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12 years ago
Monday, May 13, 2013
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Truly celebrating one month
During one of my massage sessions, my massage lady (she's fabulous btw! she speaks english and she doesn't use the smelly stuff) asked me if I knew the significance of celebrating a baby's full month (or full moon). To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it even though we did such a big do for John. It falls into the category of " just one of those things that you do because everyone else does it".
So she explained that many many years ago, the people in China didn't have the calendar like we do today, so they measured their months and days by looking at the moon. One cycle of the moon would approximately be about a month. Also, and the mortality rate of babies less than a month old in China was very high. And if the baby survives the whole cycle of the moon, there is a significantly higher chance he/she will live much longer.
So I thought that was an interesting piece of trivia to know, but then everything because terribly real when on New Year's Day, Sarah-Anne came down with a high fever. It was sudden and very high. We're talking 39 degrees for a new born baby. She was just 3 weeks old!
We got hold of her pediatrician Dr Ong and after examining her, he admitted her immediately. Fever in babies so small are considered dangerous so admission was necessary so she could be monitored throughout the day.
Within the hour of her admission, my poor baby had a needle stuck in her hand to draw blood and for the purpose of administering the IV antibiotics. It was terribly painful to see her cry and her hand bandaged up.
They did blood tests and cultures and while the reports showed that she had an infection, all the cultures came back negative. It wasn't a UTI and it wasn't a blood infection. So after a second blood test, and results showing the presence of an infection still (raised white blood cell count), Dr Ong decided to do a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to rule out meningitis.
Personally, I wasn't given much time to react, but after speaking to him before the procedure, he told me that with such small babies, their margin of error was very small and that it was necessary to rule out any cause of the infection.
I began to cry as I lay her down on the table. She was just looking around unawares of what was about to happen. I prayed in my heart that God would guide Dr Ong's hands and that the procedure would be swift without any complications. I wasn't allowed to witness the procedure and my confinement nanny and I stood outside. We heard her scream possibly the most fearsome cry and that was possibly the most painful 10 minutes of my life.
When it was over, I held her so tightly in my arms and quickly nursed her to comfort her. Within minutes, she fell asleep. I thanked God that the everything went well and Dr Ong managed to extract a clean sample of her spinal fluid.
That night (Thursday, 4 Jan), the results came out and she was cleared of meningitis. I was so thankful. So Dr Ong discharged us on Friday morning after 4 nights in the hospital. The cause of the fever is still unknown but because her fever broke by Thursday morning, Dr Ong allowed us to go home. She had to be on a week's worth of oral antibiotics though, and while that was still not desirable, it was definitely better than staying in the hospital.
So when we celebrated her reaching one month on 10 January, it was truly a celebration because just a week before that, there was the possibility that she wasn't going to make it. We want to thank God for sustaining us through the ordeal. If I hadn't had Jesus, His presence and His Words of comfort, I don't know how much worse the experience would have been. I am also thankful for all the prayers and support from my husband, my family and friends.
Blessed one month Sarah-Anne! We love you so so much!
So she explained that many many years ago, the people in China didn't have the calendar like we do today, so they measured their months and days by looking at the moon. One cycle of the moon would approximately be about a month. Also, and the mortality rate of babies less than a month old in China was very high. And if the baby survives the whole cycle of the moon, there is a significantly higher chance he/she will live much longer.
So I thought that was an interesting piece of trivia to know, but then everything because terribly real when on New Year's Day, Sarah-Anne came down with a high fever. It was sudden and very high. We're talking 39 degrees for a new born baby. She was just 3 weeks old!
We got hold of her pediatrician Dr Ong and after examining her, he admitted her immediately. Fever in babies so small are considered dangerous so admission was necessary so she could be monitored throughout the day.
Within the hour of her admission, my poor baby had a needle stuck in her hand to draw blood and for the purpose of administering the IV antibiotics. It was terribly painful to see her cry and her hand bandaged up.
Her bandaged little hand - seeing it really broke my heart.
