Light

Today I delivered my first baby here in Ghana. I began in the prenatal ward in the midst of well oiled prenatal care. The nurses started the day panicked because two colleagues had called in sick so their solution was to pick up the pace. The conveyor belt flew at full speed and a nurse stood in the door like a coach on the side-line, waving the women towards the finish line shouting, “fast, fast, FAST.” Women obliged, handing off charts while setting down purses, and lifting skirts as they climbed onto the exam table. Each woman lay down, belly exposed, arms stiffly at her sides, her mind absent, eyes fixed on the same corner of the ceiling. I enjoyed pulling them back to Earth, by saying “Good morning,” we would both smile as though we were breaking all the rules and I would watch her muscles relax.

After a few hours of that I was called to do the prenatal ultrasounds. Dr. Annie usually does them but it is just one of her many responsibilities and I enjoy doing them so she has passed it on to me. I feel comfortable with my scans but I would love to take an actual class, know I have a lot to learn. I was taught through oral tradition - receiving hands on instructions then refining tips (some tips contradicting others) from various clinicians, most of whom had learned in the same way. Just as I was moving towards the door a midwife from the labor ward entered, said something to Doris in Twi and threw in the word, “breech.” I asked her, “Is there a breech delivery?” She said yes, asked whether I knew how to conduct a breech delivery and then led me hurriedly away towards the labor ward.

Mary was straining when I walked through the door and I could already see a little corner of a tiny pink bottom emerging from between her legs. The midwife who was there stepped aside and set up the resuscitare - which I soon learned consists of one old ambu bag and a non functioning oxygen machine. Mary was amazing, she smiled at me between her contractions and within ten minutes her little girl's head emerged and I lay the baby on her belly. It was so wonderful to be there that I laughed as I dried her baby, congratulated Mary, and thanked the nurses. I rushed back to the scanning room to find 26 women waiting for me but as soon as I finished the scans I returned to Mary and her baby. Mary looked happy and fresh lying beside her little girl nestled in blankets. This is the beautiful lightness of life.