Up in Smoke!

So immigration is not a place you want to spend much time. I don't care if you are talking about the American immigration or in any foreign country. It's just not a pleasant place. You have lines. lots of them. You have uncomfortable chairs and flickering neon lights. And you have hot, cranky, impatient foreigners mindlessly tapping their feet and staring off into space. The staff are sometimes friendly but often they are just disinterested and going through the motions. It's not a job I'd sign up for personally so I can empathize with the monotony. Well, this morning I found myself standing in those lines and waiting in those seats. They took my papers and informed me they'd be going on lunch (a two hour lunch!) so I should return after 1 pm. That's fine with me. I'd rather be doing other things too. So i left and had lunch with a patient in the hospital down the street. I had to transport her because of signs of hypertension. It was a nice lunch and she let me cuddle her cute little girl, Charmaine. When I returned, I waited as they came back from lunch and start my paperwork. But then, all of a sudden there was more flickering of the lights than normal. There was fluctuating power surges then POOF!!! one of the computers went up in smoke. The women screeched. The men ran to cut off the power and everybody in the lobby started for the doors. except me. I just walked closer for a better look. It was only a computer. :- ) I would have unplugged the computer and turned back on the power. it's an easy fix. But here they went the opposite direction. They closed down the office and asked everyone to come back another day... So I won't be renewing my immigration status today. Perhaps tomorrow. Assuming nothing else explodes while I'm there.

~ A surprise ending ~

Mai-Mai came into the clinic moving slowly. She had a strange, wild look in her eyes and she keep repeating over and over again in a low whisper, "My baby is coming! My baby is coming! .... My baby is coming!" Together we walked to the bed where she started pushing immediately. Within minutes, a little patch of dark black hair poked through. A push or two more and little Jonred joined us on this side of the uterus. It was a slow, sweet birth .... truly beautiful. Then... we all sat back and enjoyed this little crying, slimy boy a bit while we waited for the placenta. When it came time for the placenta, she pushed once, twice... there were no signs of placental separation; no bleeding. There was just a bit of cord lengthening. So I waited. Then as I looked down to see her push for the third time I was startled to find myself COVERED in her blood! Her placenta hung most of the way out but her blood was everywhere... mainly all over me! The best part was the reaction of everyone in the room! My assist, supervisor and the father of the child all recoiled in unison! Together they all made the same sound of disgusted 'uuugggggggghhhhh!!!!' I was covered from neck to thigh in almost 100 cc of blood! Then we laughed and I made a B-line for the shower! I should have taken a picture... :- )