They did blood tests and cultures and while the reports showed that she had an infection, all the cultures came back negative. It wasn't a UTI and it wasn't a blood infection. So after a second blood test, and results showing the presence of an infection still (raised white blood cell count), Dr Ong decided to do a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to rule out meningitis.
Personally, I wasn't given much time to react, but after speaking to him before the procedure, he told me that with such small babies, their margin of error was very small and that it was necessary to rule out any cause of the infection.
I began to cry as I lay her down on the table. She was just looking around unawares of what was about to happen. I prayed in my heart that God would guide Dr Ong's hands and that the procedure would be swift without any complications. I wasn't allowed to witness the procedure and my confinement nanny and I stood outside. We heard her scream possibly the most fearsome cry and that was possibly the most painful 10 minutes of my life.
When it was over, I held her so tightly in my arms and quickly nursed her to comfort her. Within minutes, she fell asleep. I thanked God that the everything went well and Dr Ong managed to extract a clean sample of her spinal fluid.
My little trooper the evening after her lumbar puncture
That night (Thursday, 4 Jan), the results came out and she was cleared of meningitis. I was so thankful. So Dr Ong discharged us on Friday morning after 4 nights in the hospital. The cause of the fever is still unknown but because her fever broke by Thursday morning, Dr Ong allowed us to go home. She had to be on a week's worth of oral antibiotics though, and while that was still not desirable, it was definitely better than staying in the hospital.
So when we celebrated her reaching one month on 10 January, it was truly a celebration because just a week before that, there was the possibility that she wasn't going to make it. We want to thank God for sustaining us through the ordeal. If I hadn't had Jesus, His presence and His Words of comfort, I don't know how much worse the experience would have been. I am also thankful for all the prayers and support from my husband, my family and friends.
Blessed one month Sarah-Anne! We love you so so much!
One month goodies
Hello Sarah-Anne
On Sunday 11.12.11, we said hello to our little girl, Sarah-Anne Ch'ng En Xin. She arrived 9 days before her EDD at 4.05pm and weighed 2.99kg. We want to thank God for this gift He's given us and look forward to all the milestones and the birthdays and the pretty girl dress-ups in the years to come. :)
Fresh out of the oven!
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Remembering my baby that was not to be
About 8 months ago, I thought that on this day, 1 September 2011, I would be holding a baby in my arms. It was the EDD of my baby that was not to be.
James and I had been trying for a child for nearly a year and though it seemed long, I never had any doubt that I would be able to conceive. I trusted that God knew the right time and that He would bless us with a child in His own time.
Round about Christmas 2010, I found out I was pregnant and was completely elated. But I was experiencing bleeding so I called my gynae and set up an appointment. The ultrasound showed a sac, though very small and it was confirmed that I was approx 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant. He sent me home with a stash of hormones and asked me to see him again in 2 weeks.
Even after taking the hormones, the bleeding didn’t stop. In fact, it got worse and at one point, I even bled out a clot with fresh blood. I confined myself to the bed for the next few days and after a week, the bleeding stopped. I took a pregnancy test again and it was again positive and the line was darker than before, so I breathed a sigh of relief.
At my scheduled appointment, 2 weeks after I first saw the sac, my gynae gave me bad news. The sac that we had seen earlier had disappeared and he said I had probably miscarried. He recommended that I take a blood test to confirm the outcome. Whilst I was upset at the news, there was a deep sense of peace. In my heart I somehow knew that God was still in control.
When the nurse called the day after she told me my hormone levels were still very high and that I was to go in the next day to take another blood test. So I went in on Saturday, did the blood test and while waiting for the results, James, John and I walked to Delifrance for breakfast.
Just as we were walking past the hospital admissions, I felt blood suddenly drain from me. My vision started to blur and I grabbed hold of James. As we were right in front of the hospital admissions, James got the staff there to help and they wheeled me into an exam room. They got my gynae to see me and after a very painful vaginal exam, he confirmed I had an ectopic pregnancy and the baby which was growing in my fallopian tube had grown too big that it had ruptured the tube. So I was wheeled into the operating theatre for an emergency laparotomy.
