After being transferred to the "wheeling bed", I reminded the Nurse In-Charge that Alvin was going in with me. The nurse was like "huh", and said there was no mention of it. We (me and Alvin) panicked. I wanted him to go in with me!!! After much confusion, the nurse told Alvin to follow her to the Reception Counter outside the Operating Theatre. Even until that point in time, there was no clear indication that he could enter the OT with me.
In the meantime, I started to freak out. As I laid on the bed and was being wheeled into the OT, I started to cry. The thought of Alvin not being in there with me made it even worse. Now I know why my sister said that the hubbies should go in for moral support even though they won't be able to see anything (the entire surgery is being covered up from abdomen down). To make things worse, the nurse was wheeling me so fast that I started to see stars.
Finally, I reached the waiting area just outside the OT. Still, there was no news of whether Alvin would be in there with me. Anyway, I did tell Alvin that if they don't let him in, I would not let them proceed with the operation.
Before long, I was transferred onto the Operating Table. That's where the real "excitement" kicked in. The anaesthetists started poking needles into my wrist, first an injection to numb the area, and then connected another needle (which was connected to the IV) into the wrist. Then, I had to turn to my side and bend with my knees touching my elbow. That was perpetually IMPOSSBILE given the fact that I had a REALLY BIG tummy in between! The anaesthetist then told me that he was going to numb my back and inject epidural into my back to numb me from abdomen down. (I opted for LA so I could be awake to see the delivery of my newborn. Also, I was told that it was safer for the baby if I was on LA than GA.) To which, I asked a really stupid question "Is it going to be painful?" Of course, I found out the answer rather immediately: IT WAS FREAKING PAINFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt like I was going to "die" from all that pain!
Some point after that, they told me that Alvin would be coming in to join me soon. At that moment, it no longer mattered if Alvin was going to come in. I was feeling nausea and my head started to spin and my legs were getting numb. When Alvin did enter the room (in "spaceman" suit), I could not even bring myself to talk to him. I was having a very bad reaction to the epidural and my BP dropped to 40!
Unfortunately, throughout the entire surgery, I laid totally wasted on the Operation Table. I felt numb from neck down. I was only aware of 2 things: The surgery had started (but no idea what was happening exactly); and Alvin was holding my hand.
Alvin's observation: There was a big Green screen preventing him from seeing any part of the operation. But he could hear clanging of surgical instruments. At one point, the entire operation table was shaking violently as the procedure was on-going. (Should be due to the Gynae "digging" for the baby). The anaesthetist was monitoring my heartbeat and BP and was constantly pumping some medication into the needle in my hand (probably to keep me "alive"). The anaesthetist gave "live" commentary - "Legs out". The mid-wife then said "almost, almost". The anaesthetist continued "Can see body and hands".
Before I knew it, the baby was presented in front of me and Alvin. I had a blurry vision of a slightly blood-covered, curled up, "sleeping" baby. The baby was then taken away, to get cleaned up, and the next thing I knew, there was music to me ears - the sound of my Crying baby.
Not long later, a clean and nicely wrapped up baby was presented in front of us again. Ah, my darling Isabelle. It was now all worth it. The 9 months, the whole day morning sickness, the sudden urge to pee, the tiredness, the medical bills, the C-section and the epidural.
Alvin left me and followed the mid-wife and the pediatrician to the High-Dependency nursery ward. I continued to lay wasted on the operating table as the gynae started to clear out my insides and stitch me back up. When it was done, I was pushed into the "Recovery Room", where they infused Oxygen into my nose to continue to keep me "alive" and plugged a clip onto my index finger to monitor that I was still "alive". Apparently, my BP was still very very low and had to stay there for further monitoring. I mananged to fall asleep and eventually, the effects of the epidural started to wear off and I could start feeling my legs again.
Finally, I was being wheeled back into my ward, where Alvin was already there waiting for me...
Isabelle's "Vital" Stats:
Weight: 2.825 kg (6.125 pounds)
Length: 47cm
Head Crown: 34cm
* Baby was sent to High-Dependency nursery ward as I had gestational diabetes, so they had to monitor her blood glucose level after every feed. (They had to do the Prick Test on her tiny little heel.....)
28th July (1 day b4 Op)
29th July (just after op)
She's ARRIVED!!!!
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