OK, this posting is long overdue. I have been meaning to write about my pregnancy experience this time, but things kept popping up in my schedule. Anyway, here goes!
Jamie and I have been debating about where to go and what doctor to see this time. I know we did not write much after we had found out last time that our baby had died, so I will fill you in briefly. In August of 2007, almost a year and a half ago, I went to my OB/GYN doctor for a regular check-up. She checked the size of my belly, and then I asked her when she wanted me to have the half-way ultrasound done. She said to go ahead and do it that week, since she had to go on vacation the next week. She wanted me to come back to her that week after the ultrasound "so she can rest assured." Funny phrase, but looking back, I think she must have known something, but chose not to tell me. If she did not notice anything wrong with the size of my belly, that just tells me about her medical knowledge.
So, I went to the ultrasound place. Long lines, humiliating waiting for 1 or 2 hours, no chairs to sit on. Finally, I am taken in, the doctor stares at the screen (there is only one screen, and the doctor makes sure the patient cannot see it). Then he asked, "Did your doctor tell you why she wanted you to have an ultrasound?" "No. Why?" "Did she tell you you were measuring small?" "No, is the baby not developing properly?" "The baby died a week and a half ago." The nurse quickly told me to get dressed and to go out, and that she would have a printout form for me in a few minutes. That was it! That was all that was said and done. As if I had had a cyst in my body that now has dissolved, not a baby that had died. I don't know how I made it home; and we shared the rest of the story. Oh, and the P.S. to the story is that later in the fall I got a call from the OB/GYN. She had realized I had not seen her in 2 months, and she wanted to know where I was. I told her what had happened. She yelled at me for not calling her and telling her earlier. Then she said I MUST come and bring some papers from the clinic in Vienna saying that indeed the baby had died and I had delivered him, or she would be in big trouble. I went, and I got the same kind of attitude from her as from the ultrasound guy. She was more interested in reading the papers than talking to me. She also chastised me for not communicating to her.
Needless to say, this time both Jamie and I felt uneasy about local doctors here.First, I am not sure about their medical knowledge, and secondly, I don't know if I can trust them to tell me the truth, and thirdly, they all seem to have flunked their bedside manners class -- or maybe they do not offer this class at all here? This is getting long. Finally, we decided to go to the American Medical Center in Kiev for my first visit and to go from there. I went 2 weeks ago, and it was a wonderful experience. I was treated like a person. I had seen the doctor a couple of times before that, and she is very nice. She is Ukrainian, but she spent many years working in Africa, so her bedside manners are great and from my previous communications with her, I trust her medical knowledge. She was very happy for us and crossed me a few times (I think she is nominally orthodox). She ran a whole bunch of tests and an ultrasound, and then called me a few days later to say everything looked good. She also said that the ladies that get prenatal care from her usually deliver at a hospital in Kiev which is as close to Western standards as you can get in Ukraine. So, it was decided there and then that I would see her for my check-ups. I will have to move to Kiev when I am 36 weeks. I don't really look forward to train rides, but if this is what it is going to take to get good care, I am willing to do it. Thankfully, the train is an overnight train that leaves at 8:30pm, gets to Kiev at 9:20 am the next morning (there are beds on the train, so people go to bed and wake up in time to get ready). On the way back it's very similar. Next time I am going mid-February, and the doctor will take me to the birthing hospital to have my half-way ultrasound and also to tour the facilities.
Speaking of trips and train rides, our family will have to travel to the American Consulate in Kiev either in Feb. or March to get new passports for two of our kids. So, one of my OB/GYN visits can take place then. In April, we will be leaving the country to get visas for the two munchkins and then to go to the MTW Area retreat for all MTW missionaries in Europe and Africa. It happens every four years, and it will be in Spain this time. We will go to London, stay there a few days, get our visas, and then will go down to Spain. We will be flying out of Kiev, so there is my chance to consolidate my April check-up with the rest of our travel. Well, first we have to make it to April, don't we?
I am currently 15 1/2 weeks pregnant. I am feeling great, and feeling hungry all the time. It is almost time for me to start feeling the baby move, and I am very conscious of that, especially this is how far along I was when Matthew (our last baby) died (and I had never felt him kick). I am trusting the Lord with this whole pregnancy, knowing that He can take this baby, too, but knowing that in His original plan, this would never happen. So I keep praying that the baby will be healthy and I will make it to the end of this pregnancy without problems. Our kids pray for the baby every day, and Timmy has the same prayer every time, "Lord, I pray that the baby will live, and that it will be healthy, and that it will be a boy."
Please pray for us.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
We've Got Gas!
Yes, it's official! Last Friday afternoon a crew came and connected us to the high-pressure gas pipe. Then the heater guy came out to get our heater running, and turned it on. There is a couple of things he needs to recheck/correct, which he will do this week, but our house is now officially heated with gas! It's kind of hard to believe -- we have been going at it since the end of November. Tomorrow some other person will come from the gas company to seal the meter and to deliver the last of papers.
