Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Aftermath

After how many weeks, I'm able to go online again tonight. And thank God the connection's faster.

Today's just another day for us here in Kidapawan. But of course, aside from my son, we have a new addition to our family. Yep, that's right! I gave birth to a "quite" healthy baby girl last November 9. She weighed 3.5 kls., obviously bigger than Myles when I gave birth to him. We named her Joannie Melle, and although Joemelle wanted Jemellaine Mai, I insisted the former. I've got reasons. hehe....

Anyway, the delivery was not that easy. Well, not as easy as during Myles's. It was more painful, and I can say, there was fear involved. I really believe it's traumatic, though not as long as during my labor with my son, and made me tell myself, "I don't want to undergo the same pain and feeling again". I was really afraid, and this feeling wrapped my whole body and soul. Everytime my parents and siblings check on me, I'd tell them I'm fine. But when my husband and I were alone, when I was alone, fear overpowered me. No matter how I told myself, it was just the same as the first time I gave birth, I knew that something wasn't right, I knew that something's off. And I was right.

THE DETAILS
My water broke at around 4:00 AM last November 9, but the contractions started just later that day. From that only, I thought, the timing was off. Usually, in a normal labor, the contractions are the first to encounter, then the mucus with blood, then the water will break. But in my case, it's different. I ignored it anyway, thinking that it might be normal in some cases. So when the mucus with blood came out at around 10:00 AM, I told my husband, then my Mom. But since I could still handle the pain brought by the contractions, we didn't go to the hospital yet. Well, not until 12:00 NN, after we had our lunch.

When we arrived at the hospital, I was admitted, and took the preliminary tests (IE and all sorts). First IE, the OB-Gyne told me it was still 7cm, but she could already touch the head. So we were all expecting the delivery to be sooner. But before that, added to my fear was, we learned that my OB-Gyne was out of town, she was in Manila. Now that's really comforting!

Anyway, 4:00 PM came and I couldn't handle the pain anymore, so even when I wasn't that sure, my husband alerted the nurses that it's coming. So I was taken to the delivery room, and waited there. They cleaned me again, IE over and over again. My worries grew when I saw that OB-Gyne's expression in her face. It's as if telling me, something was wrong. My anxiousness pushed myself to ask her, what was wrong. And she truthfully answered me, instead of the baby pushing her way down towards the opening, she's being pushed back up, so even when the opening was bigger than the previous, we couldn't do the delivery because the baby was now farther from the opening. They couldn't force the delivery, too, unless the baby comes nearer, because if they'll do, my organs will be damaged. That time, I was really worried.

Two hours passed and still nothing happened. They couldn't decide on what to do, because they were not the one's I was having check-ups with in the first place. Thankfully, Dra. Lily Mudanza, my OB-Gyne came (fresh from Manila). After a few prelims, she told me, I might undergo CS operation if the baby won't really go down. So she consulted my husband first, and when it was agreed, they scheduled me for the operation. But while they were preparing, Dra. Mudanza was still hoping that I will have a normal delivery. Unfortunately, I didn't.

So they took me into the Operating Room after a few minutes, prepared myself, then started the operation. More than half my body was really numb that I couldn't believe my right leg had cramps right before they injected the anesthesia at my back. I was awake the whole time (even when another doctor assisting the operation injected something at my dextrose to put me to sleep) but I couldn't feel a thing. I could just hear their voices, and at 7:43 PM, I heard her cry. She was out and alive, thank God.

As they were stitching my muscles back, I could already feel the pulling of what they were suppose to stitch. I started to say something, so they injected the drug again to put me to sleep. This time, they succeeded. I already fell asleep. I just woke up when they were placing me into a stretcher to be delivered in my room. I was wrapped in a thick blanket but was still shivering. For a moment there, I actually thought I was going to die. Well, that's how I felt.

So, I was out from the Operating Room, was delivered to my room, with the newly born baby, and saw my family waiting for me. I was really glad. Anyway, it ended the details of my delivery, by the pain didn't end there.

Unlike a normal delivery, the pain from the operation won't wear off that easy. I remembered when I gave birth to our son, I was able to do household chores after a few days from being discharged. But now, even at this moment, I can't do my laundry, or sweep the floor, or even carry my son. My actions are limited, and my body, especially the part with the stitch, still aches. But who am I to complain? If I do, it's as if saying, having this baby is troublesome. I don't want to think that way. These babies are God's blessing. So I will bear everything that comes with them. (Charr!!!)

Anyway, 'till next time. My daughter's waking up now. =p