Mission IMPOSSIBLE!

26th Aug 08: Continuation of the Collection of Urine...

As the collected pee has to reach the laboratory within 2 hours, we had to wait till the next day to collect Darling's pee...

9am: I heard my Mother-in-Law "Shhh"-ing Isabelle in the toilet. Immediately, I dropped whatever I was doing and rushed into the toilet with the urine sample cup in my hand. I waited and waited and waited. There was no pee. Apparently, Isabelle has already peed in her nappy before feeding and my MIL was just making sure that she's cleared her bladder before making her sleep...

As the nurse in the clinic said that it would take about 45 mins for the milk to be converted into urine, we waitied for her next pee. Unfortunately, I was caught up with blogging and missed track of time. So, by the time I heard her make noise, her nappy was already wet. Now, we had to wait for the next round...

Sadly, we kept missing her pee. We were always one step behind... It was becoming impossible to collect her urine sample. And we were all feeling frustrated with an almost unaccomplishable task...

12pm: We fed her and tried to "wee" her. 4 adults standing in the toilet waiting for her pee... Nothing. So we estimated that her next pee timing would be around 1245pm.

12:45pm: Nappy was already wet... Sigh.... We are never going to be able to collect her pee...

In desperation, we stripped her butt-naked and my MIL carried her while she slept. And I sat beside her with the collection cup in my hand.

1:10pm: Still nothing. We decided to "wee" her in the toilet. 2 adults whistling in the toilet till the lips were dry. Nothing happened...

1:30pm: We tried to "wee" her in the toilet. Still nothing. Sigh.... This is really getting nowhere...

1:45pm: Attempted to "wee" her in the toilet again. No points for guessing that it was another failed attempt...

2pm: We tried again... Still nothing...... This is getting ridiculous.... Seems like she's never going to pee...

2:15pm: 2 crazy adults standing in the toilet to "wee" her... 1 was standing outside giving "moral" support. Alamak... She pooped instead of pee. I was cleaning her poop when suddenly, it HAPPENED! The golden shower came! I immediately picked up the collection cup and collected the pee!!! PHEW! I almost missed it because I was cleaning her poop. All of us cheered. I have never seen adults so happy to see a baby pee...

With her golden shower nicely collected, I headed to SGH to submit it... Hooray...

Mission Impossible: POSSIBLE!

Lousy Mummy, Shitty Daddy

25th Aug 08: 2nd Outpatient Appt

Today was Isabelle's review check-up at SGH O&G clinic for her thyroid and jaundice. As there were no available parking lots at the nearest car park, Alvin dropped us first to go register. Steady Mummy single-handedly carried Baby Isabelle and my BIG Bag of barang barangs (her health booklet and appt card and blood test form) and headed to the Registration Counter.

Not long later, the nurse came and took her vital stats:

Length - 49cm
Weight - 4.0kg

She has grown 1cm longer and put on 1kg!!!! (In just 18 DAYS!!!)

In the consultation room, the Paediatrician (Dr Lian) mentioned that her thyroid functions were already normal (PHEW!), but she had to do more tests to determine the cause of Isabelle's prolonged jaundice. And to do more tests, she would have to draw blood... This time, we were allowed to stay in the room to accompany Isabelle, but lousy scaredy-cat mummy preferred to wait outside. I didn't want to break out in tears when Darling starts to wail. So, we left the consultation room to wait outside. Even as we were outside, I walked all the way to the other end of the clinic, just so I won't hear her cry. (This mummy very lousy... Can't even give moral support...)

When it was finally all over, we went back in and this time, Isabelle did not look as traumatised as the first time. She didn't cry as much and as loud either. I guess this is because she has grown older, bigger and stronger.

Dr Lian also told us that she needed to do a urine test as well, so we had to collect Isabelle's urine. Challenging!!! We headed off to an empty room in hope of accomplishing our task. After all, Isabelle had just finished her milk (quietly, which is RARE as she's always a NOISY drinker!), so there should be some urine soon.

