And there was a time...: week 36

Boy it was a hectic week. Not from work, but all other things.

STarted Monday (22nd Dec) with a Dr's appt. Yeah, the much anticipated 'wait' to 'fil up' my capacity is finally here. Got my bag packed and checked with my insurance. I can't claim from my insurance if I'm not warded, hence I can't do a day-care treatment. So, I HAD to get myself admited.

The best part was, this 'admission' was in a way weird. Cos usually your Dr tells you when to be admitted into hospital, right? But this time, no. My Dr asked me 'So, when will it be good for you to be admitted?' I nearly laughed out. So I just told him I'm ready for today. So just do it la. Gosh! Admitting youself into hospital has never came across to me as a tedious process. Perhaps it was also timing, cos it's holiday season and those 'front desk' people were left with only 2, and it took me more than 1 hour to get myself admitted. Boy oh boy!

So why did I have to be hospitalised? Well, I had to 'refill' or medically, increase my red blood cell count to an acceptable level. This is in case of any surgery needed while delivery. I'm praying for a normal delivery, hence no surgery, but its just procedure to ensure that I'm at a safe level, if any emergency surgery is needed.

HOwever, surprisingly my Hb that morning was on a 9-month high! I was at 6.9. Fantastic! I was surprised. I needed to add 2 pints of blood la.

I finally got myself into my ward at about 3pm plus. By the time I got comfy, it was about 4pm and then hubby went home first la. Dr came in about almost 5pm to 'poke' me...hahaha he inserted that needle thingy into my left wrist into that vein of mine. Then I was put on drips till the blood was ready. Bout 6pm of so then they came and administered the blood. Aiyo....so complicated. Some more there's the white blood cell filter. Yeah, it amazes me - this filter-thingy. I didn't get to ask the Dr so I asked the staff nurse but she doesn't know how it works.

Blood with the filter

I was stuck with this from 6pm onwards....I had to 'ferry' it around everytime I went to the toilet. TO make things worse, apparently I was administered with this drug which would cause frequent urination. Aiyo, imagine the hassle.

I was in a 2-bedded ward, but before I was put on the drip, the lady beside me 'moved' out. The nurse told me she moved into a single-bedded room. I guess it wasn't ready when she got there. I got a little worried about what would happen later that night. :)

I kept myself sane by channel surfing but at that time, there wasn't much on TV or paid TV channels. I ended up watching Disney channel. hahaha Then I did some reading and Dr Siti came by at about 7pm. Saying she'll pop by tomorrow and I may have to go to her clinic to scan.

Dinner came and went and after that I was strapped on to this CTG (dunno what it meant) where fetal movement n heartbeat was recorded for 30mins. So I was lying down with a belt strapped on the tummy. Can't move much. By that time, there was about 1/4 left of that 1st pint. But it was really, really slow then. After about another hour or so, finally the nurse came in to 'pressurize' the pack by putting that pint into a bag which would be pressurised. It looks like the device used to take ur blood pressure readings, but this is in a bag form.

Thank God the other lady moved out already. SO hubby stayed on till midnight. Otherwise by 930pm he would be chased out! Only until midnight, this bit of blood finally finished. Apparently its due to the filter that causes it to be so slow.

The 2nd pint came and right from the begining it was put into that pressurized bag. After about 1.5hours, I noticed that blood was trickling and was really slow again. SO I 'called' the nurse and she came in puzzled too. Finally after a while, she decided to depressurize the bag and remove the blood from there and noticed that it was all gone! hahaha the 1st took almost 6 hours and the 2nd was only about 1.5 hours. A 'normal' duration is about 3 hours or so la.

So that was my adventure. My 'ordeal' was supposed to end bout 2am. However I was not left in peace. Every 2 hours, the nurse would come in and take my temperature and blood pressure readings. Aiyo...so mafan (troublesome). And at one time also fetal heartbeat. I didn't sleep well.

I ended up waking up at 645am (almost like any other working day) and felt groggy and not well-rested. PErhaps that was how they wanted me to be - to feel like I'm in hospital. hehehe otherwise I'd be too cheery and not sick-like...

I waited anxiuosly for breakfast but was totally dissapointed. They chose oatmeal for me. Adoi! So I ended up eating the bread only and my own supply of 'bytes'.

Dr Siti came and saw the CTG results and said to see me to scan at her clinic. Then, Dr Ng came in to check on me, I felt the same as before though I'm supposed to be 'energized' now. I guess its because to begin with I wasn't the wee bit tired or feeling lethargic. I Was ready to go home.

Went for the scan. Baby is now 2.63kg at 36 weeks. I finally 'told' Jr that he can come anytime now as we're all ready for him! We can't wait for his arrival!