Family Planning

Just a short one today to amend for the rather whiny last post. I'll blame my curtness on the fact that I was going through a little spat with my digestive system a while back (absolutely nothing serious) but now we're BFF's again.

Speaking of digestion, I got my second taste of placenta on Tuesday (well, figuratively speaking). I observed my second delivery. It was just as glorious as the first, and filled with all of the same heaps of emotion. Absolutely wonderful. I even snapped a picture of the baby when it was about 7seconds old, but gosh darn it, I can't post photos here (don't worry I'll make albums galore when I return)

I don't even really want to think about returning right now. I think I'll be able to fit one more post in before I leave, so I'll save all of the sentimentality for that.

This past week we ran a campaign encouraging "Family Planning" (birth control). It was pretty awesome: we kicked things off with a hyper-lively parade/rally through the streets of Nsaba. We all (~30 campaigners, and then the resulting Klingons) jogged in time to several drummers, trumpeters and boners (TROMboners that is). We all had premade placards, mine read "End childbirth NOW!!" Just joking, it, more sagely, read, "Times are changing, we must change too" The parade was a blast! Then I got to give a guy a vasectomy, well in the dramatization I was part of. I got to act as a doctor, and through raw, unadulterated acting ability (and a bit of deceit) we made getting a vasectomy look almost fun! Then we ran proper information sessions on all of the pros and cons (and gruesome bits) of the various Family Planning methods offered. It seemed like quite a success.

I don't know if I mentioned something in my last post, (I can't check from this screen) and it is really not something that I have been dwelling on, but is certainly worthy of note. I had the rather traumatic experience of having an old lady (74) pass away in my arms some weeks ago now. I'll fully admit that I was not thrilled with how the whole situation was handled - the whole western medical philosophy of preserving life at all costs is not really the same here, as the woman's last moments were spent with the doctor filling out paperwork rather than performing CPR. I am not trying to judge the medical system here, with which I have had largely positive experiences. It should also be noted that the clinic has no adrenalin to inject, defribulators, respirators, or even an ambulance to move her to a larger hospital. The resources just aren't there.

Anyway it was sad, but with a minute remaining I've read: "A Million Little Pieces" the pseudo-memoir (that would have been way more awesome if it was a real memoir as Opra though when she put it on her book list. "Ghost Stories of British Columbia" (believe it or not!!), and Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath"