Showing posts with label 6 Months. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 6 Months. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

About Ashton

Hi all, this post was typed and saved as a draft in my blog for months.
I was overwhelmed and never got down to posting this.

Shortly after Ashton was born, I woke up from GA wanting to see my newborn.
Our paediatrician came in and told us he saw a "slight dent" on Ashton's lower back, and brought Andy to the nursery to have a look because I was too drowsy from the GA. You know that sick gut feeling you have when you hear "...But" from your doctor? Yeah, I felt it and till today, the fright is very real.
"He's fine.... BUT...", "He's beautiful.... BUT...."

After that, when the nurse pushed Ashton to me for breastfeeding, I unwrapped my newborn and saw a little dimple the size of a green-bean just above his butt-crack with my very own eyes. Our PD recommended us to get an ultrasound scan done, just "to be on the safe side", though he did mention that he "didn't think it was anything to worry about".

Somewhere when Ashton was few weeks old and when I was still doing my confinement, we brought him back to Mt Alvernia for his ultrasound.
I stood in the sonography room holding my infant, and chatted with the sonographer because like what our PD said, I thought there wasn't anything to worry about. At that point, I felt it was just another routine scan like my many Antenatal scans, just to be sure.

She scanned and scanned over and over, and my squirming, crying infant wasn't helping matters.
Afterward when I thought she was finally done, I asked her "So how is it?" and she told me to wait while she got the doctor in. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest!
A doctor came in and repeated the scan, and eventually he told me he thought there was something wrong with my baby's spine and that he will wait for my PD to explain to me. I wouldn't buy any of it and nearly went hysterical. Actually I refused to budge from the room and asked the doctor what exactly he thought was wrong. He said something about surgery was probably recommended to rectify it. Can you imagine how I felt!
My world just turned cold and dark as I stood there, holding my wailing baby in the dimly lit room, I felt like bawling my eyes out as well.

So finally, I met our PD, Dr Simon Ng, with the scan reports, and from there we were referred to a Neurosurgeon, Dr Seow Wan Tew, at KKH who was a Specialist in dealing with paediatric spine surgery.
As an MRI would be more accurate than an ultrasound, we went for an MRI as well.
Ashton was diagnosed with what was called a "tethered cord", whereby there is a fatty issue tethering his spinal cord down to his spinal bone and preventing the spinal cord from moving freely within the spinal column. I have never ever heard of a "tethered cord" in my life before!

From a simple scan which the PD "didn't think was anything to worry about", we were then talking endless doctors appointments, MRIs, Urodynamics tests and SURGERY. All on a tiny few weeks old baby. A lot of information was thrown to us, but I could hardly digest anything.
I spent most of my maternity leave shuttling between hospitals and getting appointments in order. He had to see his Neurosurgeon for the tethered cord and also his normal PD for the usual jaundice-checks, vaccinations etc.
On top of that, I also had my Adam, who needed as much of my attention as my little Ashton.
During my multiple antenatal scans, nothing was detected. We even confirmed this with my Gynae when I went  back for my postnatal PAP smear.
But as Andy & I discussed this over and over, even if anything was detected, nothing would change our decision to keep our infant and bring him into this would. Personally, I think dealing with and trying to overcome "problems" was much, much easier than terminating a life!!! From 1 single cell of either parent, a whole human being was created. If life isn't a miracle, I don't know what is.
I can't even bring myself to put my dogs to sleep, let alone kill my own flesh and blood!


From there, we had no choice but to take everything in our stride. Sure, I was petrified as hell.
I mean, com'on, we're not talking about surgery for circumcision or even hernia-repair here!!!
When I initially learnt of the diagnosis, there were times I hid in my room crying till my vision was blur, but it wouldn't solve anything and so I turned to God.
Through God I found a lot of strength.
When I told our closest friends, they were shocked, and asked me why I had kept things from them until now.
Truth be told, I have been contemplating for a very long time (almost 6 months at the point of Ashton's surgery), whether or not to post this on my Blog, not because I am scared of people knowing, but I wanted to protect Ashton's and our privacy especially during his growing up years.
I asked Andy to read this draft before posting, and he said I could post it if I wanted to, so I guess there is not much harm in letting my readers and relatives know (our closest friends, relatives and close colleagues have been asking for updates).


