I just kissed my husband goodbye as he headed out the door. He's gone for the next 5 days; off to one of the most remote places in China to plan a trip for our senior students. He took a HOT shower this morning, used a toilet where the seat stayed on, and was in a well-lit bathroom.... there have been some big changes in our apartment in the last 12 hours!
Yesterday morning I neither showered nor saw clearly what I looked like in the bathroom mirror. And, when using the "lu" had to carefully balance myself left I fell off because the seat was broken and easy to slide off the toilet (and has been for a couple weeks). Brokenness in our apartment has been a theme the whole time we've lived here, I've taken to laughing about it when I can, and crying when necessary.
Yesterday was particularly unpleasant as I was headed to the SOS clinic to try and figure out how to get a Rhogam (Anti-D) shot for my 30th week of pregnancy. I did just go to the hospital this weekend for a routine check up, and the last time there was told I needed this shot at 30 weeks (28 weeks is the norm for the rest of the world it seems). So, being naive, I told them I needed the shot and they asked me to give them the serum... ??? What I didn't know was that this particular shot isn't administered in Chinese hospitals (it's for moms with blood types different from their husbands that might put their children at risk because the antibodies would fight their baby's blood, especially in subsequent childbirths.) But for a country that doesn't necessarily have 2 children normally, well, I guess the hospitals didn't think it necessary to administer. But... I'm not Chinese and am not currently family planning this way. What I WAS given at this hospital was another Coombs test to test my blood antibodies (which is completely irrelevant because I had already had one which told me my antibodies were fighting the blood and I needed the shot) but for some reason they wanted another one-- with results that will only come out in 7-10 working days... (remember I'm already at 30 weeks and needed this shot at 28 weeks, so another 7-10 days postpones knowing that I need it, but I already know... ) I thanked the nurse for the blood test, but what I felt like saying was "I can't eat bread to treat heartburn that doesn't let me sleep, and water won't cure a yeast infection, and if there are pregancy complecations as a result of you not caring enough whether or not I get this shot I will hold you personally responsible!!" What I felt was SO UNCARED FOR!
They told me I would have to order the shot from a western clinic so off to the doctor I went this morning ... unshowered and without seeing my face clearly in the mirror of course because both luxuries were impossible.
On the way to the doctor my experience of the previous night came to mind. Dave and I went out to dinner and then got a massage at reputable place next door. Not being able to lie well on my stomach or back, I opted for a foot massage while Dave got a body massage. The massuses working on us were eager to know about my pregancy, how I was doing and how long we had been in China and what our lives were like. We offerend that information of course and asked them about their lives. The woman working on Dave was 28 years old (his age), and had two children of her own. We found out though that they and her husband all lived across China in the countryside and she lived in Tianjin to work and provide for them. She began with telling us her pregancy experiences with them, and her voice softened as she told us she couldn't be with them because she needed to make money. She quickly tried to make light of the situation by explaning that her children don't really listen to her anyway and living with their grandparents was good... but the pain in her voice was evident.
The man massaging my feet was working so thoroughly and tenderly. In China, people are afraid that foot massages could induce labor (there are pressure points in the feet that connect to the uterous), so he was taking extra care not to go too hard or cause contractions, but aware that my feet, and I told him later about a painful leg cramp I had all day, were well taken care of. When asked about his family he said he had a wife, about the same stage in her pregancy as I was. I asked if he massaged her feet too--- (thinking wow, what a lucky woman!) and realized I spoke too soon because tears came to his eyes as he explained that she too lived far from where he was and he had to leave home to work and provide for the family.
Dave and I were both quiet then.
When I got to the doctor yesterday morning I told him what had transpired at my previous appointment, and he agreed that I needed to get this shot as quickly as possible. "I could give you a blood test and see if you need the shot" he smiled "but I can tell you're an intelligent person with a high IQ and you wouldn't be here if you were unsure if you needed it or not.."
I sighed with relief as I clearly, I had been given 3 previous blood tests that I couldn't get to him, taking another one really seemed an overkill!
