DAY 17 | Saturday
We had iftar over at my MIL's place. It was awesome. They bought food from downstairs and just shared everything. And of course, my favourite Pandan Tea.
My SIL went to Tampines Hub Bazaar to get this and the sauce and hotdog was great! Loved it. I don't really fancy the dough around it though. It was too thick and sweet for my liking.
And OMG, my SIL baked a cake for us to eat and they sang a birthday song for me. What did I do to deserve such people in my life? I'm just so thankful for them. the brownie cake was da bomb. It was a shame that I had ulcer on my throat on that day so I couldn't eat more than a few bites.
Look how big this family has grown. Love them to bits. Baby SR is sleeping in the room though. So cute.
DAY 18 | SUNDAY
In the morning, we called a guy to come in and clean our mattresses for dustmites. The water came out so disgustingly black. I'm so gonna gonna call in this guy more often.
We were suppose to iftar at my parents' house but something unexpected happened at about 3pm right after Adam woke up from his nap. I was giving him his post nap hugs(it's an official thing in my house) and my tummy started to hurt real bad. At first it felt like cramps. Subsequently, it started to sting. I was hoping it was just a really bad tummy ache and once I passed motion it would go. But it didn't. I suddenly had diarrhea and the stinging became worse. It was right on the lower part of my right abdomen. So at that point I was crouching and groaning. My whole tummy was cramping and the right side of my tummy hurts like hell.
Wan was napping so I had to wake him up and tell him that my tummy hurts. He told me to get ready and go see a doctor. I told him that I needed a few minutes because I couldn't even get up and walk. The pain was unbearable. After about half an hour and the pain didn't subside, I made a decision to go to KKH. There was no other gynae that was opened on a Sunday at that time so we had no choice. I called my dad to come and fetch Adam to put him at their house first. We then drove to KKH with me groaning in pain.
Once we reached KKH, we waited for a good half an hour before entering to see the gyane. There were two gynaes/ doctors in the room. They did an ultrasound to check if baby is fine and they inserted a speculum to ensure that my cervix was still closed. Everything was fine so they ruled out threatened miscarriage. They sent me home without any medications and told me that it could just be gas or my muscles expanding. Miraculously, the pain kinda subsided a little. Don't get me wrong, it still hurt but I could walk straight by then. So I thought maybe they were right. Maybe it's just really bad wind.
We drove back to my parents' place and had iftar. My parents' ordered nasi ambeng. My dad made nasi basmati for me since I couldn't eat white rice because of my reflux. It was delish. I ate quite abit and I gobbled a few epok epok too.
My baby boy gave me this and wished me happy birthday. Isn't he the sweetest? #biasedmum
After about an hour and a half, my tummy started hurting so bad again. During iftar, the pain was bearable. I thought that if I ate, it would go away. Little did I know that was the exact thing that I shouldn't have done. I was groaning in pain on the bed. I told Wan I wanted to go home. My mum told me to rest a a little before going home. So I did. I couldn't walk again. It was really painful.
At about 10.30pm, we packed up ready to head home but Wan suggested that I just sleep over at my parents' place. They live super near a hospital and if needed in the middle of the night, my dad could just send me and there would be someone to look after Adam. I thought about it and told Wan that I couldn't wait and I had to go and see a doctor there and then.
Initially Wan told me rub some oil on my tummy and rest so that we could go to our gynae in the morning but I just couldn't take the pain. Wan agreed so we drove to Thomson Medical this time. My gyane wasn't around so we had to see the GP on duty. He was so young and damn kind. Very Kpop-ish. He told me to lie down and checked my tummy. He was surprised that I was hurting so bad. He told me, "Most people would be crying. I don't know how you can still walk around!" He told us straight up that it was appendicitis. He said that people rarely gets it during pregnancy. He told us to wait outside as he contacted my gynae for further actions.
I was so shocked. APPENDICITIS?!?!Seriously?!! When I'm pregnant?!?! It's rare?! The pain was damn crazy.
