Evidence of Xavier watching too much of Pixar's Cars.....
In the middle of watching Formula One race tonight,
Xavier: Mummy, this race has no pit stop.
Mummy: Why?
Xavier: Because there is no forklift.
For those not indoctrinated to the way of Cars, all the pit stop crew members in the Piston Cup race are forklifts.
Evidence of Xavier being a faster learner.....
Keane was kicking a fuss about a toy.
Keane: non stop wailing.....
Xavier: Stop...stop crying then I'll give you this.
Keane: non stop wailing.....
Xavier: I said stop....stop and I'll give you this.
Keane: silence....
Xavier: Ok here you go.
For the non-parents, this tactic is commonly practised by the adults in our household to stop tantrums.
Evidence of Xavier having potential to be a politician.....
Keane: (pointing in the direction of the back of the car from front seat) Giraffe, giraffe!
Xavier: (thinks Keane's pointing at him) I'm NOT a giraffe!
Keane: Giraffe, giraffe!
Mummy: He's not pointing at you Xavier, he's pointing at the "Friends of the zoo" car decal with the giraffe on it.
Xavier: Oh, I thought he was pointing at a real giraffe behind us.....(totally ignoring the earlier statement he made)
Evidence of Xavier being analytical.....
Xavier: Mummy, why is daddy not home yet?
Mummy: Daddy has to work so he'll be back later.
Xavier: But Daddy said he will be out for a while only. A while means he will come back fast but he has been gone a long time.
To laugh or to cry.......I haven't decided. But for now, why worry?
Listen to the voice of a mother of three who would like to share her thoughts and experiences of being a mother of 3 boisterous boys in the small city of Singapore.... Disclaimer: read at your own risk and learn from my mistakes.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
It rained at the zoo......
We had an outing to the zoo on Saturday. We didn't bring Ryan because he just turned one and we always waited till the kids were 2 before we brought them to the zoo. It's some superstitious thing which I don't wish to address.
We left our home at about 8.30am and reached the zoo in good time. It's a 15 minutes drive for us. See how far away from everything else we are? I mean, it's strange to claim that you stay near the zoo but we do. I always tell people that I stay in ulu Sembawang.
We decided to become Friends of the Zoo since Keane is now a paying child (children below 3 get free entry). Annual membership of S$180 gives us unlimited access for 2 adults and 3 kids plus free parking plus 10% discounts at F&B outlets. Not a bad deal. We can break even with 4 visits which we can easily do in a year.
The first thing we did after breakfast was to hit the Kidzworld where there is a water playground for the kids. The two of them definitely had a whale of a time there. There weren't that many kids as it was pretty early. After about 45 mins Xavier cut his heel and had to be brought to the first aid station to wash his wound and put on a plaster. Being the whiner, he was grumbling most of the time. But was pretty brave at the end considering a small piece of his skin was ripped off. Had an excuse to get crocodile slippers as the sandals were too abrasive.
Next stop was the Australian outback. We took part in the feeding session of the wallabies. All of us had fun feeding the wallabies. Still don't quite know the difference between a wallaby and a kangaroo except that wallabies are a smaller cousin of the kangaroo. I wouldn't have known the difference except that I overheard a visitor ask the zookeeper why the kangaroos were so small here. She has obviously seen a real kangaroo. After the feeding, it was a rush to the Elephants of Asia show.
It was still interesting though we were later than most people and ended up with the worse seats in the house. But that didn't stop Xavier and Keane from getting all excited about the elephants and their stunts. It started to drizzle so we tried to move on before the end of the elephant show. After some delay at the amphitheatre where we saw the last part of some dance and song by an Australian group and had some pop corn, we tried to find lunch.
That itself was a challenge but I won't go into the details.
We went home after the lunch. It was a short trip but still entertaining. During the tram ride Keane managed to identify a lot of the animals which we saw. That in itself was rewarding for us as he has shown much improvement since he went to childcare last year. Xavier planned our itinerary but we didn't have enough time to see the komodo dragon, bats and other animals he wanted. But since we're now friends of the zoo, we can go back often without burning a hole in our pocket.
