we nearly overslept that morning (3.30am) but we got to the hospital in good time (4.45am), had registration done and proceeded to a double-bedder room (SRL 360) to prep and wait for the surgery. the hospital was full, so we weren't able to get the single room we requested for at first. weighed in at 73.3kg, got an enema (ugh) and got to shower.
at around 7am, the action started. got wheeled to the operating theatre waiting area where i got to see the general flurry of nurses and docs in operating garb. got piled with blankets, dr wee came by to say hi and don't worry, the anaesthetist dr mary tan introduced herself and explained the whole pain relief procedure and why i would be getting a spinal block rather than an epidural - more meds needed into the epidural space which may be compressed due to the slipped disc so it would be better to take the spinal block which required less volume of meds. latter was direct into the spine while the former was into the space around the spine. she was reassuring kind yet firm at the same time, which was prob the best combination for a slightly jittery me who is best assured when i know what's happening next.
then i got wheeled into the OT itself which was even colder and brighter. dr tan got me to sit up on the bed and curl up over a pillow ... LA went in (just 2 pricks) and then the spinal block which i hardly felt. could feel the numbing warm sensation in my feet almost immediately but it took awhile for the lower abdomen area to get numb. the pediatrician dr lim came by to introduce himself, then a screen was put up to shield me from all the gore and a few prick/scratch tests were done and then it was a go.
dr wee didn't really say that he was starting the procedure, but apparently it had already started by the time ck came in all gowned.
couldn't feel the cutting but i DID feel stuff being moved around and yanked around. dr tan also kept on a running commentary on the meds she was administering through the drip. didn't really feel nauseous although it was a weird sensation to feel my insides getting maneuvered around.
then everyone around the operating theatre started to push baby out... probably took a few seconds more than usual because of his size, but i could tell when he came out because there was a sudden release of pressure/weight.
apparently baby n started clinging onto dr wee's and the assisting nurse's surgical instruments and refused to let go ... they were amused and dr wee said it was the first time it happened to him.
caught a glimpse of naked baby covered in blood, first impression was that he looked like h and was smaller than i expected (although i was so wrong!), got to hear his first cry (not as lusty as h's) and then he was whisked away to get cleaned up, checked and measured while dr wee continued with the stitching/suctioning.
baby came back all wrapped up and dr tan helped take some really nice shots of us. then the hubby left with baby and i waited for the incision to be closed up.
dr wee said all was good before he left, and dr tan accompanied me to the recovery area where she then said her goodbye. the assisting nurse told me baby n was very handsome and repeated the grabbing incident again ... it must have been quite an interesting sight if it was worth a second mention!
interestingly i started feeling pukish only much later on ... probably in part due to motion sickness (they were wheeling me backwards from one room to another lying flat and i am lousy with such things). thankfully i never did throw up, and lying sideways subsequently helped ease the pukey sensation as well. that nauseating feeling wasn't fun though. worse than any morning sickness i ever felt and also extra sickening because you know any puke will land up on yourself since i couldn't sit up immediately after the surgery.
we have been rather chill with handling baby this time round ... unless there are visitors or it is feeding time, we have put baby in the nursery. it gives me time to rest which is something i realised is quite important and something i neglected the last time around. it probably also affected my milk supply last round too!
on surgery day, i was drowsy immediately after the surgery and catching naps off and on throughout the day and baby was cooperative and feeding at regular intervals. there were also enough people to fawn over baby and fuss over me such that everything was a breeze.
h came afte school and seemed to be ok with baby - she already started bossing him around by telling him not to climb the windows of the hospital room. she was also extra careful with touching him .... it was quite nice to watch the initial interactions.
d-day + 1 and i couldn't wait to get the catheter and drip off so it was a relief that dr wee gave the go ahead. more freedom of movement! also, moved on to using normal pads again instead of the loop pads which can be kind of icky! i am guessing that most people start feeling pain from the surgery quite early on because everyone couldn't believe i survived without pain meds on the first day and that my digestive system seemed to be working such that i was passing gas already. must have been the super spicy ginger drink my mum made that allowed the gas to get expelled.
skin left of the wound site started hurting though and i am trying to take it easy with the walking by doing everything at half-speed. have also started taking the pain meds because i can't be handling pain from the wound and my sore nipples at the same time! was wondering if the pain meds would help with the sore nipples but clearly not!
friends and colleagues dropped by today and it was fun having them for company. d&p, meiru and the office folks. probably going to be awhile before i see them again so am treasuring the chatter.
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