Singgahan Rasa: Raisya : On the Day You Were Born

The truth is, this 3rd pregnancy isn't as smooth as the previous two pregnancies. I've been diagnosed with varicose veins stage 4 at my 24 weeks of pregnancy, I was being referred to the Surgeon (Dr Rusdi) by my Gynae (O&G - Dr Ju). Both Surgeon and Gynae were of the opinion that no surgery or injection can be done to heal my pain up until the baby was delivered. I was being prescribed Daflon by my Surgeon, had to take panadol whenever I couldn't bear the pain and had to wear special socks (the socks cost me RM200+) to reduce the pain. My movements were limited and I was restricted to lift any heavy objects, standing or sitting too long. If not, my condition will be worsening.

I was not experiencing nausea or vomiting throughout this 3rd pregnancy but I had to control my meal intake to avoid tremendous weight gain, in which it will affect my condition as well. I did experience the worst fatigue (I regarded it as almost zero energy) and heartburn during 7 and 8 weeks of my pregnancy. Other than that, I was just a hormonal lady (bahaha!). I watched "Surga Yang Tak Dirindukan" at 11pm, cried throughout the night and had swollen eyes the day after. Lulz.

I'm so grateful that despite of the (bearable, if I may add) pain for my 3rd pregnancy; my boss, my staffs, my husband, my daughters, my parents and my PIL were there to lend their helping hands. Alhamdulillah.

I started to pray by sitting down on a chair at my 28 weeks of pregnancy due to the varicose veins. My Gynae had issued a recommendation letter for me to have a light duty only due to my condition. Due to that, my Boss gave permission for me to work from home (he told me that health is more important) and suggested for me to come to the office only to meet clients with appointments. Being a good LA to my Boss (ehem), I chose to come to the office from 9 am to 12 noon or 1 pm every day except a few days that I didn't come to work at all because of the pain. I need my computer, my files, my staff and I need to see my boss for discussion, so I prefer to go to the office in the morning.

I was being treated so well by my husband in which he will do anything to fulfill all my cravings (nak makan burger Ramly, makan nasi ayam bakar black pepper, nak air kelapa almost every day), dealt with my hormonal-self, took care of our children and the house chores, listened to my ramblings and gave his best to help me whenever I feel sick or just being mengada at times. He helped me a lot during our umrah and gave his full support to me whenever I needed it the most.

At 32 weeks of pregnancy, I was being told by my Gynae that chances for me to have a normal delivery was 50-50 due to my varicose veins; as it became worsen. She even made a comment that this was the first case she had encountered varicose veins stage 4 in pregnancy. I was in teary eyes when I got to know on this fact as I was aiming for a normal delivery like the previous two. At 36 weeks, the baby was already engaged and my Gynae was confident that I can have a normal delivery as some veins were not swollen anymore. That was such a big relieved to us, alhamdulillah. Little that we know, Allah has a better plan for us where at 37 weeks of checkup; the baby was at breech position and this was not within our expectation as the previous week the baby was already engaged. After a long discussion with my Gynae and my husband, we were later been given options for the next checkup at 38 weeks;

1. If the baby is not in a breech position, we could wait until 39 weeks or until the labour signs exist to deliver the baby via normal delivery (provided my varicose veins are not worsen); or

2. If the baby is still in a breech position, we can opt to do the elective cesarean (EL LSCS Spinal) on the day itself (at 38 weeks) or can wait for another week (39 weeks).

As for the 2nd option, my Gynae said that we may bring along our hospital bags together with us during the next checkup. My Gynae prepared an admission letter on the same day just in case we wanted to proceed with the csect at 38 weeks i.e a week after.

My best friend, Far invited us for berbuka together at her house two days before I was being admitted at S*ALAM Specialist Hospital KT and my PIL together with my parents conducted a small majlis tahlil and solat hajat for me a day before my scheduled csect procedure at 38 weeks.

17.06.2017 (Saturday):

Taking into consideration that I might be proceeded with csect that day at 38 weeks of pregnancy, I ate roti canai at 12 midnight on 17.06.2017 before starting to fast at 2.00 am as advised by my Gynae. We left our children with my MIL and I asked for everyone's forgiveness especially from my husband and went straightaway to S*ALAM at 7.30 am. My admission to the ward was scheduled at 8.00 am. My mother even told me that the csect will not be done that morning as she was still in denial that I had to go for csect process this time. She was too worried if I could not handle the pain as I have never been through a csect before. That is my thoughtful mother :D

By 8.30 am, when I was in my ward with my husband, a nurse came in and asked me to go for a checkup and met my Gynae. From the ultrasound, our baby was still in a breech position, so my Gynae had asked us whether we wanted to proceed with the csect or wanted to wait for another week.

