20061115

Kathleen Mak

EDD 24th Dec 2006

Born on 15th Nov 2006.... 5.5 weeks premature via emergency C section

1.8kg

Spent the next 22 days at Special Care Nursery (blue) at KKH.

Pregnancy blog
week 1 - 4 - you wouldn't want to know

week 5 - AF is late. Thought maybe I ovulated late (happen once last December and freak me out) as FF did not even indicate any ovulation at all (but then my charting . So waited. But having cramps at night on and off. Worse cramps than usual and keep me up at night. Thought maybe I will have a freaky period that month.

24th Apr - DH suggested that I tested. Bought a HPT after work which supposedly must use FMU. Don't think it will be BFP since we aren't exactly doing it like rabbits. But the heart got abit itchy after getting the HPT, and so tried testing using OPK (according to http://www.peeonastick.com/opkhpt.html, using a OPK will work). Gave me a positive. Hhhhmmmmmm :) . Cannot wait till morning.

25th Apr - tested using FMU. Positive. :) :) Left it on the wash basin top to show DH when he wakes up. Got a phone call from him when I was on the MRT on the way to work. "Means a positive?" Yes, a positive. Checked with my friend regarding our gynae who was supposed to shift to a new hospital that month and found out that she had already shifted. Called her nurse and fixed a appointment on coming Tuesday.

2nd May - got an appointment at TTSH regarding some recurrent infection. Doctor asked me to several tests only to find (i) no infection (ii) high glucose in urine (iii) high residual urine after voiding. He does not like (iii) and asked me to go back for a visit in 6 weeks time, and told me to let gynae handle (ii).

3rd May - went for appointment with gynae at TMC. DH went too. Gynae tried to scan using ultrascan. No cigar, so she had to resort using v-scan. OUCH. Saw sac, bb and heartbeat. She said it is 6 weeks+. EDD initially said to be 25th Dec, but was revised to 24th Dec. Printed out a small picture for DH. Told her about the glucose, but as I had just gone to the ladies, there is no more urine for her to test. After her visit, went to the the ladies to test with the test strip that the nurse gave. No good. Nurse said I am high risk and proceed to tell me to cut down on soft drinks (hardly drink), sweets (hardly eat), milo with condensed milk (my daily staple!), white rice (already only eating so little and she wants me to cut down?), white bread (my daily staple!), etc. So sad. I had eaten so little sugary stuff and yet I got glucose in my urine :(



On our way back to Novena MRT to take the MRT home, DH said 'one kid enough ok?' Geeee..... what a spoilsport. One kid will most probably turn up to be self centered and spoilt. Bought sugar-less milk. Taste terrible.

6th week - told my family, who already had one kid on the way in the form of my sister's, who is due in November. At least she didn't have glucose in her urine. My family had so many grandchildren its no longer exciting. :P

7th week - DH called his dad and break the news. Oh this is so accurate, his dad said, as he had went to the Guan Yin temple to pray and had gotten a good lot.

1st June (week 10) - went to visit gynae again. Glucose results is slightly better this time round (+1 instead of +3). DH said its because I cheated by eating healthy food that food. I don't care what he thinks so long as I do not have to inject myself with insulin. Gynae scanned using u-scan this time round. Venue was at her secondary clinic without the big screen for mommies, so she saw DH the u-scan image first.

"What was that?" the idiot asked, and gynae had to explain that was the bb, fully formed, kicking the legs. Duh!

DH was amazed. Discovery Channel only showed the fetus having lethargic movements, not such fast kicking.

Bb is now 3+cm, 10 times its previous length 1 month ago. EDD still 24 Dec.

Gynae said we will continue to monitor glucose level on a monthly basis. Though glucose is relatively OK this round, blood pressure was slightly high until she use the old fashion manual kind. Too much murder story (was reading Dean Koontz's Frankenstein while I was at the waiting area)? OK, that better be my last murder storybook for this pregnancy. Don't want bb to turn out to be a psychopath.

Nurse made arrangement for OSCAR test when in 11th week. Can see detail scan of bb then. :)

2nd June - my nephew hit me on my tummy!!!!!! :( I hope bb is OK. :( Else I will skin that little fella though I don't think it is intentional (he just walk pass me and slap my tummy with his hand) and would have continue walking if his mom and my eldest sis had not screamed and stopped him.

9th June (week 12) - wake up early with DH to go to TMC X ray department. Another woman reach there around the same time for the same test.

Went for a simple scan first to test duno-what, then went for blood test. The nurse for the blood test is skillful. She did not find a popped out vein on my left so tried my right hand instead, requiring just 1 try before the needle goes in. Minimal pain. :) Filled up 3 small bottles of blood.

Then went for detail scan. Bb was lying against the wall (which means scan of neck thickness cannot be measured), presumbling sleeping when the scan started, and the nurse had me cough and move to wake bb up (poor thing!). Bb then starte moving around then nurse took some snapshots, including a cute one wich bb reaches out the hand with all the fingers stretched, a scene not often captured, according to the nurse. Scan a few more rounds to show us the bb (she asked and knew it was our first child, and is therefore understanding enough to 'entertain' us abit) before she gets down to work. Bb is now 5cm+.