Now, we are taking everyday as a blessing (truly!) and taking things a baby-step at a time.
Ashton's surgery was performed on 25 Feb 2013, when he was 6 months old, by his Paediatric Neurosurgeon Dr Seow Wan Tew.
My 30th Birthday was on 27 Feb, and I had spent my Milestone Birthday in the High Dependency Ward of the hospital with my own flesh and blood who had undergone major surgery to his spine.
In my life I've only ever gone under the knife to take my babies out, and now I'm letting somebody touch my baby's spine. How crazy is my life?
When you think my birthday wishlists, probably Chanel or Hermes would come to mind in a heartbeat. But this year, all I wanted was for my baby to be Ok, and alive.
Nothing is more important than being healthy and alive.
Too many people get so hung up about what they cannot have and don't realise for a second what they already have.
You woke up this morning alive and well, thank God for it.

So far, we have been to 2 more appointments after his surgery - to remove his stitches and also to follow-up with Dr Seow, and he thinks everything is looking good.

Thanks to all our friends and family who have sent your thoughts, wishes and prayers.
Thank you to the wonderful people in my church who prayed in proxy for Ashton even though they did not know us.

I've said this before, and Imma say it again - Mummying is the toughest job in the whole wide world.


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Ashton update: stitches removed.


Ashton had his stitches removed today - Day 15 post-op. As Dr Seow is on leave, the STO was done by a couple of nurses in the treatment room and we have been given another appointment next week to see Dr Seow. Bummer!
On the bright side, I'm glad that I no longer have to do wound dressings and sniff out Ashton's bum for poop like a narcotics dog sniffing out heroin!

I met up with our care coordinator Lee Ping today to pass her a Thank You card and a balloon for her daughter and she was thrilled. She has been very helpful and forthcoming to us. As a matter of fact, the entire team of doctors, nurses, patient-care coordinator, right down to the clinic admin staff are very helpful and friendly. We are very thankful!

Hopefully things will continue to be uneventful for Ashton and our family.
Today will also mark the end of my 2-week-and-2-days leave as I will be heading back to work tomorrow.
After being at home with my cling-wrap children, I'm feeling a mixture of sadness but also joy.
Imagine this - after a long day of dealing with them, I try to relax on my Osim Uphoria but Adam climbs and clamours all over me and touches the buttons. I try to hide in the bathroom for some peace, but Adam knocks on the door and wants to use the loo.
When Adam is sleeping, I try to read my email, sort out my snail mail, and do some work, but shortly after Ashton cries for milk.

I salute all the stay-home mums because God forbid me to be one, lest I go insane.
I'm tired and need lots of sleep now. All I can think of tomorrow is - Good luck to my MIL and helper. Heh.

Good night :)

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Indoor playground: Fidgets

Located in Turf City, we heard Fidgets is the biggest indoor playground in Singapore.
Where: Turf City Level 3
Parking: FOC, ample parking lots in open area.
How much: $8 unlimited hours for children under 2; $15 unlimited hours for kids 2 and above. Adults and infants go in for free.
** Please bring your socks, even for adults!
 


Fidgets have their own cafe selling snacks, some western food, and drinks.

I like that it has a large seating area for families. There's another side with many sofas. Ample space to lounge around.








There's a smaller play area for younger children


We left the kids with our helper while Andy & I relaxed at the cafe, sipping coffee and enjoying some peace.

Got the moves like Jagger? Pictured on left: Sofas on the other side of the cafe for tired caregivers.
 
P.S. Fidgets is really huge and provided Adam a great workout because he was sweating despite the aircon! Too bad it's too far from us but nonetheless another kid-friendly place for West dwellers.
As Turf City is under construction right now, the place is quite difficult to access, therefore if you're thinking of going there, I would reccomend you wait a few months unless of course, you don't mind that there is only 1 cargo lift and the building is quite messy / dusty.
 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Ashton blowing raspberry bubbles

Ashton self-taught himself to blow raspberry bubbles. He goes "Brrrr" and saliva splatters everywhere. Onto your cheeks, your lips, his toys, the furniture, everywhere.
I cannot, for the life of me, believe I forgot how cute this age is!
 

Let me assure you, it isn't always such a stroll in the park with my naughty urchins.