An hour later, I woke up to learn that I was ok and my gynae had to remove a portion of my fallopian tube and drain about a coke can of blood. Needless to say, the baby didn’t survive. The good news was that he didn’t remove my ovary as well and that in the future, I could consider reconstructing the fallopian tube.
So yes, we lost a baby. The date was 15 Jan 2011. But through it all, I knew God had a bigger purpose. In fact as I look back, I can only say that God was preparing me for the loss.
In the months before, I had been praying with many friends who were either having pregnancy complications or losses of their own and I believe through encouraging them, God was building up my own faith. I had also been wrestling with the issues of suffering, testing and having one’s character proven by God. I believe that at that time, God believed I was in a good place to undergo a test of my own and He allowed for the loss so I could grow in my faith.
Also I could see how God orchestrated everything around the situation. Like how I went for my second blood test on a Saturday so James was with me, and how the rupture happened right in front of hospital admissions so I could be treated immediately. In fact I believe I was supposed to rupture a few days before that as I felt the same pain and cramp while I was out with John alone at Parkway Parade. But God “postponed” it. I really thank God because I don’t know how John would have reacted if I had fainted while out with him alone.
The best part of it all is that I knew that God would bless us with another child. In fact I wrote in my journal about a week or so after coming home from the hospital that I believe God told me I was going to be a mother again by the end of the year.
As of today, 1 September 2011, I am almost 25 weeks pregnant with a baby girl and am due on the 20th of December. God keeps His promise and I am so thankful to have gone through what I did so I can testify of His goodness and mercy.
James and I had been trying for a child for nearly a year and though it seemed long, I never had any doubt that I would be able to conceive. I trusted that God knew the right time and that He would bless us with a child in His own time.
Round about Christmas 2010, I found out I was pregnant and was completely elated. But I was experiencing bleeding so I called my gynae and set up an appointment. The ultrasound showed a sac, though very small and it was confirmed that I was approx 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant. He sent me home with a stash of hormones and asked me to see him again in 2 weeks.
Even after taking the hormones, the bleeding didn’t stop. In fact, it got worse and at one point, I even bled out a clot with fresh blood. I confined myself to the bed for the next few days and after a week, the bleeding stopped. I took a pregnancy test again and it was again positive and the line was darker than before, so I breathed a sigh of relief.
At my scheduled appointment, 2 weeks after I first saw the sac, my gynae gave me bad news. The sac that we had seen earlier had disappeared and he said I had probably miscarried. He recommended that I take a blood test to confirm the outcome. Whilst I was upset at the news, there was a deep sense of peace. In my heart I somehow knew that God was still in control.
When the nurse called the day after she told me my hormone levels were still very high and that I was to go in the next day to take another blood test. So I went in on Saturday, did the blood test and while waiting for the results, James, John and I walked to Delifrance for breakfast.
Just as we were walking past the hospital admissions, I felt blood suddenly drain from me. My vision started to blur and I grabbed hold of James. As we were right in front of the hospital admissions, James got the staff there to help and they wheeled me into an exam room. They got my gynae to see me and after a very painful vaginal exam, he confirmed I had an ectopic pregnancy and the baby which was growing in my fallopian tube had grown too big that it had ruptured the tube. So I was wheeled into the operating theatre for an emergency laparotomy.
An hour later, I woke up to learn that I was ok and my gynae had to remove a portion of my fallopian tube and drain about a coke can of blood. Needless to say, the baby didn’t survive. The good news was that he didn’t remove my ovary as well and that in the future, I could consider reconstructing the fallopian tube.
So yes, we lost a baby. The date was 15 Jan 2011. But through it all, I knew God had a bigger purpose. In fact as I look back, I can only say that God was preparing me for the loss.
In the months before, I had been praying with many friends who were either having pregnancy complications or losses of their own and I believe through encouraging them, God was building up my own faith. I had also been wrestling with the issues of suffering, testing and having one’s character proven by God. I believe that at that time, God believed I was in a good place to undergo a test of my own and He allowed for the loss so I could grow in my faith.