The nurse then printed out some snapshots for us (which the gynae does not need) and we are free to go.

Went back to gynae for a review. She took my blood pressure again, and find my pulse very soft. Why this kind of funny thing have to happen to me???? She then resorted to use those smaller blood pressure equipment which does not require her to use a sethescope (sp?) to listen for the pulse. Blood pressure OK :) Got charged for that consultation, and also made arrangemetns for the next one in 4 weeks time and the detailed scan in 8 weeks time.

10th June - Gynae called. Based on the combination of blood test and NT scan (neck thickness), the probability for DS is low, about 1 in 7000. Now that is a relief. :)

6th July (week 15) - DH is overseas. bb is now too big to be shown in one screen. Gynae estimated that baby size might be around 15cm but bb was crumpled up and cannot be measured properly. Head circumference is 10cm+. Signed up for package. Gynae said bb might be a gal. Forget to ask her, but EDD on ultrascan printout was pushed back to 27 Dec. Was it because it was not possible to measure the length of the bb correctly? Glucose is still +1 and blood pressure is normal. Next visit will be one month later which will be the detail scan which will confirm that all vital organs of bb is normal and confirm the gender of the bb.

5th August (week 19) - finally wanted for one whole month for the detail scan. Radiographer at TMC took a long time to finish scanning the bb cos she (?) was not moving much for her to be able to scan all the necessary parts that she wanted to. Legs are closed, and so cannot confirm the gender. After the scan which the radiographer said bb is fine, DH and I went to the gynae's office of which I failed my glucose urine test miserably. +4 which is very bad. So gynae said I have to come back next time for the glucose tolerance test which means I had to fast from midnight the night before and will not be able to consume any food/drinks until the last blood test around 11am. Cannot imagine what will happen since I am always someone who must have breakfast and who have a history of gastric. Geeezzz.

15th August - got electric shock from a socket at my mom's place! But gynae said if bb is still moving then its ok. But somehow bb seems to be moving less.... :(

Somewhere around this time, DH finally get to feel bb kicking. Ahhh..so his wife did not imagine the whole pregnancy afterall. :P

2nd September (week 24) - another month passed. Finally the day comes for the glucose tolerance test. Fast from midnight the night before, and only drank one sip of water in the morning. Reach the clinic at about 9am, and there is already 2 person waiting. Took the urine test, and the result is +3 which is bad! Waited for my turn, and then the gynae took a small vial of blood from my right hand, then make me drink a glass of 'fanta orange' - orange flavoured glucose drink that thankfully does not taste terrible. Gynae nicknamed it fanta orange, and DH really thought that it is the actual product. Duh! Gynae then ushered me to the bed where ultra scan was done, and showed DH that bb is really a gal. Perhaps the lying down did help, as I did not feel dizzy/sick as experienced by another December mommy. But halfway throughout the scan, my stomach growled. Bb is now estimated to be 600g. Bb was folding and stretching her legs ala yoga poses. Just like mommy :) Gynae is abit concerned that I had not gained any weight since the previous visit and advised me to drink 2 glasses of milk everyday instead of one. Now that is tough, since I love variety in my food. But at least bb is growing which is my first priority. After the scan, we were told to return in 2 hours time for the 2nd round of blood extraction.

Had some time to spare, so we sign up for the hospital tour at 11am, and then went for breakfast. Or rather, DH had laksa while I watch with my almost empty stomach. We then went back to the hospital, browse around the pharmacy then went for the hospital tour. The hospital tour was quite a disappointment as all the observation rooms were filled with distress mommies and were thus not available for viewing. And the wards look just like ordinary hospital rooms. The only 'highlight' was the 'tour guide' drawing aside the curtains of the nursey so that we can see the new borns inside. Blue for boy and pink for girl. DH countered and gauge his possibility of having a son the next round as 50-50. Man!

Went back to the clinic after that and extracted the 2nd vial of blood before leaving.

4th September (week 24) - gynae called. My blood test is normal which means I do not have diabetes and do not need to control my food intake. Yipee!!!! Celebrated by buying kaya filled bread that night. :)

28th September (week 27) - DH is overseas, and I went to the clinic alone. Scored a +4 for my urine test's glucose content. Geezzzzz. Gynae measured bb, who is now about 900g based on her head diameter. Abit small for a 27 weeks old bb, but gynae said its still ok. I managed to put on about 3kg since the last visit, and finally burst my 45kg mark (the weight which I will finally be allowed to donate blood! Yeah!). Bb was opening and closing her mouth when we are doing the ultrascan, which the gynae called sucking, and I think she (my bb) is so cute on the screen! Confirmed with the doctor that I am choosing 4 bedder at TMC. The paperwork will be sent to my home and I can then returned them to her on my next visit in 3 weeks' time.

week 30 - its fat fingers week. Realise that I better stop wearing my wedding ring else one of these days I won't be able to take it out at th end of the day. So finally stop wearing my ring. Might be the last time that I ever wear that ring since in future it might scratch the bb when I carry her.