Objective: Collect Isabelle's Urine

Apparatus:
- Containers for urine collection x 2
- Kidney bowl x 2
- Cotton balls x 1 box
- Alcohol solution x 1 packet

Instructions:
- Pour the alcohol solution into the box of cotton balls
- Use the cotton balls to clean her private areas
- "Wee" her over the kidney bowl
- Collect the urine in the 2 containers given

We stripped her (bottom only), cleaned her and put her over the kidney bowl. Both of us started whistling, while Isabelle remained indifferent. We whistled until our lips were dry, and there was still NO PEE. Then Isabelle starting to cry. After all, she didn't like her butt cold. So, Alvin sat down, with the kidney bowl on his lap, with 1 hand carrying Isabelle and covering her butt and the other hand supporting her legs. We whistled and whistled and whistled, but to no avail...

Then it happened... She PEED... But her shit CAME OUT too!!! And it came splattering out, so her shit landed in the kidney bowl, on the floor and on Alvin!!! (Daddy got Shit from Isabelle!!!) She started crying so loud like as though she was being tortured. Quickly, I cleaned her up and carried her (still butt naked) while Alvin went to clean himself. Within seconds, she calmed down and fell asleep while mummy rocked and sang to her. With that, we requested to collect her pee at home and were told the pee has to be delivered within 2 hours from collection.

Mission Status: FAILED!

Mummy's Confinement Tonic

The confinement month was a very "trying" month for me. I had to be careful with what I eat. But worst of all, I had to eat things that I didn't like to eat - Liver and Kidney. To force myself to eat it, i cut up the livers and kidneys into small cubes of about 5mm x 5mm. Then I would mix it into the rice, together with vegetables, other meats and most importantly, GRAVY. I almost always end up swallowing instead of chewing... Lastly, fish bone soup. That is the most "exciting" food for me. As Isabelle has jaundice, I was advised not to take ginger, so it was fish soup without ginger. My GOD! The fishy taste is beyond description...

Then there were the TONNES of the typical gift - Chicken Essence. I received so many boxes of chicken essence that I could almost start selling them. Fortunately, the taste of room temperature chicken essence is still bearable. Since it's suppose to be good for my body and help me recover faster, I religiously drank it every day. Also, it was supposed to improve lactation (No wonder I'm a cow...). On top of that, I received many many DOMs. Total collection - 4 Big bottles, 1 small bottle.... It's probably going to take me YEARS to finish.... (Hmmm, I wonder who's giving birth next. The presents are already ready... hehe)

On the bright side, I also get to enjoy specially prepared, for confinement only, homemade salted chicken. It takes about 3 hours for the making of ONE salted chicken. And I had a total of THREE salted chicken, one per week. The salted chicken is absolutely YUMMILICIOUS! But, because it was very heaty, I never fail to get sore throat after eating it. Still, I swallowed every bit of the chicken.

The Making of Salted Chicken

1. Chx MUST be Dried --------------- 2. Prepare the Charcoal

3. Add in the Salt ------------------- 4. Mix the Salt well

5. Prepare Wrapping Paper ---------------- 6. Prepare the Herbs

7. Stuff herbs into the Chx --------------- 8. Wrap Chx Professionally

9. Nicely Wrapped Up Chx ---------------- 10. Put the Chx into the Wok

11. Cover the Chx With Salt ---------------- 12. Let the Chx Simmer

After 3 long hours...

The Homemade Yummy Salted Chicken is Ready to be Served

Isabelle's 1 Month PARTY

23rd Aug 08: From Afternoon till Late...

Isabelle's party was split into 2 sessions as our place was not big enough to accomodate all the guests. As such, she had an Afternoon Tea Attire and a Dinner Attire. However, both Mummy and Daddy were so busy that we took very few pictures only.

Photos of Isabelle's Man Yue Party

Food! Glorious Food! (with Red Eggs)

Afternoon Attire (with Ang Bao in hand)

Godma, Ah-Ma and Isabelle (Dinner Attire)

Ah-Ma and Isabelle (With Little Rabbit Shirt)

Nai-Nai and Friends and Isabelle

The Ang Baos are all MINE!!!

Throughout the entire afternoon and night, Isabelle was very very well-behaved. She only made a little noise when she wanted to drink her milk. Only "complained" a little bit when we were preparing the milk. Usually, she will cry the house down for us having to make her wait for milk. Also, she was passed over from hand to hand, auntie to auntie, without crying or making any noise. (If only she was like that EVERY day...)

When the whole celebration ended, she very quickly reverted back to her usual self. She started to throw tantrum and cried the entire house down while waiting for her milk to be ready... Sigh...

Preparation for Isabelle's 1 Month Celebration...

23rd Aug 08: Morning

Since we were celebrating Isabelle's Man Yue today, all of us woke up early to "prepare" her for "Big Day".

