It’s A…

SURPRISE!

I am So relieved that the doctor was unable to get a good view to find out if the baby is a boy or girl…this way I get my surprise and it’s not my fault that Matt didn’t get to find out  

The experience of receiving medical care at a PNG hospital is very interesting. Two weeks ago my doctor in Madang (an Aussie who’s lived here 30 years) sent me to a free standing lab to have blood work done. The lab was in an alley in town and looked like a shack made of sheet metal. Inside was thankfully not as bad.

Then he said I needed to go to the hospital and get an appointment for an ultrasound in the afternoon. The hospital is creepy. Complete with leprosy and TB wings. It’s dirty and H-O-T. I got to walk straight through the labour room where 12-15 women were all in various stages of giving birth. Thank God, they did have fans.

We made our way to the antenatal area where 50 or so pregnant women sat sweating and waiting in a stifling room with closed windows. Because I had a letter from a doctor i was taken to the front of the line to talk behind a curtain with a nurse (I think) she asked how far along blah, blah, blah. She gets out her wheel and says “ok, you are 10 weeks now.” I politely explain that I just left the doctor and was measured at 18 weeks. She argues and says “well, i have to measure you again.” I protest slightly, “no, no, I have a very good doctor whom hours ago, determined that I am 18 weeks along…” long story short- I had to lie down on a dirty cot with a pillow covered in a plastic shopping bag and show her my belly so she could say “ok you measure 18 weeks.”

Anyway, I was told that there is only 1 ultrasound machine in Madang province and that it would be brought to the hospital in two weeks time for medical research. I was told to come back in two weeks at 1:00…

Yesterday was the “appointment”. Mae and I got there right on time (the other 4 ran errands with their Papa). I went to the desk with my paperwork and was told that there were a lot of pregnant women there and I had to come back in 1/2 hour…we walked around, sweat buckets (this time NO fans) and watched people. At 1:30 we sat down and waited with all the other big bellies. Around 2:00 they tell me the doctor is coming and I will be first.

The doctor was brilliant and did the best he could with an ancient machine. He showed me all the parts- placenta, heart, spine, head, nose,etc. all on a screen the size of a postcard. He measured the skull and said he reckons I’m due September 30, but can’t tell me the sex due to the baby’s wiggliness and position. His helper writes a report for my doctor and I’m off to another appointment.

I’m a happy mama with a healthy baby and a BIG surprise ahead of me!

xoxo