I arrived at the hospital, two of the three that went with Alicia wanted to return to the home and didn´t even want to carry her paperwork up to the 3rd floor where the delivery room was. So I grabbed the paperwork and ran up the stairs. The other person took the money that I brought and went and bought medical supplies at the pharmacy. You see, the hospital gives you a list of things you need, like toilet paper, medicine, syringes, etc. and you have to go buy them and bring them with you. I didn´t know that hospitals were BYOMS, bring your own medical supplies!
She was in so much pain and scared, but they do not allow anyone to be with the moms during delivery. The nurses and doctors were all so mean, I felt like all these ladies were being sent to their execution. Usually the birth of a baby is joyous, but this idea definitely did not exist in this hospital.
I took my seat in the cold and dirty hallway with all the other families and dads that were awaiting births. The nurses would come out and call out a name and then the family would go running with the medical supplies to the nurse. After 30 minutes or so they would roll the mom out of the delivery room and past all of us in the hallway, poor thing - it was like she was on a nightmare parade. 15 minutes later the baby would follow. They take the moms to a community room that has 50 some beds in it. About 5 minutes later, they rolled the stretcher back into the delivery room once again past all of us in the waiting hallway. The stretchers would have bloody towels balled up on it, grosssss!!!! Do I even need to say that there are no sheets or pillows on these beds and that the nurses work without gloves. I still can´t believe that they do not allow anyone to be with the expecting moms.
Alicia was not quite ready to deliver so after Luz arrived, we got Alicia some special tea to speed up the process. Finally around 4:30 in the afternoon, Alicia delivered a baby boy that she named Anthony David, after Tony and David {missionaries who run the home}. Since she is a minor, she couldn´t hold the baby until today. We were able to get the doctor to take a photo for us so we could see him. She is supposed to come home this afternoon with the baby.
Well, I can´t say that the whole ordeal encouraged me to have kids, but it did make me grateful that at least in America the delivery of a baby is not so nazi death camp oriented.
Not much else has happened lately, but this Saturday we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the home. A big day is being planned for this and many other churches will be coming to join in on the festivities. I am currently trying to decorate and find table games for the youth center so that it will be semi-ready for this Saturday. David and Debbie come to Arequipa on Friday for 2 days or so. Things are going well and are busy! There is lots to do! My girls´ bathroom is being redone, hopefully it will be finished within the week. We have been showering elsewhere for the past week. Look forward to hearing from you all!
Sybil