Taking everything into account that:

1. my varicose veins were not showing any better;

2. the upcoming Syawal in just a week time (and my Gynae will not be around during Syawal but another Gynae will replace her);
3. I would prefer to do the csect with my current Gynae (Dr. Ju) as she was aware with my condition (varicose veins), history etc.;

4. the fact that I was so ready to meet our little one in a few hours that day; and

5. since it was a nice date (17.06.17) and the fact that our baby can beraya with us next week teehee;

So we agreed to proceed with the elective csect on that day. My Gynae was in full support with our decision and preparing the consent letter for me to sign. I asked my Gynae whether my husband was allowed to be in the OT room with me and my Gynae said yes. After I signed the consent letter, I was asked to change into my OT attire while the specialists and the OT team were preparing the OT room for us. The Anesthetist, Dr Sabri came to our ward and explained to us about the anaesthesia process as well as the after effects to my husband and I.

At 10.02 am, I was wheeled off to the OT room from my ward. My husband and my parents were there with me up until we reached the OT room. When I was inside the OT room, Dr Sabri was there to initiate anaesthesia process on me. An injection was inserted at my right hand, an oxygen mask was placed on my face to cover my nose and mouth and I was asked to be in a sit down position on the bed and cuddled a pillow with a straight body back, inhale and cannot make any body movements before he put a cold swab at my back and inserted the drug needle. A few minutes later, I was asked to try to lift up my legs and all I feel was like heavy things been placed on my legs, it was quite warm and I was unable to lift them up. The minutes later, Dr Sabri ordered to call my husband, prepared a chair for my husband to sit next to me at my left side and hold my left arm. I was quite nervous and I recited all surah that I remembered to make me feel better. Dr Ju, my Gynae and her team did the caesarean and my husband witnessed everything from the beginning (I was so proud that he wanted to witnessed everything) while Dr Sabri, the Anesthetist being a narrator to us - he was so good in explaining things and told us about the whole process that was going on.

From, "Okay Puan Wahida, Dr Ju will start the process" to "Okay sekarang nak keluarkan sebelah kaki baby" to "Okay sekarang kepala baby" and "Alhamdulillah, tahniah Puan Wahida and Encik Hazri, baby dah selamat deliver"; all of the things happened in the OT room were being described in details to us by Dr Sabri who sat next to my husband, at the top side of my head. From my husband's record, it took only 10 minutes for the whole process to get the baby's out of me.

Our baby was safely delivered at 10.43 am and the pediatrician, Dr Su took over the baby right after. I asked Dr Sabri why the baby was not crying but in less than a minute, we heard the baby’s crying. The Pediatrician, Dr Su came with the baby to me and placed the baby on my upper chest, asked me on the baby's gender and I got to kiss the baby.

Next, while hubby went out with Dr Su for azan and iqamat, the after birth process was initiated on me. At 11.15 am, I was wheeled out from the OT room and I was with Dr Sabri for after process checkup on me. The process took about 10 minutes (to check whether I feel dizzy, wanted to throw up or collapsed) before Dr Sabri released me to my room. Meet my parents and MIL and after requesting for the baby, she was brought to our room at 12 noon.

We stayed at the hospital for 3 days and 2 nights (csect package) before all the three specialists, Dr Ju (Gynae), Dr Sabri (Anaesthetist) and Dr Su (Pediatrician) allowed both of mom and baby to be discharged. Since this was my first experience with caesarean, I considered it as a very nice experience, Alhamdulillah.

The fact that during my second day post csect, I suffered a severe neck and back pain especially when I got up from bed and walked to the toilet, doesn't give any discredit to my experience at S*ALAM Specialist Hospital as I was very well looked after by the Specialists (Dr Ju and Dr Sabri) throughout my stayed. Dr Sabri went out to buy a special meds for me all by himself and from his explanation, my severe neck and back pain were caused by the anesthesia procedure but it will heal in 2 or 3 days. According to him, usually one insertion does not caused any aftereffects pain as it is considered as a successful anaesthesia procedure, but some people may not be lucky and they will get the aftereffects pain as well even with one shoot of the injection (like my case). I was told to drink black coffee two times a day to reduce the pain. Alhamdulillah, the neck and back pains were slowly heal in 3-4 days.

With that, we welcome Raisya Binti Hazri, our third princess to this world. Raisya means good appearance (surah Al A’raf : 26).

Currently at 3 months 6 days old, she is a very cheerful baby and loves baby talk a lot with us and her two elder sisters.

Raisya - Day 1 (few hours post delivery)
Born on 17.06.2017 (22 Ramadhan 1438H) (Saturday)
at 10.43am, weight 2.63kg, height 53cm
via elective caeserean.