DAY 19 | MONDAY
The doctor then told us to go to a hospital's Accident and Emergency Department on the spot and get myself admitted for a surgery. Apparently it was urgent. By then it was about 12am. We decided to head over to Changi General Hospital. I was still in so much pain. I got Wan to wheel me in a wheelchair because I just couldn't walk anymore. We got to see the doctor and of course my pulse rate had to go up to 125bpm. He took blood and urine tests to confirm that it is really appendicitis as it is very rare to get it in pregnancy. He explained to us that it was difficult for them as I was pregnant so I couldn't do any X-rays or CT scans. I was told not to eat or drink since that point on.
We had to wait about an hour for the results and when it came, it was what we expected. Appendicitis. I was being given an IV drip and antibiotics. We had to do the admission and registration as I was wheeled around in a wheelchair.
We were brought to A&E Observation area where they have rows of beds for those who has yet to get beds in the wards. By then it was already about 3am. Wan was allowed to sit with me on the bed. the beds were so near to each other that Wan had to sit at the foot of my bed because the sides were too narrow. Can you imagine?
Doctors and nurses came to check on me. I was told that at about 9.30am, I will be going for an ultrasound to check and confirm if it's really appendix. The doctor in-charge was really nice and had kind eyes. He explained things really slowly for us. He told us that if the ultrasound doesn't work(they rarely use ultrasound to check for an inflamed appendix so they were not confident and I had to wait for the senior consultant to do it), they will have to send me for MRI scan. Those were the only two safe options they had cause of my pregnancy.
So during the ultrasound, it was really painful. They apologized over and over again as they had to press hard into my tummy to get a good picture. The ultrasound took well over an hour as I had to wait for four different specialists to do the ultrasound. Apparently, it was a new and rare thing for everyone. I was then sent back to the observation area to wait for the results. La dee dum, it was confirmed appendicitis.
They got me a ward and told me that I will be going for surgery at about 2pm. 2pm passed and no one came. At about 4pm, one of the surgeons came up to talk to me. She told me that the anesthetist is skeptical about going on with the surgery. I was like WTH. You waited the whole day to tell me this? They told me they had to call my gynae to check and they also had to call other surgeons for a collated opinion. They had never done this surgery on a pregnant lady before and the anesthetist suggested that we go over to SGH or KKH for the surgery. Wan and I was a little pissed but I knew where there were coming from. I was just angry that I had to wait in pain the whole day for nothing. At that point they kept asking me if needed panadol but I refused because what's the point? Panadol doesn't even help me with my menses cramps. They told me that an ambulance will come and get me at 9pm. I had to wait again.
So when it was time for iftar, Wan bought rice from downstairs and ate on my bed. I just sat and stared hungrily but in all honesty, I'm just happy that he gets to eat something he likes. He must have been so tired waiting all those times.
At about 9pm, the paramedics came. Having the paramedics wheeled me on the stretcher bed and into the ambulance was really scary. As we made our way there, I was lying down facing the back of the ambulance as Wan and the nurse sat on my right. I made a prayer saying that I wouldn't ever want to be in an ambulance again.
I was wheeled into a ward where two nurses helped me get changed into the hospital gown. In a few minutes, a gyane came with a doppler to check on my baby. After that, a team of doctors came and explained about the appendectomy that I'm going for. They told me that the earliest I could go in for surgery would be in the morning.
DAY 20 | TUESDAY
Wan then sat at then lobby area as he wasn't allowed in the ward after visiting hours. At about 12am, two nurses came in and told me that I had to change into a robe as I needed to get ready for surgery now. I was so shocked. I had already mentally prepared myself that the surgery will be the next day so I was a little scared when I was wheeled into the operation theatre. The told me the operation would take around an hour at most two hours. I went in at almost 1am and got out at almost 4am.