19th September (week 30) - another checkup. Another 3kg. And only 300g went to the bb, who is now only 1.2kg (1.1kg when the gynae first measured, and when DH make noise, she re-measured again). Again, abit small for her age.... next visit in 2 weeks time.

week 30 - its pig's trotter's week! Not sure if its due to too much walking for the whole week or what not, but the feet started to feel tight when wearing shoes, and got that floating feeling when I walk. Bet its water retention. Even the ankes look swollen. Hope it won't expand/swell some more else I will have to get new shoes which is such a waste.

2nd Nov (week 32) - not a very good visit. Gynae measured and bb is still growing at an average of 100g per week (currently at 1.4kg). And not sure if I am asking too much questions about whether bb will reach 2kg by full term, but she suggested going for another round of detail scan and doppler test to check if bb is growing properly or if it is constitutional smallness (parents small, bb small!). DH was flying off on Monday, so she urgently tried to arrange for a detail scan on Saturday. She also detected increase in blood pressure and start putting me on medication. Yucks, more meds to take!

4th Nov (week 32) - went for the detailed scan at TMC. The doctor measured the bb, saying that its still within range (1.6kg cos they used more measurements to calculate), but at the 5th percentile (which I misheard as 15th percentile..damn!). She then scan the blood flow to bb's brain which is OK (she said that its not good if too much blood goes to the brain as the rest of the body will be deprived of blood), blood from placenta to bb which is good, and blood from me to placenta which is abit restricted (no good). Then went up to the gynae's office who tell me that we will continue to monitor the bb's growth. She is hoping that the meds that she gave for blood pressure will lower the blood pressure and therefore send more blood to the placenta for the bb and bb will grow healthier, and bb can be kept till full term instead of delivering her early since she is not absorbing nutrients in the womb. Sigh... so next visit in 2 weeks time will be at TMC just in case she need to send me down for another round of detailed scan. Baby, stay put and grow!

15th Nov 4am (week 34) - DH was overseas and will only be back that afternoon. Woke up early in the morning with pain in the bikini area. Cannot sleep so went to toilet to pass urine and saw blood. Talk to bb and bb is still moving so thought that maybe its UTI. Decided to go to gynae first thing in the morning to ensure everything is all right. Meantime login to netsurf. Took MRT to Novena then walk to Thomson Medical Center. Even sms my colleague telling her that I will be in late for that day. Along the way, was still memorising the landmarks so that I can tell my mom why to drop off when she comes to visit me when I gave birth. I was so early the clinic was not opened yet, so went downstairs to wait. Time's up then went upstairs again. Only the nurse was around and I told her what happen. She told me to give her urine sample for the usual test as she called the gynae. After I came back, she strapped me down for a CTG to scan the bb's movements etc. That took one hour. In the meantime, the gynae came and talk to me. Baby is all right. So far so good, and she will attend to me shortly. When it was my turn, gynae checked my cervix, and told me so bad news. The blood is from my womb and I am 1cm dilated. Blood pressure had also shot up and I had protein in my urine, a sign of pre-eclampsia. She informed me that I might need to give birth in these few days, and gave me a steroid jab to mature bb's lungs since bb will be born very premature. A second dosage will be administered in 12 hours time. As the charges for TMC is very high for premature bbs, she suggested that I go to KKH as a walk in patient to visit a gynae friend of hers.




Her nurse then accompany me to KKH where I get to jump queue to be attended to first. The gynae at KKH measured my blood pressure and it is still rocket high and mentioned that I need to deliver asap once the blood test are done. Asap? Hubby is still overseas! Called hubby but his hp was off. Sms him to call me back when he landed in Singapore. The nurse wheeled me to the delivery ward (do not even allow me to walk there cos they are afraid that it will increase the pressure further) where they did some test on me while I was on CTG. A stream of medical people come in and talk to me about various things, and that I cannot wait for DH to land. They even started packing my valuables which will include my hp. So quickly called my sister who rush down to the hospital and took over my things. Sms DH to ask him to call my sis instead since my hp's battery was running low and will be confiscated. Blood test came back ok, and they wheeled me to the Operating Theatre (OT). OT was cold, as they prepare me for c section. After being injected with epidural(?), I was numb from waist down and they cut me up and remove the bb. I can only feel slight tugging and am disappointed that I cannot see the whole thing (ha ha!). After bb was removed, they show me to me and said 'this is your baby' and took her away for testing.




So DD (dear daughter) was born on 1.43pm at 34weeks+, 5 and a half weeks premature.




They then stitch me up and wheeled me out of OT, where my sis and DH is waiting (with his luggage too!). They wheeled me to the recovery ward and check on me before wheeling me to the normal ward. Sis and DH had gone to see bb in the meantime and DH took her first picture. I then sms-ed my colleague (who was still expecting me to go to work) that I had delivered.

DD stayed in SCN (Special Care Nursery) for 22 days, where she battled the inability to keep milk down, apnea, 3 rounds of jaundice with phototherapy, and weight gain to meet the criteria of 2kg before she can be discharged. As she was unable to digest formula milk, I had to express breast milk and deliver to her everyday while she slowly adapt to some formula milk since my supply is not enough. So begins my short career as a cow.