"Face your fear. Live your dream."

   Manny Pacquiao would surely agree with this not just because he is an endorser of No Fear line but because he's had many bouts risking his life for what else: boxing.

   Just like him, I've had my first punch of Clinical Nursing -- being in the Delivery Room. Witnessing how Normal Spontaneous Delivery and Cesarian Delivery take place tickled my nerves. However, finding out I HAVE to directly participate in the (Normal Spontaneous) delivery really feared me. It involves life and I just can't "fabricate" everything (unlike in writing a Nursing History or Nursing Care Plans -- these are paperworks). Thank God, I was able to ponder on things during the Christmas break.

  January 4, 2007 -- my date with fear. I met my patient, 5cm dilated, at 1:00pm. I knew right then that before the end of my shift(6:00pm), she would give birth but still, I wished she wouldn't. For four hours, I was with her as I noted her uterine contractions that were giving her pain for 50hours already. Without thinking of my own inhibitions, I prayed for the fast progress of her labor. At 5:00pm, she was prepared for the delivery. While putting on my scrubs and gloves, I had no other intentions but to do things right. It was already 5:30pm when we heard the first cry of her baby girl. It was really amazing to see how a mom (after "suffering") would smile like nothing happened upon kissing her newly-born. That moment overwhelmed the sight of bloody torn vagina being "stitched" by the doctors. Everything went so fast that I didn't even notice I was able to deliver the placenta like a pro!

   That punch of fear has allowed me to stand up and realize that with the profession I am aiming for, I can affect many lives. That includes my relationship with my Mame --who has always been there to receive the punches I miss.


Warning: Don't click if you think you couldn't take these videos:

-- A Normal Spontaneous Delivery (from YouTube)
--This is Cesarean Delivery (from YouTube)