My Fairy Princess - Ye YuXi

16 March 2005 - The Most Unforgettable Day of My Life
(The Birth of My Sweetie Pie, My Fairy Princess)

6.00am
As advised by Shirley (nurse), I need to have my last meal for today (which has to be something light) before 6.30am. So I got up extra early to prepare my fish porridge.

6.30am
Showered and dressed up and had my porridge by 6.45am. Nick went to the coffee shop and came back to take the fish porridge that I have prepared, but he couldn’t finish it as it tasted yucky to him.

7.30am
Boon Seng arrived at our block downstairs. I felt so excited and strange, but very happy as the day that I have been anticipating for the last 37 weeks have finally arrived. Nic told me he felt excited too, like when he was collecting his O’level’s results.

8.00am
We arrived at the admission of Mt E Hospital and went to “check-in”. I felt like we are going for a 4day3night holiday/honeymoon. Felt very happy but at the same time, keep worrying about the C-delivery and whether my baby will be okay. Nick has promised me that everything will be alright.

8.30am
We were brought to our room (Rm 4435) where I will be spending the next 4 days. The room is nice and cheery. The nurse told me to settle down first whereby she will later come again to prepare me for the delivery. I feel so happy and in love with Nic and our daughter who will be born in a few hours time.

9.00am

We settled down and took some pictures of me with baby still in my tummy. I look so fat!

10.30am
Thereafter, Nick went to have coffee at the Coffee Bean. He came back later and told me that he took the breakfast set!

10.45am
Caroline from StemCord came to brief us on the collection of Tanya’s cord blood as well as to give us the collection kit. She is very long-winded and I was getting worried that she might blow too much of my time as I have to start preparing for my surgery at about 11.30am. Luckily, she finished everything on time.

11.30am
I had to change into a blue surgery robe and the nurse came to prepare me for the surgery. Despite my protest, she had to shave a little of my bikini hair, as she explained that the incision will be rather low. The she administered the Enema, yucky!!

12.00nn
I was asked to lie on a bed (with wheels) and was pushed to the operating theatre, which is on the 3rd floor and a slight distance away. I have never had this experience before, again it felt very strange, me with my big protruding belly, being wheeled into OT, with my hubby walking beside me, armed with our Sony digital camera.

12.15pm
When we reach the OT, Nick went off to change into his sterile suit and I was parked at the waiting area. So many nurses came and asked me various questions, repeatedly, so lo-so. Shortly, Nick came back and joined me and we chit-chatted a little.

Nic tried to re-assure me that there is nothing to worry about the surgery. So I asked him if he has ever been in a surgery before. He said yes, for the removal of a small benign growth on his arm (Cheh!)

12.30pm
I was being whisked to the surgery room (without Nick first), whereby the anesthetician began preparing me for the epidural. He was very fast. First was a drip which was attached to my left arm. It was quite painful. Then, the he said he was going to give me an injection and the real thing on my lower spine. I was very nervous and asked him if it was going to be painful, which he replied is about the same as the needle insertion for the drip.

I was asked to lie on my left side and to bring my knees to my chest and curl up like a cooked prawn. A male nurse stood on my left side and held my limbs very tightly to ensure that I don’t move during the injection and the insertion for the epidural. I remembered jerking a little when they swiped my back with the cold alcohol wipe and then trying very hard not to move. It was such a relief when it was done! Within a minute or two, I felt that I have lost both my legs from the waist down, and also a sensation of pins and needles.

Various monitors were attached to my chest and one on my finger (to monitor oxygen flow), and also, the catheter (yucky!) for the urine.

12.40pm
Dr Selina Chua, Shirley and Heather arrived. So did Nick. My surgery was starting. Selina cracked some jokes and I was getting excited. Nick told me that they have begun cutting open my lower belly using a laser and that he could smell burnt flesh. Only then did I realize that I was being cut-up!

I could feel quite a bit of pushing and shoving in my tummy. “What big bums!” laughed Selina. So our baby Tanya entered this world bums first. After a moment, the anesthetician came behind my head and pushed at my chest downwards for about 3-4 times.

Nick later told me that Tanya’s head was stuck in between my rib cage for about 10 second and that’s why they needed to push her head out. During that time, he felt scared and panicked.

12.53pm

Wats dat? Finally light at the end of the tunnel??...

Tanya was out! And after a second or two, she started wailing loudly. I wondered if she cried due to shock from being so abruptly pulled out from my womb, having residing comfortably in there for the past 37 weeks.

*screaming via tongue curling* ... why they pull m...

It was such a strange feeling hearing her first cries. She was then handed to the pediatrician, Dr Siva, for inspection and cleaning up.

Nick immediately snap into action, taking photos and videos of Tanya, (and also the placenta , which I later deleted away cos it looked so yucky!).

The small table where Tanya was being cleaned up on was on my right and I could see her clearly for the first time. I should say that I felt such relief that she is so fine.

A nurse then placed little Tanya on my chest and I could see how delicate her sweet face was. She had stopped crying and was quavering just that little bit. Her eyes were opened, looking at me. I would have liked to carry her a little longer but there was a sharp pain on my right shoulder which Selina said was due to blood flow irritating my diaphragm.

I told Nick how small Tanya felt to me, but Nick thought that I said Tanya was snoring!

We then took a few snapshots of me, with Tanya and also Nick. We are a family at last!

Finally... my baby Tanya. After the whole ordeal, out of the OT and all bundled up... muak muak.