Also I could see how God orchestrated everything around the situation. Like how I went for my second blood test on a Saturday so James was with me, and how the rupture happened right in front of hospital admissions so I could be treated immediately. In fact I believe I was supposed to rupture a few days before that as I felt the same pain and cramp while I was out with John alone at Parkway Parade. But God “postponed” it. I really thank God because I don’t know how John would have reacted if I had fainted while out with him alone.
The best part of it all is that I knew that God would bless us with another child. In fact I wrote in my journal about a week or so after coming home from the hospital that I believe God told me I was going to be a mother again by the end of the year.
As of today, 1 September 2011, I am almost 25 weeks pregnant with a baby girl and am due on the 20th of December. God keeps His promise and I am so thankful to have gone through what I did so I can testify of His goodness and mercy.
Friday, February 04, 2011
Happy Lunar New Year
Amidst the CNY madness, we found some time to head out for some fresh air and some four-wheeled fun.
Hope everyone is having a good time. Blessed lunar new year to one and all!
Hope everyone is having a good time. Blessed lunar new year to one and all!
Friday, January 28, 2011
God loves trash
My name is Trisha and sometimes people call me Trish for short. And very often friends address me as Trish in sms-es. The iPhone, however, has an auto-correct function that by default auto-corrects Trish to Trash. And on numerous occasions, I’ve been addressed as Trash in my sms-es. Usually these are followed by apologies and how they didn’t mean to but it was the phone’s fault etc…
To be honest I am not at all offended at being called Trash. Not that these were intentional, but the very first time I received such a message, I heard God tell me that He loved trash.
I was immediately reminded of the call of Matthew in Matt 9:9-12. He was not a good man… a tax collector and one who fellowshipped with sinners. The Pharisees didn’t think tax collectors and sinners were people worthy to even have a meal with… in essence, trash. Yet Jesus hand-picked Matthew to be one of his 12 disciples. The thing is… Jesus didn’t choose Matthew for what he was at that time, but what He saw Matthew could become. The Pharisees saw trash but He saw potential. Of course we know that Matthew answered the call and stuck with Jesus. He was there at the big events like the feeding of the 5,000. He was sent out to heal the sick and performed miracles like the rest of the disciples. After Jesus ascended, He was there in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. He was there witnessing God’s plan of salvation first-hand and even wrote the Gospel which now opens the New Testament. How’s that for potential! Who would have thought this tax collector or trash would do all that? Only God knew… only God saw.
Apart from God, all of us are, to put it bluntly, trash… sinners, rebellious and unrighteous. But God, even before we were born, already had a plan to save us through His Son Jesus Christ. In His omniscience, He looks beyond and sees only the potential of what we can become, even when we don’t see it ourselves.
Since I gave my life to the Lord, I became a new creation in Christ; the old has passed and all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17). But I appreciate every sms addressing me as trash, because it is a gentle reminder that God loves me and sees potential in me.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Vroom vroom...
John's a really loved kid. REALLY loved. Not only by his parents and family but even mummy's colleagues and friends. There is one person in particular who i'd like to make mention of.. and that's the caretaker in our Church, Uncle Henry. He often buys things for John and hardly anything for himself. And he refuses to take any money from us for the items he's bought.
One such example is this motorbike he bought for John some time back. We came to the office one day and it was right there... staring at us. John was excited of course but at that time, the loud motor scared him a bit. But now... he loves the ride. He even knows how to switch it to reverse-mode and turn sharp corners.
Just yesterday, we brought the motorbike home cos John doesn't come to work with me now that he attends school in the morning. And he's having a great time riding it at home.. Kids nowadays are really fortunate eh.
One such example is this motorbike he bought for John some time back. We came to the office one day and it was right there... staring at us. John was excited of course but at that time, the loud motor scared him a bit. But now... he loves the ride. He even knows how to switch it to reverse-mode and turn sharp corners.
Just yesterday, we brought the motorbike home cos John doesn't come to work with me now that he attends school in the morning. And he's having a great time riding it at home.. Kids nowadays are really fortunate eh.
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