Othello, Othello

Most of you have never heard of Othello, Washington. Before meeting Nathan, I certainly hadn't. Located in eastern Washington, the small town of 6,000 people is situated in the midst of acres of various crops. Although technically a desert, the area has been sufficiently irrigated and is now primarily agricultural. Below is a picture Nathan took, which captures the essence of Othello. Tons of corn, yet plenty of desert. This view is somewhat deceptive because this is actually acres and acres of corn.

When we decided to move in with Nathan's parents, I knew it was the right decision. We needed help and the support of our family members. My primary concern was the available medical care. Even though the town's only hospital is conveniently located four houses down from my in-laws, I was not convinced. At all. I consoled myself by thinking: "We're moving to Portland. There will be an excellent hospital there."

As it turns out, we probably aren't moving until January. Nathan spoke with his chiropractic school and his schedule will be a grueling 7 AM - 5 PM, Monday through Friday. The twins, if they came at 36 weeks, would be born right before finals. With so many variables, we don't feel comfortable committing to school until January. Honestly, the thought of Nathan leaving me alone for hours with Eliza while I was heavily pregnant was overwhelming. I was telling myself I could handle it, but after speaking with the perinatologist, we realized the health of our babies and myself was our greatest priority. Therefore, we are staying in Othello for a few months longer than planned.

Cue my worry and anxiety regarding delivery.

Growing up in South Carolina, I certainly didn't live in the country. Columbia, being the capital city, had various hospitals and numerous choices when it came to doctors. Additionally, with a nurse for a mother and a father who lived in hospitals for almost two years (due to a spinal chord injury), I had always been told that a good hospital made all the difference. Therefore, after seeing the tiny Othello Hospital, I vowed our children would not be born there. I didn't feel safe, and I placed judgment swiftly, refusing to even tolerate the suggestion. My greatest concern was the hospital lacked a NICU. With twins and an almost certain early delivery, I felt this was a very legitimate complaint.

Therefore, we have been driving an hour to the Tri-Cities for our multiple appointments. At our most recent appointment with the perinatologist, I requested suggestions for an OB/GYN. He could tell I was not impressed with the treatment I had received so far in the Tri-Cities and actually suggested a local doctor in Othello named Dr. Miu. Dr. Halversen stressed the importance of going to a hospital if I had any problems and not driving an hour to the Tri-Cities if I thought I was in labor. He highly recommended Dr. Miu, which was significant because Dr. Halversen is just so...strange. He speaks facts and is a no nonsense kind of man. So, Dr. Miu being a good doctor must be a fact in his mind. Good sign.

Coincidentally, my in-laws knew Dr. Miu through church and highly recommended him as well. Yesterday, we called and made an appointment for today (appointments have to be made 1-2 weeks in advance at our other doctor's office). We drove five minutes to his office and didn't wait more than a minute to be seen. His nurses were friendly, and he came to our room almost immediately.

I love him.

Guys, I LOVE him. He is the nicest man alive. Nathan and I couldn't stop smiling because he was just that nice. He also looked just like Jason Scott Lee (who played Mowgli in the live action Jungle Book movie), so what's not to love. He was friendly, engaging, and he actually made eye contact! He asked me how I was and seemed like he actually cared about us. He also shook our hands literally three or four times, which I thought was adorable.

Regarding the medical aspect, he explained he would not deliver the twins at the Othello Hospital if they were early. He assured me that I could be life flighted to Spokane, which has an even better NICU than the Tri-Cities, in a matter of minutes. Additionally, their office would provide accommodations for Nathan and I to stay at the Ronald McDonald home if the twins needed to be in the hospital for any amount of time.

I felt safe, cared for, and SO RELIEVED. As an added bonus, the total time away from our home was 34 minutes! This, compared to our 4-5 hours Tri-Cities trips, was simply marvelous.

So, Othello, it looks like I am okay with you. For now. Being surrounded by tons of corn still creeps me out, but I am learning to deal with it. And lastly, I just have to throw in a picture of this sign:

We saw this on our way home from the Tri-Cities last week. The sign was actually on fire (a dry field had gone up in flames), which was certainly an ominous site to see while driving home. Oh Othello. Home, sweet home.

But really. The corn. It's EVERYWHERE.