Quick Delivery (Not)

Still 7 Dec 2006

After the admission procedures were completed, I was sent to the ward. Changed into the pink hospital gown. I missed dinner so my husband and I had a quick dinner at Mac's. Wasn't hungry but the thought of being alone and hungry later made me eat.

Went to 711 for a quick round of "shopping" as I didnt bring my pre-packed "hospital bag"- socks (its gonna be freezing at the delivery room), face towel, some cookies (hehe). My husband can bring the bag tomorrow. Then went back to the ward. The Drs are not gonna be around to assess me immediately, I am no emergency case, so the husband goes home at 10pm. My hp batteries were running low. Called the kids back home and told them I am not coming home today. They took it quite well.

The Drs finally came way past 10pm. Since I was undecided to have my induction tonite, they will do it tomorrow morning at 6am. I was briefed on the procedure - having a tablet inserted into my cervix, will soften it. Then they will let nature runs its course - either the waterbag will break by itself or contractions will get on a roll and open up the cervix and deliver. Failing which, they will insert another tablet and another until I deliver.

I was also briefed on the risks of failed induction - uterine rupture, infection, hypertension to a dangerous level - all of which would warrant a Caesarian section. Um, oh well. I hope I won't have to go through that!

My blood pressure was taken every 4 hours and it fluctuates! It went back to normal at 4am. I have no idea why my blood pressure shot up. I am feeling fine. No headaches, visual disturbances, etc. I only did the usual household chores, nothing out of the ordinary. It must be age-related then.

As expected I didn't sleep well - the CTG machine had to be fixed to monitor baby's heart rate and my contractions, blood pressure and tempreature readings, blood samples taken.

I was not dilated, my cervix was high. I talked to my baby. He is obviously up to his usual kicks and turns at midnite. He is still not engaged in my pelvis, still floating happily. "Settle down ok baby? Things are gonna be earlier than we thought." I pray for a fast and easy delivery. Tomorrow. Maybe.

ME? P.E.?

7 Dec 2006
2.30 pm

Routine checkup at my 38th week.

Urine test: Trace, protein (huh? Not good)
Blood pressure : 144/99 (NOT GOOD)
Nurse voiced her concern that my bp is a "bit high"

Weight : Gained 400g since last week (OK)

I vaguely remember reading about the symptoms of pre-eclampsia (PE), pregnancy-related hypertension. I might have THAT?

Sure enough the Dr was worried. She wants me admitted for observation immediately and delivery induced if need be, maybe tonight. The baby is already full term at 38 weeks. Tonight? I was (a bit, oh, alright, verry)overwhelmed. What if I go home and admit myself tomorrow?

"PE has this nasty habit of coming up silently and seizing up. It might turn nasty tonight and if you are at home and not aware of it, you might get fits and your organs might be damaged and you might lose your baby. If you insist of going home, you would have to sign the AMA (Against Medical Advice) document." That serious huh?

My BP was not THAT high, just borderline, after 3 re-takes. Taken manually, with the stethoscope, it was even higher at 160/108!!

So here I am, at 5pm, sitting in an empty waiting room for the porter to take me to the ward. I didnt inform anyone, just my husband, and I bet he's worried.

I'm quite taken aback. I was planning to do some shopping for baby stuff on the way home. Guess no time for that now.

37 weeks

H-E-A-V-Y

A-C-H-Y

I have just completely confused myself. I got a book - The Gentle Birth. Its supposed to help lead me to a more comfortable (comfortable - DONT read as painless!), tear-free, minimal need for medical intervention of labour & delivery. But now it has completely floored me.

For the past 2 weeks, my wrists have been hurting. First its my left but now both. It limits movements thusthe use of my hands have been limited. Scoured the net. It might be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), where water retention causes pressure on the blood vessels and nerves at the extremities (hands and legs).

Now the book said I should, to avoid water retention - get this - eliminate COMPLETELY from my diet - wheat (read: bread) which is my staple, sugar (!), tomatoes ( I eat raw tomatoes in sandwiches on a daily basis!), bananas, mangoes (my ultimate favourite juice, with pearls).

If I had found this book earlier, not at my 37th week, it might had helped. But now, its kinda late, dontcha think?

There are many other discomforts of pregnancy, which are not documented or seem to be exclusively appearing to some women only and they have boggled the doctors. Cure? It will go away when the baby's born.

My gums now are much more sensitive and bleed like crazy when I brush my teeth, as if I brush them so violently! I've given up looking for my ankles too coz my feet get so swollen, they look like blocks of wood. Not to mention the rubber & metallic taste in my mouth that I have since Day 1.

Hopefully all these will go away as soon as my baby is born!