Wan had to wait outside. Poor baby. I remembered a nurse waking me up in the operation theatre post surgery. My tummy really really hurt. I was groaning away. She told me that she would give me panadol through my IV drip. After God knows how long, I remember hearing her voice again asking me how I'm feeling. I told her it still hurts so so much. She apologized a couple of times saying that she cannot give me anything stronger than panadol as I was pregnant. It was so damn painful. I remember seeing Wan walking along side as the nurses push me back to my ward. Wan told me that I was whining the whole time saying, "sakit,sakit,sakit."
Back at the ward, they gave me milo to drink after 35 hours of no food and drinks. I literally couldn't swallow the milo. I immediately threw up. After that, they crushed my panadol for me and I told them there was no way I couldn't swallow that. I couldn't even swallow water at the point. They then gave me panadol through the drip. Even after the panadol I was in so much pain! Wan was already so tired at that point.
At about 8am, a lady doctor came to check my wound. She told me that she will order painkillers in the form of injections for me and that I have no reason to bear with the pain that I was feeling at that point. I felt like hugging her. At last, someone who understands! They gave me the injection. It helped me sleep for about two hours and then the pain came back. I asked for stronger medications but the nurses said that I can only take panadol. Argh. I was so frustrated.
After my cesarean with Adam, the pain was bearable because the painkillers given were really strong but this time, it was just panadol. Fricking panadol! I told myself to bear with the pain and rested the whole day, I couldn't even eat or drink even if I wanted too.
At about 1pm, they served lunch. Porridge and apples. I finished the apples. I couldn't even swallow the porridge. I was still on drips because I was still dehydrated after two days of not eating an drinking.
I continued resting as I was still very groggy and dizzy from the anesthesia. I refrained myself form going to the toilet because I couldn't even see straight, let alone walk to the toilet. But with pregnancy bladder, you know it's impossible. I kept falling in and out of sleep. I don't even remember at what times Wan was by my side. For dinner, they served porridge, long beans, fish and watermelon. I ate the long beans and fish but still couldn't eat the porridge. Oh, I finished the watermelon too.
As it was time for iftar, Wan got his food from the Kopitiam downstairs. I really don't know what I would do without him by my side the whole time. Oh, and he did the honor of finishing my fish and beans. My parents came by for iftar. They ate together with Wan. They went home after the visiting hours were over and I rested some more. My body felt so damn tired but I couldn't sleep. My tummy doesn't hurt as much as before but I can feel a little stinging on the appendix site and lots of angry wind in my tummy. I prayed that I could go back the following day.
DAY 21 | WEDNESDAY
In the morning, a gynae came with a doppler to check baby's heartbeat. He was nice and gentle. He told me that at 10am, I will go for a proper ultrasound. My surgeon and his team of doctors then came down to check my wound and told me that I could be discharged. He gave me instructions to take care of the wound and diet conditions. At 10am, a porter pushed me to the pregnancy unit in SGH. Baby looked healthy and fine. The radiographer was so shocked that I just had appendectomy while being pregnant. She was really nice.
As we got back to the ward, we prepared for discharged. I was so happy and thankful but mostly in disbelief of the things that happened the past few days.
Baba came to fetch us and the moment we reached home, we crashed. I miss Adam so so much. i'm so thankful for my inlaws for taking care of him during this difficult time. They have been facetiming
me in the hospital just so I get to see Adam. May Allah reward their kindness with all his blessings.
So can you imagine us going to FOUR different hospitals in just a matter of hours just to get me treated?!?! Argh. Whatever it is, I'm thankful that it is over! Right now, Adam is still at my in laws', because I cannot even lift the kettle on my own so let alone handling Adam.
So for iftar, Wan made chicken breast for himself and I ate bihun fish soup he bought for me earlier in the day.
It has been such a crazy few days. I'm now still recovering at home. Wan helps me alot around the house. My hands are bruised from all the poking. I'm walking like an old woman bending over slowly. I look really creepy when I saw myself in the mirror. LOL.
Wan kept reminding me that all these 'rare' things keep happening to me because Allah knows that I can handle them and that he is giving me tests to wipe out all my sins. Amin!
Love,
Ja