We turned off all electric heaters, and the house is gradually getting warmer. One radiator had a leak, and our builder will come out to fix that, but everything else seems to be working fine.
Thank you for praying for this -- we look forward to moving real soon!
We turned off all electric heaters, and the house is gradually getting warmer. One radiator had a leak, and our builder will come out to fix that, but everything else seems to be working fine.
Thank you for praying for this -- we look forward to moving real soon!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Cultural Learning
Still no gas. The word that we keep hearing with regards to our gas hook up is "zavtra", literally "tomorrow". I am learning that it really only means "not today" as we have heard it for over a week now.
Tonight we were told that the hang up is with the chief engineer. All our documents are in and waiting for his signature. Everyone else has signed but we need his signature before the crew will do the work. The man we hired to complete all our paper work thinks that he will refuse to sign until we present him with a gift.
On a lighter note, we have been checking into flights this spring for the upcoming area retreat. This happens every 4 years for the MTW missionaries in Europe and Africa. We were looking into flight combinations because we also have to get new visas for Timmy and Anna while we are out of the country. There is a relatively new airline, Wizz Air, that is now offering flights from Kiev to London for $12 one way. They even had some dates at $6 but the dates were not good for us. We will tell you about the flight after we take it. I am fearful that "you get what you pay for" might be the theme.
Tonight we were told that the hang up is with the chief engineer. All our documents are in and waiting for his signature. Everyone else has signed but we need his signature before the crew will do the work. The man we hired to complete all our paper work thinks that he will refuse to sign until we present him with a gift.
On a lighter note, we have been checking into flights this spring for the upcoming area retreat. This happens every 4 years for the MTW missionaries in Europe and Africa. We were looking into flight combinations because we also have to get new visas for Timmy and Anna while we are out of the country. There is a relatively new airline, Wizz Air, that is now offering flights from Kiev to London for $12 one way. They even had some dates at $6 but the dates were not good for us. We will tell you about the flight after we take it. I am fearful that "you get what you pay for" might be the theme.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Gas in Ukraine
If you have been following world news, you know that there is a dispute over natural gas between Russia and Ukraine. This has affected all of Europe with Russia shutting off gas that is being piped through Ukraine. Thankfully, Ukraine has enough reserves to last through the winter, they say. The reasons for this dispute are many, though a lot of it is just plain power struggle. They said they would have the deal worked out by the end of the year, and then January 7, but there still is no agreement. We did read today that an agreement has been worked out to allow monitors to see if Ukraine is stealing gas, and this will allow gas delivery to resume to Europe. This gives hope that a new contract will be completed between Ukraine and Russia.
On a personal note, we have had our own gas adventures. We applied for gas the end of November and were told it would be done by the end of the year. There were some struggles with paperwork, but the schematics were ready by December 25th. The crew came out the next day and began digging and welding pipe. The work was finished before New Years, but not in time for inspection and hook-up. Here is our kitchen before the pipes were installed.
When the inspectors did come out on January 5, they said that the work was done wrong on the outside of the house, even though the workers followed the project produced by the gas company. Apparently, each department in the company does not get along and criticizes each other's work. We had to have the workers come back and adjust the outside piping. The inspector came back and gave us the thumbs up. That was not the end, though. The ventillation inspector came and did not like the position of the exhaust vent for our heater. He wanted it 10 cm (4 inches) higher. So, now we are making a new hole in the wall and changing the exhaust vent. They have run into some problems, because the workers decided to change the diameter of the exhaust pipe, as well.
When the inspectors did come out on January 5, they said that the work was done wrong on the outside of the house, even though the workers followed the project produced by the gas company. Apparently, each department in the company does not get along and criticizes each other's work. We had to have the workers come back and adjust the outside piping. The inspector came back and gave us the thumbs up. That was not the end, though. The ventillation inspector came and did not like the position of the exhaust vent for our heater. He wanted it 10 cm (4 inches) higher. So, now we are making a new hole in the wall and changing the exhaust vent. They have run into some problems, because the workers decided to change the diameter of the exhaust pipe, as well. This is a picture of our kitchen after the pipes were installed. According to some regulation, the gas meter has to be inside and 170 cm (5'7") off the floor.
This is the trench that had to be dug to connect us to a gas line that runs down the street. The neighbors understand, but they reminded us that we need to make the street like it was before (paved). Within a couple of days of the trench being there, we noticed that some passers-by have used it as a dumpster. We see bags, candy wrappers and even a cake box there.
This is the trench that had to be dug to connect us to a gas line that runs down the street. The neighbors understand, but they reminded us that we need to make the street like it was before (paved). Within a couple of days of the trench being there, we noticed that some passers-by have used it as a dumpster. We see bags, candy wrappers and even a cake box there. 
We are hopeful that the work will be completed this week and we will have gas and heat in the house. (Currently, we are using space heaters to keep the house above freezing, so the pipes don't burst.)
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