I've started eating almonds and dried apricots to store complex carbohydrates for labour....which I don't know when but sooon I hope.

In the meantime I've chucked the book away...heee heee.

Now's not the time to be confused. I need a clear mind to welcome my new baby. I can't wait to smell him. Newborn babies smell of heaven, you know.

Klutz

At 30 weeks.

Feeling sluggish and h-e-a-v-y. Been such a klutz. Dropping stuff and not being able to bend down to pick them up. A relief to know that this IS normal at this stage of pregnancy!

Difficult to find a comfortable position to sleep each night, and when I finally get to doze off, its time to go pee or time to get up already...

Funny thing is people still ask me if I am pregnant? I look like I have a basketball under my clothes, hehe. As long as the baby is growing well and knowing that the discomforts are temporary, I'm slogging on (like I have a choice?).

I long for the days when I can run for the bus, walk briskly, going up and down the stairs won't leave me gasping for air. What with the frequent Braxton Hicks contractions to cope with too...I want my active life back!

Where's the cow?

I've been feeling like a beached whale, cow, whatever that is heavy and sluggish - that's me. I thought I must have put on a tonne of weight coz my back is aching like crazy. Reading other pregnant women's blogs have been much help becoz they all feel the same - heavy and aching.

Not having enough sleep seems to be the norm now. Can't get a comfortable position to sleep long enough to feel rested. Have to get up many times to pee and that's not helping!

Last night was a nightmare! We had guests and we served them coffee. The coffee, made by my husband, was soo soo good I drank 2 cups (which was no big deal if I wasn't pregnant). Then I had the worst night - my body was kinda lying on the bed BUT my brain was working - buzzing about. AND the baby was having a stressful time too. Guess it couldn't sleep either! It was kicking so vigorously whatever position I was lying. By the end of the night, I was having migraine and not up to anything else but just lying in bed - with loads of housework put on hold.

I've been drinking so much water, trying to flush out the caffeine out of my system, I practically have to pee every 5 minutes. Yikes.

Note to self : NEVER NEVER DRINK COFFEE AT NIGHT. AGAIN.

Then the routine visit to the Dr revealed something that surprised me : I have put on all of 800g since the last visit a month ago. 800g. 0.8 kg. Now where did all those food I ate go?

In view of my not-much-weight-gained situation, I've been told to EAT MORE (can you believe that??!). AND the best thing is that - I dont have to go for the icky Glucose Tolerance Test!! YIIIPPPPEEE!!!

I see you!

I had a developmental scan done recently, at 22 weeks.

On reaching the hospital, I had to pee (I do that like 350 times a day now). That was a mistake. Coz to see a clear, fuzz-free scan, you need a full bladder. And having, *cough cough* a thick layer of fat on my tummy (though the sonographer politely said "a thick layer of skin"). The scan was kinda fuzzy (though it looked fine to me, the untrained eye). She spent a whopping 45 minutes locating organ after organ.

She measured the maternal blood volume going to the uterus, locate the main blood vessels - the aorta and the pulmonary vein, the kidneys, bladder, stomach, different brain lobes, the umbilical cord.

Then checked the heart function - whether the blood flow is normal - in colour - the four chambers present, the valves in working order - all to rule out possibilities of having to anticipate a heart disorder. I had to turn slightly towards my right coz the baby was not in a position to show the best scan. I was impressed!

Then she measured the various arm and thigh bones, even showed us the little feet and fingers!! The cranial bones measured and we are through. The report said everything is in order. ALL PRAISES TO GOD!

She even gave me a blurred photo, which looks like an alien, with the eye sockets visible. But I love it anyway.

Then a quick visit to the Dr, who said the baby was growing very well, to continue my vitamins and that was it. Scheduled another appointment in 4 weeks and another routine scan in 8 weeks.

I also have to go for the GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) at 28 weeks, which I have not calculated whether its gonna be in Ramadhan or not. This test requires an overnight fasting and then on reaching the hospital, have to drink a thick, extremely, excruciatingly sweet and concentrated glucose syrup, which I've seen have made some women puke. It would have been more drinkable if it was cold and carbonated. Then a tube of blood would be taken at an hour's interval each, for the next 3 hours and the glucose level measured in each.

The pregnancy books I have been reading seem outdated already. I can get unlimited information from the Internet now, on everything and anything about pregnancy I need to know, as long as I can bear to stare at the monitor.

Still constipating...but bearable, hehe. Hey, some have it worse.

(Err, tried to upload some scan pictures off the net, but Blogger not in a good mood today??)

Hic...hic...Drunk?

Had a scare last week.

I am constipating very badly. The pregnancy hormones relaxes the digestive muscles so they get a bit lax. I have been a, ehem, very "regular person", every morning without fail, but this week it got worse.