First, we cut her hair. Who else but Stylo Milo No. 1 Hairdresser Mummy who got the honours of cutting her hair. From this day forth, it will always be this mummy to cut her hair. (Without a doubt, she WILL hate it, like how I hated it when my mom cut my hair.) But of course, I'm doing a better job than my mom...

After cutting her hair, it was time for her "Man Yue" bath... She was enjoying her bath all the way until the part where her hair was being washed. And finally, she was happy and contented after being warmly wrapped with towel.

(Naked photos of her now will "haunt" her for LIFE!!! HAHA!!!)

And finally, what is a nice hair cut and a nice shower without a nice manicure... See how shiok this entire "Man Yue Baby Spa" treatment is...

Innovative Mummy!!!

15th Aug 08:
1 day after the Polyclinic Doc said we could try sunning Isabelle...

With her jaundice still not going down, and advised by the doctor from the polyclinic, Muumy tried to suntan her little darling. (Of course, later on we realised that even after sunning her, her jaundice did not recede.. Sigh)

Since Isabelle was to be suntanned (and not her mummy), I came up with an innovative way of sunning her, without myself getting sunned. I put her on the stroller and pushed her into a pavilion. So, while she sunned, mummy sat in the shade... (Hehe)... And of course, to protect her eyes, mummy was even cleverer!!! (See pictures...)

Isabelle's Jaundice (Part 2)

11th Aug 08 (Monday):
1 day after she was discharged from SGH for the photo-therapy of her jaundice, we brought her to the polyclinic to monitor her jaundice level, as instructed by the Paediatrician. "Sua-ku" mummy has never really been to a polyclinic, so I didn't quite know what to do. I pressed for the queue number to do her registration. Fortunately, I went to the information counter to ask after getting the queue number, cause it turns out I took the wrong one. Registration for babies is a different queue (apparently a shorter and faster queue. Hehe...)

Since it was our first time there, the nurse had to take her vital stats and note down all her health histories. While waiting for our turn, naughty Isabelle started to cry down the entire clinic. She was hungry! Without any choice, we had to find an empty consultation room for me to "bazooka" her. She was SOOOO hungry that it took us almost 30 mins and we were being "chased" out of the room even though she was not quite done yet. Anyway, it was enough to keep her quiet, so we let it be. After giving the nurse the details, we were instructed to go to the lab to do her SB test (the test for jaundice level one...). The thought of the pain that Isabelle will have to go through when they draw blood made my eyes watery.

At the lab, we had to take another queue number, we were 90th in line and they were only serving the 46th person. It was going to be a long wait... Then, to my surprise, the lab assistant saw us and said that babies get priority, so we were next. (Hehe, and just like that, we cut the queue!!) The scary moment came.... Time for them to draw her blood. OMG!!! I could not imagine. And this time, I was present while they drew her blood. Then I realised, they only needed to draw the blood from her heel and not her hand. It was a relief, but still, I was in fear...

The lab tech pricked her heel. She remained asleep and quiet. Phew! Then the lab tech squeezed her heel and used a capilliary tube to draw her blood. She was still asleep and quiet. Phew Phew!! First capilliary of blood completely drawn. They needed to draw a total of 2 tubes. As the lab tech was drawing the 2nd tube, she started to cry. So poor thing. All mummy could do, was to sayang her head and keep kissing her. Heartache. (But mummy didn't cry, because Darling didn't cry as loud and as poor thing as the other time.)

Finally, it was over! We were told to wait for the results as it would be ready in 5 mins. After 15 mins, the results were out. Dammit! The reading has gone up! It was 225 when she was discharged yesterday and 236 today! Now we had to wait to see the doctor and listen to the diagnosis.

The doctor was abit "blur" (I felt). Anyway, he said that the reading has gone up and that was not a good sign, so we were instructed to go back the following day to do the SB test again. Sian... have to wake up super early again and "chiong" to the polyclinic so that we can be first in line...

The whole "excursion" took 2 hours...

12th Aug 08 (Tuesday):
Today, we were smarter. We fed Isabelle around 7am so that she would not be hungry at the polyclinic. At the polyclinic, mummy was no longer a "mountain turtle" (Sua-ku). So I was able to get her registration done quite fast and go to the lab to do her SB test. Same thing, she got priority so we cut queue and went in for her blood test. It seems like Darling was "prepared" today. She did not make noise throughout the entire "procedure" and remained fast asleep!

