Kai turned 6!
Kai turned 6 on 28th July 2006.
He likes to hear me tell him the story of the day he was born and I saw him teary eyed when I finished the story....he is such a sweet boy.
Back to 6 years ago, around about late July 2000. Our Obstetrician, Dr Seng Kwang Meng had diagnosed me with pregnancy induced high blood pressure. What this could lead to is pre-eclampsia, meaning premature detachment of baby from the womb walls leading to foetus death. He has thus suggested to induce the baby earlier rather than later. My estimated date of delivery or EDD was 5 Aug 2000.
So Dr Seng had told us to admit ourselves to Gleneagles' Hospital on 27 July 2000 at 8pm. But Wey, who was working for his father at that time, did not return home until 8 or 9pm. I was worried that we were running late but Wey said, 'no hurry since you are not yet in labour.' So Wey took a shower, and we went to ANA Hotel (now no longer in existence due to development) and had a good meal. I felt almost like it was going to be my last meal because as a new mother-to-be, I did not know what to expect for confinement - so many people had told me so many things that I can or cannot do, can or cannot eat.
When we finally arrived at the hospital, it was way past 10pm, almost 11pm. The nurse was flustered and said that we should have kept to Dr Seng's instruction to admit by 8pm - still we wonder what was the big deal - as Wey rightly pointed out - I was not yet in labour.
After changing into the hospital gown, I had 2 straps strapped across my stretched tummy. I was told one was to monitor the baby's movement, the other to monitor the baby's heartbeat. I was told not to move otherwise, the nurses are not able to monitor properly. I was told to lay on one side after they have detected the baby's heartbeat. It was very uncomfortable to be in one's full term but yet having to lie in one position for more than 10 minutes. The baby was probably swimming in my tummy because what was suppose to take 30 minutes, took more than an hour. The nurses said that I have a very active baby who wouldn't be still. Now I started to regret not coming into the hospital earlier because I was so sleepy while all these tests were still on-going. Finally, they inserted a pill inside me and asked me to go to sleep. As a single room was not available that night, we were asked to stay in a double room, so Wey & I had to share a bed. I tried to squeeze myself into one side so Wey will be comfortable. I remember that he feel asleep first and I had to cover him with blanket so he wouldn't be cold.
I was woken up just before 6am by the nurses. They came to check on my dilation and told me that I had not yet dilated and inserted a drip into my arm for further induction. They then pushed me into the delivery ward - I recall feeling really scared - not knowing what to expect.
The nurse asked me if I wanted epidural - I said yes to whatever would reduce the pain that I thought was coming. She curved me into a ball - not easy to do with a bloated tummy - and inserted a needle into my lower back. I didn't dare to move one bit and I felt a strange uncomforatble feeling as the epidural was injected into me. Shortly, I lost consciousness of my lower body. Wey sat beside me watching TV with me.
Suddenly, my mother-in-law appeared in the delivery suite. I was both surprised to see her and touched that she had come all the way to see me. She made comments on how cold the deliver suite was and noted that Wey did not have a sweater to keep himself warm - well, I suppose a mother will always be a mother. About 5-10 minutes after she arrived, the nurses found out about her and told her that she has to leave because she is not allowed in the delivery ward, only the husband is allowed. As the nurse had also said that it may take another 10 hours before the baby is delivered, I told Wey to give her a ride home. I also know that Wey will be more comfortable if he goes home to take a shower. So they went, and I was left alone in the delivery suite.
Very shortly (I have now lost all consciousness of time) after Wey and his mother left, Dr Seng came in to check on me. He took a look and said no good and instructed the nurses to prepare me for C-section. The nurse later explained to me that there are contractions (which I didn't feel at all as I'd lost feeling of my lower body) but I have not dilated at all. What this means is that oxygen is being cut off from the baby but he is not making progress down the birth canal. She said maybe my hip bone is too small.
I nearly flipped when she said that because I have been told all my life that I have a huge hip - according to the Chinese - a hip that is very good for child birth. Now I know that it is all old wives' tale.
The nurse also told me that she needs to hurry to book an operating theatre for me. Reason being that the ghost month is days' away and many who do not want their child to be born in the ghost month, are choosing to have c-section to have their child born earlier. I could not believe what I heard! I guess we learn something new everyday.
The nurse brought in a consent form for the operation for Wey to sign. She could not find him and asked me where he is. I was almost afraid to tell her that Wey has gone home - well, it is partly her fault because she had told me that it may take another 10 hours before full dilation! So I had to sign the consent form (or is it an indemnity form? I don't really know) myself. I asked her to pass me a phone so that I can call Wey to come back.