So I went to get fruits. Loads of them.

My favourite is the Sarawak pineapple. Sweet and juicy. Can't get enough.

Then I also had longans - I must've have eaten at least half a kilo! Sedappp. Juicy, succulent and sweet.

Then papaya, rock melon and rambutans.

Hmmm. For lunch AND dinner. That filled me up. Then it happened.

I was lying on my back. Usually the baby would move when I do that. But tonight - NO MOVEMENT.

I waited and waited. For the next 2 days and 2 nights. NO MOVEMENT!!.

I read all the antenatal books about fetal movements but most only mention the case for action when you are almost due or overdue - which I am neither.

Anyway, at 20 weeks, if there are no fetal movements either -

1) My fat layer is soo darn thick I can't feel much
2) Wait for the next checkup (which was like 2 weeks away)
3) Go to the Dr

At 20 weeks, there is not much that can be done. Womb is still best. If there is no heartbeat found then, sorry. The body will expel the "remnants" naturally within 3 weeks. No medical intervention needed.

I decided to go to the Dr, though my husband said I should wait - coz the baby's probably asleep. I have eaten A LOT OF FRUITS, remember? The fruits probably turned to liquor and made the baby drunk. Hmmmmmmmm.

But I did anyway. My peace of mind is most important. I need to know. Good news or bad news.

So off I went to the see the Dr. He was quite perplexed. But he examined me anyway. The moment he put the heartbeat monitor, I could hear the heartbeat, beating fast and strong. Oh THANK GOD! He also checked whether I was leaking any amniotic fluid. But no.

"Dont worry too much. Your baby is OK. This is not your first right? I know the miscarriage might have scared you but everything looks fine for the moment".

I was almost crying, thinking how silly, but GLAD that everything's OK.

AND the fruits only helped me for one day. I'm back constipating the day after. Guess I have to eat more fruits...pass me that bag of duku-langsat please...

Food......with a capital F

Have not been updating frequently because I cannot stare at the computer screen for long now - I get dizzy and nauseous (must be all the +ve ions from the monitor).

So I will update bit by bit and S-L-O-W-L-Y.

My cravings are under control (so far). I am, at this very moment, longing for a cold, thick mango juice with those chewy black sago (also called "pearls"). Ooohh. So much for control, huh?

Then I saw claypot rice on some masak-masak blog and now I'm wondering what that taste like!

Otherwise I am happy with Heinz baked beans, eaten out of the can (reminisence of hostel days) or on toast with scrambled eggs - for breakfast, lunch and dinner - and the occasional frozen grapes (they are awesome!).

I am halfway there, at 20 weeks.

Saw my "bun" in the oven when I had the ultrasound scan done at 18 weeks and have absolutely fallen in love with my "bun" (swooon). Its a tight fit in there. Movements are getting stronger everyday and we play our little games when I'm lying flat in bed.

I get breathless when I stand or lie down at times and the Dr said I should go to the hospital if I get chest pains at the same time or when my breathlessness gets too much to bear. And I'm not referring to THAT kind of breathlessness.

I do look pregnant now and not FAT! There is a definite baby bum, yeay!

Too early, too early...

I was at the mall, went to the babies' section. Hmm. Babies' clothes are soooo cuttte! Almost bought some but its TOO EARLY....

I was making enquiries about the whereabout of my old cot. Its been passed around the family. But then the last person left it at a rented place and left the country without it, so chances are we wont get it back. But I noticed the cots are getting cheaper and has many more varieties, so hopefully I can get one. But then again ins TOO EARLY....

Its been 18 weeks, another 22 weeks to go...

Hello again!

I've been down with - morning sickness. Its been a tumultuos 3 months. My mouth tastes like rubber (no, not THAT rubber..) and metal and sour and salivating too much. I spit a lot coz I get full swallowing my own saliva!

I have headaches spells. I don't know why they call it MORNING sickenss coz I have it round the clock - from the time I wake up to the time I sleep.

I have not been very friendly either, hehe. My partner thinks I don't like him anymore! I can't stand the smell of smoke, steam from rice cooking or coffee, blleargh..

BUT

I'm getting better. I'm into dried apricots today. And fried battered mushrooms, YUM! And butterhead lettuce. Can't get enough of that!

Haven't been baking either coz I get tired easily. The last thing I baked were egg tarts and they were gone in minutes. To make the shortcrust (pastry) in this not weather, I practically rolled and cut the dough with my head in the freezer! But it was ooooiiiiissssshhhhiiii delicious! Nothing like those you buy at the bakery. They are just not the same.




If I feel well enough, I might make caramel custards today.

Sex and the (long) Married Couple (Part II)

If you have a good sex life, it occupies about 10% of your relationship - and if you don't, its about 90%.