Though unable to get the shot that day, the doctor worked with the pharmacist to order one from Beijing and have it available this week. We also ordered one to be on hand in BJ at the western clinic to take when I delivered. AND, he gave me something for heartburn! (see previous post). Of course, burocracy continues and it turns out that I can only go to the SOS clinic to get this shot, which needs to happen within 72 hrs of delivery, but luckily there is a clinic in BJ about 3 miles from the hospital I plan to deliver at. We should be able to make it work... but still my mind works over time.
"What if I can't leave the hospital in time to get the shot?" I asked the doctor "Call me" he insisted, "I'll take care of you"
Oh, what sweet relief!!
Yesterday afternoon I ran into our maintainance guy. I told him the problems in our apartment. I also needed to get out for a walk and be with friends so I spent the afternoon with Kim and Moyer and Keturah. Dave was at school and met with a student for me so I didn't have to come in. When I got home later in the afternoon my Ayi had cleaned the apartment, done all the laundry and was helping me with making tortillas for a casadilla dinner. The toilet seat was fixed, the lightbulb replaced and when the 5:00 pm hour rolled around where most people went home from work the maintance man knocked at the door along with a water heater repair man and ON HIS OWN TIME sat with me to make sure that the water heater was fixed. By the time Dave got home from work things were in order again. We made dinner together, enjoyed the evening, and got ready for his next big trip.
This morning, very early, we sat at the table and ate breakfast together. I read from Isaiah 41
"I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you and serve me For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Do Not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand"
It's good to be reminded that I am cared for... each and every day in so many ways. I have a husband who will be with me through my pregancy and birth (he comes back from his journeys and does rub my feet on a regular basis), there are doctors who do care, workers who can fix household problems, and medications to make things more comfortable... but beyond all these things, I have a God in heaven who is with me... has shown himself to be with me over and over and over again in so many ways. I don't have to be wandering in the desert looking for things that are found in HIM. I don't have to run and try to solve my own problems (well, I might have to be proactive about a few of them) but I am cared for. Cared for by somewho who made the heavens and the earth and does not leave our side. I needed a little perspective.
And it sure it beautiful!! Here are just a couple of pictures I picked out from Dave's trip as he showed them to me this morning. He brought back a silver bracelet carved in the mountains by minority people, a hand stitched piece of mothers and children... very very cute.
He's done a good job at capturing these beautiful children.... perhaps he was thinking of a particular little girl?
I couldn't leave out some lovely shots from crazy hair day in the elementary this morning on the bus... never a dull moment at TIS! I finished a week of subbing this week, and had fun but was absolutely exhausted. Here's me in my office where I could hide away for a few moments between classes for a quick nap. 
Although, since our office is directly outside the cafeteria, anytime between 11-1 is not that quiet at all. Oh well, I could still rest. I did come home and sleep for over 2 hours after school though!
Friday night my friend Erin had a birthday party which which we gathered our friends and went to a favorite Indian restaurant (yummy!) 
and back to Molly, Jenn and DB's place for delicious cake and hanging out antics. 
The hospital is overall quite nice, as evidenced by this sitting room. 
However, I still feel like I need to do breathing exercises just to calm down and not get stressed during my appointments. Everything was fine today we have a healthy baby girl on the wayBut going to BJ is a looooong day- helps to have yummy Mexican food for lunch and to be with friends, but I always manage to come home (left at 7:30 this morning and got back around 6:00 pm) totally wiped out. So, Mol and I are enjoying a nice quiet evening at home. 
Josie has completely changed positions for each and every ultrasound. 2 nights ago her legs were definitely kicking on my left side, and now her back and butt on on the left side with feet on the right side! A 180 deg. rotation! The blob on her head is actually the placenta, which continues to rise and is completely out of the danger zone and totally normal right now. Her head is pressing up on my lungs if that gives any indication of just how far that placenta has moved over the past month! The boney looking thing by her chin is her wrist bent over with her hand toward her. You can kind of make out the face, but it's a little bumpy which I don't think it will look like in real life. Can't say I can tell who she resembles right now, but probably a mix of the two of us. She seems to be long and lean so far so that might give some indication!