Even though it was a short day, the kids were tired and slept very early that night.
We will definitely make an another trip soon.
Quote Xavier: When we go to the zoo on Saturday and we ate popcorn and we watched the elephant show and we saw animals. My favourite part was feeding the kangaroos.
We left our home at about 8.30am and reached the zoo in good time. It's a 15 minutes drive for us. See how far away from everything else we are? I mean, it's strange to claim that you stay near the zoo but we do. I always tell people that I stay in ulu Sembawang.
We decided to become Friends of the Zoo since Keane is now a paying child (children below 3 get free entry). Annual membership of S$180 gives us unlimited access for 2 adults and 3 kids plus free parking plus 10% discounts at F&B outlets. Not a bad deal. We can break even with 4 visits which we can easily do in a year.
The first thing we did after breakfast was to hit the Kidzworld where there is a water playground for the kids. The two of them definitely had a whale of a time there. There weren't that many kids as it was pretty early. After about 45 mins Xavier cut his heel and had to be brought to the first aid station to wash his wound and put on a plaster. Being the whiner, he was grumbling most of the time. But was pretty brave at the end considering a small piece of his skin was ripped off. Had an excuse to get crocodile slippers as the sandals were too abrasive.
Next stop was the Australian outback. We took part in the feeding session of the wallabies. All of us had fun feeding the wallabies. Still don't quite know the difference between a wallaby and a kangaroo except that wallabies are a smaller cousin of the kangaroo. I wouldn't have known the difference except that I overheard a visitor ask the zookeeper why the kangaroos were so small here. She has obviously seen a real kangaroo. After the feeding, it was a rush to the Elephants of Asia show.
It was still interesting though we were later than most people and ended up with the worse seats in the house. But that didn't stop Xavier and Keane from getting all excited about the elephants and their stunts. It started to drizzle so we tried to move on before the end of the elephant show. After some delay at the amphitheatre where we saw the last part of some dance and song by an Australian group and had some pop corn, we tried to find lunch.
That itself was a challenge but I won't go into the details.
We went home after the lunch. It was a short trip but still entertaining. During the tram ride Keane managed to identify a lot of the animals which we saw. That in itself was rewarding for us as he has shown much improvement since he went to childcare last year. Xavier planned our itinerary but we didn't have enough time to see the komodo dragon, bats and other animals he wanted. But since we're now friends of the zoo, we can go back often without burning a hole in our pocket.
Even though it was a short day, the kids were tired and slept very early that night.
We will definitely make an another trip soon.
Quote Xavier: When we go to the zoo on Saturday and we ate popcorn and we watched the elephant show and we saw animals. My favourite part was feeding the kangaroos.
Monday, June 8, 2009
I'm back......
A full week at work has passed.....I'm now beginning my second week.
Things have been moving fast and I've been trying to keep a balance between work and family. I must admit the family is benefiting from my efforts.
Keane has shown much development in his speech. He is quite good at catching tunes and can sing a few songs very well. His pronunciation needs work but his pitch is very good. Am I beginning to sound like an American Idol judge? I believe he really needed our attention. My recent full time spell at home gave him much of my time and I feel closer to him. He has also shown more restraint in his behaviour, except when he is playing which is typical of most children. He has picked up our singlish phrases like "aiyo" and has the sweetest way of expressing his distress with "Oh NO!"
Xavier has become more matured for his age and is demonstrating his abilities to be an elder brother. Some of the things he said recently made me laugh:
I injured my finger while closing the gate of our main door. Don't ask me why or how I did it since I have no answer. Guess my brain was in sleep mode.
Mom: Oh no, I injured my finger when I was closing the door.
Xavier: It's ok, just put a plaster and go to sleep. When you wake up, it will be ok already!
I wonder if this is a demonstration of the way we show our love while trying to teach him to be strong.
Keane was fiddling with a book recently. Xavier went to him and took the book.
Xavier: Come Keane, read this....Hop...Hop on Pop!
Keane: silence......
