Delle The Kikay Midwife

My posts will be a sort of journal of my struggles in this rare, weird, hard yet noble profession of helping women: starting from this sem, until I take the board exams. Please pray for me. And of course, ang pinaka-target namin ay women's issues, not just the buntis. If any of you need info on health issues, sex, relationships, business, school, whatever, i have a lot of sources and some experiences which i'd be glad to share with you.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

train train train

i've been pulled out of operations to train people. i guess i have teaching thick with me.

my informal teaching career:
i've coached moms how to give birth.
i've taught them how to take care of their kids.
i've taught kids their multiplication table.
and now i teach at a call center.

is it just me or can i whispers behind my back "why delle?" "can she make it?" "she's too young!" "darned lucky beeyatch!" (have i told you how paranoid i am?)

but it's not just because i'm paranoid. i really want to do good. i want to prove myself that i am capable of teaching. and most of all, i want to share what i know and help people break into the biz. thank God, a lot of help is being given to me because i know its going to be tough tough tough. i wouldn't know who to trust. politics is the lifeblood of a call center. but if you ask me, i would't want to get entangled in such a mess.

i never asked for it, but it's not like me to refuse opportunity when it knocks at my door. i know it will mean a lot more sleepless nights: more work, responsibilities and dirty dirty shit.

I'm up to it. it can only leave me callused, yes. but calluses are a brand of strength, experience and wisdom. it won't rob me of my heart anyways. and i still have my friends. kahit paubos na kami, laban parin!

i have bills to pay for, brothers to take care of, my future to worry about and miles to go before i sleep, and miles to go before i sleep.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

COLEGIALAS IN THE PAANAKAN

We have Senior Nursing students doing duty at the Paanakan, for two semesters, in three round the clock shifts. They're from a posh exclusive school in Manila. They're all rich, fair skinned and pretty. I was feeling generous one time and brought everybody turon...but then again they had ordered fastfood. ouch! oh well they're nice enough and very eager to learn. (nanay is making reklamo about the new people from Unciano who don't seem to give a damn)

I thought they'll get shocked at the mere sight of a kayumanggi woman from the masses sitting upright to give birth. I thought they'd faint at the idea of not having epidurals and hospitals gowns. My tita (another nursing student) says that they're so nice to look at doing duty in the hospitals, so nice and neat and pretty, but disappear when someone bloody and screaming enters the ER. Here in the paanakan, they only cringed at the beginning. But when they realized that there inevitably will be times that they will have to do the job.

a good reality check for them and for me as well.

i'm a konyo-phobe. i react adversely to strange, rich and maarte people. but it's not good to judge people so quickly. it's not their fault that they were raised burgis.

but we found common ground by being professional. we all have the same job to be done: caring for the women. and we all wish that we would receive the same kind of care when our own time comes. we have the same fears. we are all women.

At your service,
Delle the Kikay Midwife