She was too busy preparing & cleaning me for the operation. Of couse I could not see what she was doing as the view down there is blocked by the tummy. When she was finally done, I asked for the phone again. I dialled a few times but Wey did not pick up the phone. Later, I found out that he and his mother had gone shopping for a plastic pail ( I forgot what it was for) before going home and when I called, his phone was on silent mode and he was in the shower.
So there I was, lonely and afraid as I was wheeled into the operating theatre (OT). I was sobbing because I was afraid and I swore that I will not have another baby ever.
I saw Dr Seng inside the OT and he reassured me - I cried even more.
Someone tried to put a mask over my mouth and I pushed her away cause I was so nervious I could not breathe. She tried again and told me to calm down. Then someone else tried to poke a needle into my left arm, I turned to see and as I felt the needle pricking my arm, I lost consciousness.
...................
I felt someone pushing me, waking me up. I could not see as I was not wearing my glasses. As I woke, I felt so calm that I have never felt in my entire life. Sub-consciously, I knew the operation was over. I fell in and out of sleep as the nurse pushed me outside to meet Wey - He had asked to see me (so sweet :-) ). He had returned to the hospital on time to see the baby as he is being brought out of the OT for checking. As I was still floatin in and out of consciousness, I remember mumbling to him, asking him "how was the baby". He said baby was alright and I fell back to sleep. The nurse pushed me back to the recovery room and sometime later, I was brought back to my room.
When I finally regained consciousness, I wanted to see the baby immediately. When he was brought to me, I thought he was a very good looking baby, very peaceful, but I did not immediately bond with this stranger who had been staying inside my body, going to meetings at work with me, kicking my inside with his little feet and punching me with his little fist.
What was amazing was that I had prayed to God for a happy baby when I conceived Kai, and it is amazing how many people had commented that he looks like a happy baby.
Wey also told me that he cried when he saw Kai for the first time outside the delivery ward. That was the sweetest thing that Wey has ever said to me.
.................................................
So this is the last year that we are celebrating Kai's birthday at his Kindergarten, because after this year, they will be going to different primary schools.
He likes to hear me tell him the story of the day he was born and I saw him teary eyed when I finished the story....he is such a sweet boy.
Back to 6 years ago, around about late July 2000. Our Obstetrician, Dr Seng Kwang Meng had diagnosed me with pregnancy induced high blood pressure. What this could lead to is pre-eclampsia, meaning premature detachment of baby from the womb walls leading to foetus death. He has thus suggested to induce the baby earlier rather than later. My estimated date of delivery or EDD was 5 Aug 2000.
So Dr Seng had told us to admit ourselves to Gleneagles' Hospital on 27 July 2000 at 8pm. But Wey, who was working for his father at that time, did not return home until 8 or 9pm. I was worried that we were running late but Wey said, 'no hurry since you are not yet in labour.' So Wey took a shower, and we went to ANA Hotel (now no longer in existence due to development) and had a good meal. I felt almost like it was going to be my last meal because as a new mother-to-be, I did not know what to expect for confinement - so many people had told me so many things that I can or cannot do, can or cannot eat.
When we finally arrived at the hospital, it was way past 10pm, almost 11pm. The nurse was flustered and said that we should have kept to Dr Seng's instruction to admit by 8pm - still we wonder what was the big deal - as Wey rightly pointed out - I was not yet in labour.
After changing into the hospital gown, I had 2 straps strapped across my stretched tummy. I was told one was to monitor the baby's movement, the other to monitor the baby's heartbeat. I was told not to move otherwise, the nurses are not able to monitor properly. I was told to lay on one side after they have detected the baby's heartbeat. It was very uncomfortable to be in one's full term but yet having to lie in one position for more than 10 minutes. The baby was probably swimming in my tummy because what was suppose to take 30 minutes, took more than an hour. The nurses said that I have a very active baby who wouldn't be still. Now I started to regret not coming into the hospital earlier because I was so sleepy while all these tests were still on-going. Finally, they inserted a pill inside me and asked me to go to sleep. As a single room was not available that night, we were asked to stay in a double room, so Wey & I had to share a bed. I tried to squeeze myself into one side so Wey will be comfortable. I remember that he feel asleep first and I had to cover him with blanket so he wouldn't be cold.
