Living at the clinic!

After the excitement of the horse parade I was glad to get back to the routine of the clinic. On the Tuesday after the parade, Hannah went into Guatemala City without me so I was flying solo at the clinic. After the clinic closed, Hannah took me to her friend’s home for supper and I was very interested to hear about her work in a(n) pueblo/aldea called Tucuru that is just over 5 hours away from Ciudad Vieja. She told us there is only 200 hectares of land divided among the whole city and the majority of the land is café fincas. I was very upset to hear that the families that live on the fincas are treated like property, so when the finca goes under, the land and families are sold to the bank for next to nothing. These individuals rarely leave the finca, they are born there and die there. Although there are a few people trying to teach the families about everything from product distribution to health, it is very slow going. The host of the supper made a video about the families on the fincas and I was given a copy! The evening was filled with sadness, as I also heard about a nine year old girl that went missing in Ciudad Vieja and was found raped with her throat slit. It was suspected gang activity. I cried when I heard this, it seems that Guatemalans must be hardened against these things because they happen so often, they are sad but it doesn’t have the same impact as it did on me. Just another cultural difference that I am glad I have experienced so I can raise awareness of these issues.

The same evening I woke at 3:30am to a phone call from Hannah saying “it’s time for Xela”. In a daze, I gathered my things, got dressed and ten minutes later we were on the road. Unfortunately the 2.5 hour drive to Xela took too long and the baby came before we arrived. The healthy baby girl came quickly but we arrived in time for Hannah to administer stitches and catch the placenta (no pictures this time).

We are currently waiting on two more babies on the way.

During the wait, I was invited to a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner in Antigua at a restaurant owned by one of Hannah’s friends. There was free wine, rum and dessert along with the turkey, potatoes, veggies and cranberry sauce! The restaurant was gorgeous, a few outdoor courtyards with a live Cuban band and employees in traditional Guatemalan clothing. Picture time!

I can't take credit for them, but pretty amazing right?

Apparently it is also a hotel that offers luxurious rooms, yoga classes, breakfast offered by the restaurant downstairs for half what one might pay in Canada. Score!

You know how some people say they spend so much time at the office they may as well live there? Well from now on I get to stay at the clinic in Ciudad Vieja! There is a room just for interns and I get it all to myself for the next 5.5 weeks. We are waiting on a few births so rather than being 5 minutes away I will be 5 seconds away. Talk about convenience! There was a client that started having regular contractions in the clinic in Ciudad Vieja but she was not dilated very much (2cm) and the contractions slowed down once she got to the clinic so it was best for her to rest at home. Unfortunately one of her relatives decided that if our clinic wasn’t going to induce (unnatural and unnecessary!), they would take her to the hospital instead of waiting for the labour to progress naturally. We were furious as this was going to be her second baby with the clinic and she clearly did not change her birth plan herself. Just another instance of family politics messing with a normal birth. Way to contribute to the 80% c-section rate in Guatemala!

Once I settled in at the clinic, Hannah took me with her to the city for a clinic day and appointments at the birth center. The following morning we headed to Xela and Nuahala for a postpartum visit and to drop off some nettles and raspberry tea for an expecting client. On our way there, we stopped along the roadside to buy hammocks. After some bargaining (Hannah is a shark!) I bought an awesome hand woven hammock chair for Q150 (just over $18 CAN). I can’t wait to hang it up in the big oak tree in the backyard!

After some amazing dobladas made by the clients mother-in-law, we made the 2.5hr drive back to Ciudad Vieja.

Hammock Chair!

The following day I was invited with Hannah and Diana to a barbecue at a finca owned by one of the riders we met at the horse parade. I took tons of pictures while walking the property. That’s about it for now, hopefully there will be another birth soon!

Up in a tree on the finca

View of the finca

Part of a train (?) we found

Christmas Dinner

Hannah and Diana at the barbecue

Finca

Amazing setup!

Stable on the finca

They had all sorts of animals, even rabbits!

Gorgeous horse

Chuchos!

Favorite picture from the barbecue

Outdoor aviary with doves and budgies