Xavier: Come on Keane, just try your best. Hop....say Hop.
Keane: silence......
Xavier: Keane, it's very easy....Hop....say Hop....Hop on Pop!
Keane: Don't want!!! (and off he ran)
I hope this shows that he has learnt a lesson from us. We always try to teach him that to try his best is an achievement itself.
Ryan has started walking on his own albeit unsteadily. He is also showing his own character. He has a habit of snatching toys from his brothers. Whenever he doesn't get them, he will go to his dad to complain and cries till he gets what he wants. All his tantrums are forgotten with his endearing smile which brightens up your day. He has a long way to go......
Recently my focus on work is self discipline. I'm trying to exercise discipline in how I plan my schedule and how I balance my time between work and family. I'm also trying to put in some time for exercise. I tried going for a jog again on Sunday, after a one week break. I'm far from what I call fit. But I'm giving myself a bit of time to get to it.
We're planning a trip to the zoo this Saturday and I hope we do make it......
This week's motivational quote:
Discipline is the bridge between Goals and Accomplishments.
Things have been moving fast and I've been trying to keep a balance between work and family. I must admit the family is benefiting from my efforts.
Keane has shown much development in his speech. He is quite good at catching tunes and can sing a few songs very well. His pronunciation needs work but his pitch is very good. Am I beginning to sound like an American Idol judge? I believe he really needed our attention. My recent full time spell at home gave him much of my time and I feel closer to him. He has also shown more restraint in his behaviour, except when he is playing which is typical of most children. He has picked up our singlish phrases like "aiyo" and has the sweetest way of expressing his distress with "Oh NO!"
Xavier has become more matured for his age and is demonstrating his abilities to be an elder brother. Some of the things he said recently made me laugh:
I injured my finger while closing the gate of our main door. Don't ask me why or how I did it since I have no answer. Guess my brain was in sleep mode.
Mom: Oh no, I injured my finger when I was closing the door.
Xavier: It's ok, just put a plaster and go to sleep. When you wake up, it will be ok already!
I wonder if this is a demonstration of the way we show our love while trying to teach him to be strong.
Keane was fiddling with a book recently. Xavier went to him and took the book.
Xavier: Come Keane, read this....Hop...Hop on Pop!
Keane: silence......
Xavier: Come on Keane, just try your best. Hop....say Hop.
Keane: silence......
Xavier: Keane, it's very easy....Hop....say Hop....Hop on Pop!
Keane: Don't want!!! (and off he ran)
I hope this shows that he has learnt a lesson from us. We always try to teach him that to try his best is an achievement itself.
Ryan has started walking on his own albeit unsteadily. He is also showing his own character. He has a habit of snatching toys from his brothers. Whenever he doesn't get them, he will go to his dad to complain and cries till he gets what he wants. All his tantrums are forgotten with his endearing smile which brightens up your day. He has a long way to go......
Recently my focus on work is self discipline. I'm trying to exercise discipline in how I plan my schedule and how I balance my time between work and family. I'm also trying to put in some time for exercise. I tried going for a jog again on Sunday, after a one week break. I'm far from what I call fit. But I'm giving myself a bit of time to get to it.
We're planning a trip to the zoo this Saturday and I hope we do make it......
This week's motivational quote:
Discipline is the bridge between Goals and Accomplishments.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Back to normal.....or not?
Today is the first day in 4 weeks that I'm back in office. It was definitely WOW.
I made some changes today:
1) My blog header now reads as "Clara's Voice - Diaries of a commando mummy" - the extension "Diaries of a commando mummy was inspired by my friend Gabriel. See how he makes me do wicked things even after 20 years? Kidding.
2) I made a mistake in quoting the lyrics from the TV8 drama series in my previous post and that has been corrected duly. It should read as "每个人都不普通...每个人都不同 translates to everyone is not ordinary, everyone is different." instead of "每个人都普通...每个人都不同 translates to everyone is ordinary, everyone is different." Now we all know why I am not an A star student in Chinese but I tried.