SB result was 234. Hooray! It has dropped a bit, which meant that it was in the down trend. But still, the doctor (a different one from yesterday) ordered another test on Thursday. (At least I get to rest for 1 day). Total "excursion" time was only 45mins.

14th Aug 08 (Thursday):
Again, we had to "chiong" to the polyclinic early in the morning. Her SB result has dropped again to 230! Yippie! But of course the doctor said it was still not low enough as the readings should drop to below 100. And it turns out that on Monday, the lab missed out doing 1 test (which they charged me for!!) so we have to return on Saturday to do it. Got to wake up early and "piah" to the polyclinic again...

The doctor also mentioned that, though not medically proven, but according to the elders, we can try sunning Isabelle for 20 mins every morning before 10am. Of course, I diligently did that over the next few days...

Today was supposed to be Isabelle's EDD. How fast time flies. She's already 2 weeks old...

16th Aug 08 (Saturday):
With all the "sunning" efforts, we were anxious to find out the results of the SB test. As Isabelle has to do an additional test (Conjugated Bilirubin test), the lab tech had to draw MORE blood from her heel. If there was not enough blood from one heel, the lab tech will have to draw blood from the other heel!!! The amount of blood required were 2 capilliary tubes and 2 small vials. Throughout the whole procedure, the lab tech kept squeezing Darling's little heel for blood. Of course, Isabelle started to show her displeasure by crying. (It was probably painful, and she doesn't like her limbs being restrained!)

Again, we waited for the results of her SB test. The results of the Conjugated Bilirubin test will only be out on Monday, so we have to return on Monday again. (I was beginning to feel like a regular customer of the polyclinic). The conjugated bilirubin test will determine if her liver is fine.

Results of the SB test came back - 238!!!! I was confused! After all that sunning!??!?! It went up!!! !@#!@# The doctor (same "blur" one on Monday) asked us if we wanted to re-admit Isabelle. I rejected the notion as the Paediatrician told me that we only need to worry about her jaundice if the level exceeds 300. And that, because she's growing up every day, it is normal for her jaundice level to rise. (Oh well, Polyclinic diagnosis VS Paediatrican diagnosis...) Also, we wanted to wait for the Conjugated Bilirubin Test result to be out before we make any decision.

18th Aug 08 (Monday):
SB readings - 237! (Alamak, no change one.) Conjugated Bilirubin Test result was also ok. The polyclinic doctor (another different one) did a physical check on Isabelle. Again, Isabelle started to whine (she was being pressed and restrained). The doctor said that she should be fine and that the results were more or less hovering around the same values. And since we were going to bring her back to the Paediatrician for a routine check on Thursday, we didn't need to go back to the polyclinic any more. YEAH!!!

With Isabelle's 1st month celebration around the corner (23rd Aug), her scaredy-cat / "pun-tan" mummy decided to change the Paediatrician to the following Monday (25th Aug). Just to make sure that Isabelle gets to celebrate her 1 month birthday! Hehe...

Isabelle's "Exercise" Regime

At only 17 Days old, my Darling Isabelle has already invented her own "exercise regime". It was her regime before feeding, during feeding and after feeding!!! (NOT an easy task feeding her!)

Photos were taken with Daddy's Fastest Finger! Click-Click-Click non-stop!

------------ 1. All Hands Out ------------------------- 2. Hands Back In -----------

----------- 3. Right Hand Up ------------------------- 4. Right Hand Out ----------

--------- 5. Taste Right Hand --------------------- 6. Left Up, Right Out ---------

-------- "What To Do Next" ------------------------------ "Hmmm..." ----------------

---------- "Any how lah!" ------------------------ "Mmmm, milk milk time" ------

Photos of Cute Cute Darling

With her being so cute and naughty, Mummy cannot help but to give her pet names:

- Darling, Xiao Huai Huai (Little Naughty Naughty), Xiao Ke Ai (Little Cute Cute), Baby Xiao Qi and the latest one, Chub-Chub (She's SOOOOO CHUBBY!)

30th July: 2 Days Old (Nappy Changing)

Don't Like WET WET!!!!

Don't like to be EXPOSED!!!

Ahh... Warm and Nice...

***************************************

3rd Aug: 6 Days Old

Yes Ma'am! I shall drink my milk...

Don't let you see...

You look at me... I look back lor...