And then I recovered.
Oh, my. The last few weeks really drug me down. I am 90 percent certain that I contracted H1N1 somewhere. It has a been a very long time since I have been that ill. There were moments when I could not imaging it could get any worse. And then it did.
But slowly over the last two weeks, with the aid of lots and lots of water, echinacea, golden seal, and massive quantities of Emerge-C, I have gotten back to healthy. It was a rather rocky road.
It really through a wrench into my schedule. I ended up having to reschedule numerous doula client appointments and ended up missing the prenatal with *M*. Fortunately, she was incredibly understanding. I'll be attending the rest of the prenatals with this couple and their birth in January. So, it seems everything is working out.
Now I just have to get through Thanksgiving and life can resume normal!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
The World Can Be So Strange
The day before I was supposed to meet with the midwife about apprenticing, I called her to confirm our appointment. She was very sweet on the phone, but unfortunately, informed me that she had changed her mind. There are a lot of women in this area looking for apprenticeships and she felt that it was unfair to them to offer one to someone who had been studying for less time than they had. I understand that completely, even if I was a bit disappointed. I felt rather stupid on the telephone though after she told me that, and stammered my way through the rest of the conversation. It probably was not the most articulate moment of my life.
I was pretty sad to tell you the truth. In that moment, it seemed as though the only two paths that had been presented to me were blocked. The first midwife I had met with had been out of contact, and now the second one was not interested in working with me. I have to admit that I shed a couple of tears in that first ten minutes after hanging up my phone.
Then I set out to be proactive. I wrote an email to midwife #1, who from now on will be known as *M*. I told her in detail about the workshop in Tennessee and everything I had learned and how rejuvenated I felt by the experience. I asked again about attending births with her, even if it was just as an assistant. I told her I was willing to do anything just to get my foot in the door.
Within a half an hour, she responded back! My timing was perfect. She had spoke with a couple about me and they were interested in having me at their birth as an extra support. She had a prenatal appointment schedule with them for later in the week and asked if I could come with.
WOW. If that is not the world trying to tell me that this was meant to be, I don't know what it was!
*M* has communicated that she does not feel ready to take on an actual "teaching relationship" at this point, but that having me attend births and appointments as a support to her and families would be helpful.
I attended and observed my first prenatal last week. And it was so wonderful. And regardless of the official definition of my relationship with *M*, I learned a lot just from that one meeting. Watching her interact with the mom and dad taught me SO much about interacting with families. When we walked out we talked briefly about some of the unsaid communication that was presented (body language, etc) and I realized that I had so much to learn about just simple observation.
I can absolutely see myself doing this for the rest of my life. In fact, it is the only thing I can see myself doing.
I was pretty sad to tell you the truth. In that moment, it seemed as though the only two paths that had been presented to me were blocked. The first midwife I had met with had been out of contact, and now the second one was not interested in working with me. I have to admit that I shed a couple of tears in that first ten minutes after hanging up my phone.
Then I set out to be proactive. I wrote an email to midwife #1, who from now on will be known as *M*. I told her in detail about the workshop in Tennessee and everything I had learned and how rejuvenated I felt by the experience. I asked again about attending births with her, even if it was just as an assistant. I told her I was willing to do anything just to get my foot in the door.
Within a half an hour, she responded back! My timing was perfect. She had spoke with a couple about me and they were interested in having me at their birth as an extra support. She had a prenatal appointment schedule with them for later in the week and asked if I could come with.
WOW. If that is not the world trying to tell me that this was meant to be, I don't know what it was!
*M* has communicated that she does not feel ready to take on an actual "teaching relationship" at this point, but that having me attend births and appointments as a support to her and families would be helpful.
I attended and observed my first prenatal last week. And it was so wonderful. And regardless of the official definition of my relationship with *M*, I learned a lot just from that one meeting. Watching her interact with the mom and dad taught me SO much about interacting with families. When we walked out we talked briefly about some of the unsaid communication that was presented (body language, etc) and I realized that I had so much to learn about just simple observation.
I can absolutely see myself doing this for the rest of my life. In fact, it is the only thing I can see myself doing.
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