I was woken up just before 6am by the nurses. They came to check on my dilation and told me that I had not yet dilated and inserted a drip into my arm for further induction. They then pushed me into the delivery ward - I recall feeling really scared - not knowing what to expect.
The nurse asked me if I wanted epidural - I said yes to whatever would reduce the pain that I thought was coming. She curved me into a ball - not easy to do with a bloated tummy - and inserted a needle into my lower back. I didn't dare to move one bit and I felt a strange uncomforatble feeling as the epidural was injected into me. Shortly, I lost consciousness of my lower body. Wey sat beside me watching TV with me.
Suddenly, my mother-in-law appeared in the delivery suite. I was both surprised to see her and touched that she had come all the way to see me. She made comments on how cold the deliver suite was and noted that Wey did not have a sweater to keep himself warm - well, I suppose a mother will always be a mother. About 5-10 minutes after she arrived, the nurses found out about her and told her that she has to leave because she is not allowed in the delivery ward, only the husband is allowed. As the nurse had also said that it may take another 10 hours before the baby is delivered, I told Wey to give her a ride home. I also know that Wey will be more comfortable if he goes home to take a shower. So they went, and I was left alone in the delivery suite.
Very shortly (I have now lost all consciousness of time) after Wey and his mother left, Dr Seng came in to check on me. He took a look and said no good and instructed the nurses to prepare me for C-section. The nurse later explained to me that there are contractions (which I didn't feel at all as I'd lost feeling of my lower body) but I have not dilated at all. What this means is that oxygen is being cut off from the baby but he is not making progress down the birth canal. She said maybe my hip bone is too small.
I nearly flipped when she said that because I have been told all my life that I have a huge hip - according to the Chinese - a hip that is very good for child birth. Now I know that it is all old wives' tale.
The nurse also told me that she needs to hurry to book an operating theatre for me. Reason being that the ghost month is days' away and many who do not want their child to be born in the ghost month, are choosing to have c-section to have their child born earlier. I could not believe what I heard! I guess we learn something new everyday.
The nurse brought in a consent form for the operation for Wey to sign. She could not find him and asked me where he is. I was almost afraid to tell her that Wey has gone home - well, it is partly her fault because she had told me that it may take another 10 hours before full dilation! So I had to sign the consent form (or is it an indemnity form? I don't really know) myself. I asked her to pass me a phone so that I can call Wey to come back.
She was too busy preparing & cleaning me for the operation. Of couse I could not see what she was doing as the view down there is blocked by the tummy. When she was finally done, I asked for the phone again. I dialled a few times but Wey did not pick up the phone. Later, I found out that he and his mother had gone shopping for a plastic pail ( I forgot what it was for) before going home and when I called, his phone was on silent mode and he was in the shower.
So there I was, lonely and afraid as I was wheeled into the operating theatre (OT). I was sobbing because I was afraid and I swore that I will not have another baby ever.
I saw Dr Seng inside the OT and he reassured me - I cried even more.
Someone tried to put a mask over my mouth and I pushed her away cause I was so nervious I could not breathe. She tried again and told me to calm down. Then someone else tried to poke a needle into my left arm, I turned to see and as I felt the needle pricking my arm, I lost consciousness.
...................
I felt someone pushing me, waking me up. I could not see as I was not wearing my glasses. As I woke, I felt so calm that I have never felt in my entire life. Sub-consciously, I knew the operation was over. I fell in and out of sleep as the nurse pushed me outside to meet Wey - He had asked to see me (so sweet :-) ). He had returned to the hospital on time to see the baby as he is being brought out of the OT for checking. As I was still floatin in and out of consciousness, I remember mumbling to him, asking him "how was the baby". He said baby was alright and I fell back to sleep. The nurse pushed me back to the recovery room and sometime later, I was brought back to my room.
When I finally regained consciousness, I wanted to see the baby immediately. When he was brought to me, I thought he was a very good looking baby, very peaceful, but I did not immediately bond with this stranger who had been staying inside my body, going to meetings at work with me, kicking my inside with his little feet and punching me with his little fist.
What was amazing was that I had prayed to God for a happy baby when I conceived Kai, and it is amazing how many people had commented that he looks like a happy baby.
Wey also told me that he cried when he saw Kai for the first time outside the delivery ward. That was the sweetest thing that Wey has ever said to me.
.................................................
So this is the last year that we are celebrating Kai's birthday at his Kindergarten, because after this year, they will be going to different primary schools.
posted by CoCoa Bean at 8:19 PM
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