When sex is fulfilling, you both enjoy it and move on to other things. BUT if you are not satisfied, then someone feels hurt, rejected and confused and the problem consumes the marriage.

OK. That what made me write the previous entry.

Sex and the (long) Married Couple

I want to have a go at this for a long time. I have so many things to say but they are all jumbled up but I sorted them somewhat when I read kj's long entry that definitely you cannot digest at one sitting.

And my girlfriends have been talking about it for years...

*Thank you* kj for letting me quote parts of her blog entries. :)

A lot of blogs have been written by husbands about their wives "losing" interest in sex after being married for many many years. And its always the wives fault. Hmm.

This is a GENERAL observation. Not every man is as described below but MOST are, hehe.

Lets see:

Stay-home-wives have to manage the house, cleaning it, maintaining it to look like a home (I'm not going into detail but you get the jist). Then - kids - what nutritious food to feed them today? Have they done their homework? When are their exams coming up? How are their doing with their friends (again the list goes on). In short, multitasking is an understatement in a woman's world.

Wives who ALSO work out of the home work, deal with bossy boss, nasty and (some nice) colleagues, deadlines, deadlines, meetings, overtime. Then work continues again at home, regardless whether you have help or not but when you get home you change roles from a boss/secretary/factory-woker to a mother+ homemaker+dish-washer+laundromat+cook+waitress...the list goes on (I'm getting tired just thinking about it)

Husbands work, come home to a home cleaned by wife/cleaner, eat home-cooked meals cooked by wife/cook, served dinner by the wife/waitress, read newspaper, wait for kids to go to bed, lie in bed with his hands behind his head, tv on, with a hard-on, waiting...for sex.

Husband is KING. Wife is QUEEN? Uh-uh more like.... (fill in the blank)

Note: AGAIN, not ALL men but enough men.

Wife: E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D. Sex is the LAST thing on her mind.
(Does he think lying there with a hard-on is ALL I need??!)

Husband: D-I-S-A-P-P-O-I-N-T-E-D
(darn, I waited so long for her to finish the chores and put the kids to bed, and I'm not getting ANY?!)
and declares "she is not interested in sex anymore." SIGH.

BUT

Who doesn't like to be horny?

(Quote) KNOW WHAT? It's a nice feeling. Being horny. Really nice. LIKE YOU'RE ALIVE. And young again. And sexy.

Guys turn on like a hotplate....gals are like crockpots...we warm up SLOWLY.

SO this is what WOMEN want (if you want sex tonight) :

I need the seduction thing going on all day long. Send me sexy e-mail, sms-es, tell me how great my hair looks, admire my eyes and tell me I've got a great ass/boobs. Notice that I have groomed myself just for you. Even that new clip/hairband on my hair you mention makes you closer to closing the deal to sex tonight.

HELP ME with the household chores and kids so my energy is not zapped out or ll be nodding off to la-la land with your hard-on in my hand!

Call me "baby" and look at me with those eyes and let me see how you are begging for my touch. When we finally get some time alone, don't strip down and just wait there...keep your clothes ON and let me peel them off. We don't get turned on by instant "naked"...it's the game we want to play.

PLAY THE GAME !!!

I FEEL SOMETHING. I'M ALIVE. I FEEL SEXY. SENSUAL. DEMANDING. SUBMISSIVE. DESIRED. DESIRING. LUSTFUL.

I want to attack. I want to be attacked. I want tender and soft, I want hard and furious. I want it every which way. I want to be enveloped, dominated, caressed, loved.... everything, all of it.

Wives love pleasing their husbands when they are turned on. But they have to BE TURNED ON.

When women are turned on, isn't it worth all the little details men paid attention to? Don't men like pleasing their wives? After all when a woman is turned on, you can lay back with your hands behind your head and watch her unfold....

Sex and Little Girls

Now, more than ever, influences from the west are at its strongest.

Being sexy, is no longer adults' territory. Little girls under 12 are made to feel that their sexuality need to conform to certain standards before they are cool. And they are believing it!

At the mall, I was overwhelmed by the fact that clothes for these little girls are getting more and more skimpy, more flesh being bared. Very very very short skirts, jeans that start at the hips and expose their butt cracks (already?), fake nails, high heels, belly-button-baring extra extra small baby t-shirts.

Why are parents allowing their innocent little girls to dress like streetwalkers?

Dream Kitchen

I dream of a country kitchen

with modern appliances

and a traditional charcoal oven

for authentic breads and pizzas, (yummy)

and classic country pottery

with lots of woody fixtures

spacious islands to knead and mix

- bread - savoury and sweet

cakes

and cookies.

And just outside, fresh herbs in pots.

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