After Juana’s magnificent birth, life filled again with the daily routine of health post work, but not for long. The day after Pedro Daniel arrived, the husband of a gestante came to the clinic with his 4 year-old-son to do a well-child check. Anita knows every single one of the millions J of members of the communities she serves and so she asked if his wife was contracting yet (her due date was approaching). He paused and nervously responded, “She gave birth yesterday.” OOOOoooooh Anita was mad. In Spanish we say, “Me da colera” when we get really ticked. It’s one of my favorite new sayings. The phrase is said with a type of disgust. Anyway, we packed up for a post partum home visit. 19 year-old Vanessa gave birth to her second child with a partera (traditional birth attendant) in her home the previous day without complications. She says that she did not intend on having a home birth, that their family’s 2 forms of transportation broke down, that no transportation was available at noon the day she delivered, and that her labor was very fast. However, because there was a partera present that had traveled from a far distance to be with the family close to Vanessa’s due date, both forms of transportation were working the day we visited, and other clues, Anita and I feel sure that Vanessa and her family planned a home birth. Without judgment, I would love to know their real reasons for planning a home birth, but because I am associated with the health post I might never get to know those real reasons (but I have lots of ideas). I’ll keep trying though! My PhD thesis perhaps, eeeeeek!
Later in the week Anita and I were out in the field visiting each community’s health leader when we heard of another one of our patient’s who delivered in her home. We visited her for a moment as we were nearby and all was well. She told the same story as Vanessa, but also was attended by a partera. She had a wicked tear and transferred to the hospital for sutures the same day that she delivered. She brought her baby to us a few days post partum and we discovered an infected umbilical cord. With 2 home births this month, 1 birth at the health post and Cherlita at the casa de espera until she delivers, our March health post birth stat is 50%. Poco a poco I think we will see this number increase. We have many women come for their paps and say they want to get pregnant just to come utilize the casa de espera J and deliver vertically. In addition to Juana and Cherlita, they will help spread the word.
On another note, this week I did a total of 28 well woman exams and a total of 25 paps. Pap land success! I am getting to know each of the communities and starting to recognize women and their families as they come into the clinic. What an honor it is to serve these amazing Amazon women.
After our long Saturday, Anita and I packed for our weekend return to the city. This time we not only carried our personal belongings and dirty clothes from the week, but we also hauled the empty stove gas tank with us. Gas is cheaper in Pucallpa. If there is no Luz, there are no gallinas.
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