At wk 38, Dr Lim assured the usual, "the placenta's ok, baby's healthy, fluid's enough... etc" Before we left his room, he bid goodbye, "I'll see you next week or anytime in labour." As usual, we left the clinic happily to anticipate Jade's arrival.
God knows, at wk 39 when we visit Dr Lim, we were informed that my amniotic fluid was low and was told to do a detail scan asap. And we did it the next day, which was wednesday 22-Oct-08. The detail scan confirmed that my amniotic fluid was too low. We have to decide to do a caesarean delivery by Fri as Dr Lim adviced that the rate for induced delivery is low and we cannot afford to wait for another week. And so we scheduled to do a caesarean delivery with epidural the next day, 23-Oct-08, Thurs, 12pm.
I did not like the idea being knocked out and letting someone cut up up when I was unconscious. Therefore, I was glad that Dr Lim suggested epidural and I could be awake throughout the procedure and I can even breastfeed after the operation wthout feeling drowsy. He assured me that with epidural the pain is more bearable. I wondered how true....
Dr Lim had an operation at 10.30am and I was scheduled right after that. I had to fast after 5am!! I couldn't sleep well at night as I was very nervous. I had never undergo the knife before. This will be major one.
23-Oct-08, Thurs, 4am: Alvin woke me up to drink a mug of mummy's milk. I was too tired to note whatever brand it was.
6.45am: We woke up to bathe! It was really a great shower! *Damned I missed it so much!*
7.40am: Finally reached the reception to register.
9am plus: Hmm... wondered why it took us so long to be brought to my ward. We had to fill up some forms and listen to some explanation. I had chosen 4-bedder but was upgraded 2-bedder. *Nice room. Though not the renovated one. pretty cool as my initial room mate was off to another ward. It was almost like 1-bedder. The minus point was that I could not dare to sleep at night alone!!!!
10.15am: the nurse applied a kind of cream which will make me pass motion. It was just another horrible experience! I was told to hold off for another 15 mins if possible. But within 3 mins, I rushed off to the toilet!! *argh*
10.30am: I always thought hospital staffs are not so punctual afterall. As I was earlier promised the 'poo poo' cream will be given to me at 10am. This time, the labour ward nurse with a stern face(the only not-so-friendly staff I had encountered at TMC) came to 'escort' me to the operation theatre, greeting me with the scary operation bed. I was told that I would be next after the 10.30am mummy. Oh my god.. that this time, Dr Lim must have been preparing to slice her the way he was going to slice me up. *gulp!*
11am: I was separated from Alvin!!! From the reception, all the way up 10.30am when the labour staff came, he was with me. I was not that scared. But once, we were separated. I was shivering with fear! I was such a coward! He was made to wait till I had been sliced open at the family lounge(I think). I laid on the operation bed, waiting outside the operation theatre while the staff cleared the room and waiting for Dr Lim and Dr Liew( the anesthesiologist). From where I was, I could see the clock. I just keep looking at the time and wondered when it would be my turn. I thought it should be pretty fast...
The anesthesiologist came and described the procedure for epidura. I am a chicken when it comes to injection too! I just nodded my head and gave a faint smile. He patted my shoulder and asked me to relax! * How to relax? I had been waiting there like nobody's business and being separated from Alvin and going to be jabbed on my back and even though I am super scared and frail, I had to push my back against the jab?? and then being cut open... will Jade felt intruded? Will she be shocked? I must had think too much!!!*
Finally, someone came, she smiled and said something like the operation room was ready, now they were just waiting for Dr Lim to come. A couple more staff came and pushed me to the so-called ready room. Dr Liew came shortly. I sat up, he cleaned my back with a super cold antiseptic lotion. This made me shivered non-stop. The coldness hit me harder when he injected the epidural into my back. I had never shivered so voilently before. It was one more bad experience for this caerean operation! I only yearned to see Alvin and Jade quickly.
Somehow Dr Liew knew I was very nervous. Guess my heartbeat betrayed me. I could not talk much, though he was trying to be nice and kept assuring me that it was okay and asked me to relax. I could still feel pressure and some sensation but not the pain so he asked me not to give big reaction else my husband will panick and thought that I was in great pain or discomfort. I wanted very much to laugh as I am really feeling discomfort from the shivering. Anyway, the shivering was normal, I was told, but I did not feel at ease.
After much waiting, I lost in time! Before, I cursed silently again.. Dr Lim made his appearance! His usual assuring smile and greeted me good morning. I smiled back and said 'Hi". Then he gave a serious face and told me that he was going to draw a line on my bikini line. I would really appreaciate if he quickly do what he had to do and give me back Alvin.
Dr Lim pressed my tummy a few times and I think he slice my bikini line when he instructed the labour staff to bring my husband to me as he was going to deliver my baby!!! * Finally! I felt so touched! After all the shivering and waiting, Jade's coming out finally!*
Alvin came in and was really shocked to see me shivering, of which, Dr Liew promptly explained about the side effects and that I really will not feel any pain. I grabbed his hand and felt better. Jade's really coming. Dr Liew pushed my upper abs when Dr Lim gave a signal. In a short while, Jade's out. Dr Lim got Alvin to count in 8s two or three times before he cut off her imblical cord. A while more, we heard Jade's cries. I could have cried. I think I must haven used up most energy on feeling scared and nervous. I felt really spent and hungry. *haha*
Jade was being cleaned before she was thrown onto my chest for us to take photo. Alvin could have cried too, but he told me that he must have felt more happy than any other feelings.
Dr Liew even complimented Alvin's smile and said that he seldom sees father smiles so nice and happy. Hmm... Maybe the other daddys are feeling stressed and nervous like their wifes? I could only smile and felt more light-hearted when Alvin and Jade's with me...
Jade's Weight: 3400gm
Height: 50