Refer to picture below:



Typical evening when we are loading the children into the car and trying to make our way home.
Specimen A is pictured trying to climb to Row 3 of car. Specimen B is sitting upright in his car capsule just 10 days after his surgery even though we have tried various efforts to make him "lie down and take things easy" as per the doctors' advise. (In fact, I had just tucked him nicely into the car seat and made my way to the other side to close the car door!)
No names mentioned.

Both little urchins keep Mumzilla on her pedicured toes!
 
 
 

Friday, March 1, 2013

Baby Ashton's hospital updates.

Thanks everyone for all your texts and messages on Facebook, Whatsapp and SMS. Thank you for asking, I am grateful that Ashton is in your thoughts.
As it is nearly impossible to reply each and everyone of you due to us settling back at home, I have decided to come up with an update for our family and friends.

Ashton and I waiting in Children OT, he is changed into his gown, fasted for many hours, and waiting for his Anaesthetist to come bring him in. I am all nerves. Stay strong baby! Mummy will be waiting right here.
We were told it was going to be a 3-hour op due to the complexity of the spinal structure and the risks involved in the nerves, but his surgeon Dr Seow called me 1.5 hours later to inform me the surgery was over. Thank God!

While waiting for Ashton's turn, I met a Grandma carrying a wee baby, smaller than Ashton. She shared with me he was only 3 months old and going for surgery for his undescended testicles. I made a remark in passing "Wah, so young ah.." and she told me, this is nothing compared to what he had been through - at 2 mths of age, he underwent open-heart surgery to fix a "hole in his heart".
I was devastated.

Throughout our hospital stay, I met many other unfortunate and poorly children and compared to their plights, Ashton's ordeal seemed very minuscule. My heart goes out to those children.


 

After my baby woke up from the op, we were transferred to High Dependency unit due to his tender age and the worry for infection.

At the High D, there were no beds for parents to sleep on because of the machines and lines everywhere.
I slept on a chair for those 3 nights, and many times I woke up with aching bones, awoken by the noise of the beeping and buzzing of the mointoring equipment. It was truly unbearable, I couldn't wait to get transferred out!

Day 2 - He yanked out his IV line which is meant for Morphine, his pain control. He had another IV plug on his ankle, but by evening he yanked that out as well. Since then he has been Morphine-free and pain-free. Thankfully, he wasn't in distress at all, as the doctors couldn't do anything to him!

Day 2 - The naughty rascal - can you tell this little baby had major surgery to his spine the day before?

Day 3 - After 3 nights in High D, he was stable enough to be transferred to a normal ward. KKH Ward 86. The nurses there are awesome.

 So thankful to finally have somewhere to sleep on! A foldable couch is better than sleeping on a chair that's for sure!
One downside of being in private ward is the 24/7 aircon. Can you spot our Osim uMist Baby?? Heh...


With Dr Seow Wan Tew, Head and Senior Consultant of Paediatric Neurosurgery, KKH.
He performed the surgery personally for us and he came by daily to visit Ashton despite his busy schedule and the fact that his other patients are seen by his Consultants and subordinates.

We were fortunate enough to be under the care of the best Pd Neurosurgeon in the country. 

Day 5 - Ashton has been given the all-clear and is ready to go home! We miss home! Thanks everyone for your well wishes and prayers. We are eternally grateful.

As it was my *ahem* 30th Birthday, my gal friends Charmaine & Meena gave me an Angpao because I told them not to get me anything as I would be in the hospital on my birthday, I didn't think there was any reason to celebrate.


While we have been very fortunate to be able to afford the best care for Ashton, I am aware there are many under-privileged children out there from my stay in the hospital this week.
I have therefore donated the money to Children's Cancer Foundation, Singapore. It is not alot of money, but hopefully it is enough to make a difference to a child's life.


"People pay the doctor for his service; for his kindness they remain in his debt".
thank you Dr Seow and your wonderful team of doctors and nurses who delivered nothing but the most competent care to us. We are eternally indebted to you.


Thursday, December 17, 2009

X'mas present for Baby Adam!



Baby Adam has a virtual present from Aunty Joy and Uncle Scott - Thank you for your love!!
Watching this video and listening to the song makes me cry. I'm so dumb I know.
But my heartfelt Thanks really, I could never make something as amazing and meaningful as this!

Lucky Adam, he has so many presents pouring in from friends & relatives already (even before we can smell ham & turkey!): designer clothes, shoes (one wonders how many times a baby can wear 12 pairs of shoes till he outgrows 'em), toys, books.... from Bali, Vietnam, HK, SG, Aussie..

It sure is good to be a baby! *envious Mummy*

Monday, December 14, 2009

Hubby's 27th Birthday - Part III



Hubby turns 27!




This is a memorable year - Andy became a husband and a father, and also the bonus that he gets to celebrate his Birthday for 3 consecutive days!

We celebrated the exact date of his birth with a small cake at Changi T3.
I can't believe Hubby is 27 already! Still so young for a guy.. Not fair right!

Hubby has been joking about secretly replacing my Pill with folic acid and multi-vits so that we can have a Baby No. 2. Uh-ohhh... No wonder I love this man to bits! and for so many other things :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (again) DARLING! MAY ALL THAT YOU WISHED FOR COME TRUE.
Love,
your kayu wife.

Playdate Monday

It was Daddy's Birthday and I took sick leave cos I couldn't wake up on time to go to work.
In the noon, I decided to bring Darling Adam to my aunt's place to socialise with his cousins.

The kids learned how to share toys and make friends.






and they learned simple social skills like passing property to one another and they learned that they don't win all the time.




Then there was nap time where Jiahui (my cousin's daughter) & Adam both slept.
Jiale (my cousin's son) is rocking Adam to sleep in his hammock. How brotherly!



I was really happy and proud that the kids didn't fight and had a fab time getting along :)
When Adam woke up, it was time to go fetch Daddy for the Birthday Boy's cake-cutting session! More about that in another post :D

This week's menu

Trying these new foods this week.


the one in the middle is steamed organic spinach. For green leafy veggies with large surface areas, I prefer to give organic. For most other foods, I think it is good idea to mix-and-match.

Oats & tofu


Foods Baby Kai has tried:

Staples:
- Healthy Times Organic oatmeal cereal
- Healthy Times Organic brown rice cereal
- Lentil porridge
- Rice porridge
- Si Sen brown rice cereal
- Organic oats

Fruits & Veggies:
- Carrots
- Squash
- Spinach
- Applesauce
- Avocado
- Banana
- Parsnip
- Sweet corn
- Sweet potato
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pears
- Apricots
- Organic tofu

Snacks & others:
- Happy Baby Organic fruit puffs
- Heinz fruit juice
- Bellamy Organic Toothiepegs
- Healthy Times Organic vanilla teething biscuits
- Vanilla custard
- Plain yoghurt

The ones highlighted in BLUE are new foods added since the previous update.

Andy & I are vey strict and we do not allow our families to feed Baby Kai junk or adult food, like: chewed up Keropok, or bits from the adult plates.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Hubby's 27th Birthday - Part II

It was Family Day for Birthday Dad, Baby Kai & Mummy :)
We went to Vivo City for a Marche lunch, then Baby Kai went for his first swim session.

Doing warm up exercises



Being plonked into the pool




Having a ball!



After awhile, he decided that it was more fun saying Hi to the people on the other side of the glass



Happy Lil swimmer :D





He kicked and laughed and swirled inside the pool for a good 30mins, after which he was whisked away for massage and he soon fell asleep soundly.

Brthday Dad:


with a sleepy monmon after a good workout




We did some more Xmas shopping today. Our Xmas shopping should almost be complete now!
Toys for Baby Kai - checked
Designer clothes for Baby Kai - checked
More Baby Kai's stuff - checked
L'Occitane bath, body & face pdts from Hubby to me - checked
Zara Men leather bag from me to Hubby - checked
Philips steam iron for Andy's mum - checked
and we are expecting even more more more Xmas presents from my brother Jay & his gf Liping from their HK trip next week. So excited!


The drive home after a long eventful noon with Baby Kai enjoying the breeze.

.
.
.
By the way, Daddy's birthday present this year:


Work Emotion 18-inch bronze sports rims.

Custom made and still being shipped over from Japan (it takes 6-8 weeks for the make-to-order for GTI plus shipping) . Too bad they cant make it in time for Hubby's birthday, but for the price I paid, it'd better be worth the wait!
I still cant understand how guys justify spending thousands of dollars on rims.. I mean, they are RIMS and not even tyres.. and they just sit on the exterior and roll on the roads.. Zzzzz.. I can buy a bag with this money... but anyhow...
Decided to splurge on Hubby this year since he has been a good boy thus far. Hehe..


HAPPY 27th HON! I LOVE YOU :)