Going back to office put me back into the world of adult conversation. Not that I didn't have much adult conversation but I had overdose of baby talk and child care. No wonder my hubby said I cannot be a stay home housewife. He knows me too well.
Ryan is much better now and his wound has healed very well, the swelling from last week is gone. His next check up is in June and I hope that the wound closes up by then. He seems healthy enough but I still have a nagging feeling in my mind which will probably not go away until he doesn't need to go back for further checks.
Xavier is going for his second swimming lesson tomorrow. His first lesson last week returned mixed feelings for everyone. Xavier is a very cautious child and he is often timid when he tries his hand at something new despite all the bravado before the actual attempt. On the way to swimming class last week, he said he wants to learn how to swim properly and take part in competitions. During the lesson, we can hear him crying "Ahh!! Aaahh!! Daddy!! Mummy!!!". I asked my hubby to go talk to him and ask him not to panic and relax. He said to let him handle the situation himself. After a while, there were no more cries and we can see him relax visibly. Apparently kids are really resilient.
Keane has continued to show improvement in his speech. But other than that, nothing much to report. This guy is a "deep waters" person.
I finally finished "The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew" and progressed to volume 2 "From Third World to First". To be frank, the first volume was an easier read than the second because the first was written in chronological order while the second was written by subject. According to the author, it would not have fit into one volume if the 35 years from 1965 to 2000 was written in chronological order. Without sounding too much like PAP propaganda, I really respect the man. Before reading his books, I looked up to him as the man who made Singapore and my respect was out of reverence towards someone who is far removed in the ranks of the highest order. After reading his books, I learned a great deal more about my country's history and I really take my hat off and give him a deep bow. I know that my comments are nothing new and a lot of people have expressed their thoughts more eloquently than I ever can. But I still want to say my piece. Lee Kuan Yew is a remarkable person who is real evidence of a statement on a poster in my office cubicle: Real Leaders are Ordinary People with Extraordinary Determination.
In any situation, be it in governmental politics, commercial office politics, secular organization politics, sporting organization politics or even family politics, it is never possible to have all parties come into agreement. What is important is to keep the big picture in mind, to remember the purpose of the organization, do what is right for the good of the people. We cannot satisfy everyone in the organization as no one is the same. So what we can do is to follow the 80/20 rule and ensure we take care of the majority. Maybe in some cases, we can take care of 90%, sometimes we can try to make it 95%. To be able to do 100% is impossible. Why? People have different expectations. People have different needs at different times. We cannot control how they think, we cannot control how they feel, we cannot control their circumstances. However, we can manage their expectations. Never over promise. Under promise and over deliver.
Going back to office has put me back into "reality" but I miss spending time with my kids. I enjoy being able to sit down to Tom and Jerry with Xavier, carrying Ryan and going for a short walk, making silly faces with Keane. These are things I won't be able to do for much longer. When they grow up, I don't think hanging out with their old mummy can count as having fun. But I can always hope, can't I?
I made some changes today:
1) My blog header now reads as "Clara's Voice - Diaries of a commando mummy" - the extension "Diaries of a commando mummy was inspired by my friend Gabriel. See how he makes me do wicked things even after 20 years? Kidding.
2) I made a mistake in quoting the lyrics from the TV8 drama series in my previous post and that has been corrected duly. It should read as "每个人都不普通...每个人都不同 translates to everyone is not ordinary, everyone is different." instead of "每个人都普通...每个人都不同 translates to everyone is ordinary, everyone is different." Now we all know why I am not an A star student in Chinese but I tried.
Going back to office put me back into the world of adult conversation. Not that I didn't have much adult conversation but I had overdose of baby talk and child care. No wonder my hubby said I cannot be a stay home housewife. He knows me too well.
Ryan is much better now and his wound has healed very well, the swelling from last week is gone. His next check up is in June and I hope that the wound closes up by then. He seems healthy enough but I still have a nagging feeling in my mind which will probably not go away until he doesn't need to go back for further checks.
Xavier is going for his second swimming lesson tomorrow. His first lesson last week returned mixed feelings for everyone. Xavier is a very cautious child and he is often timid when he tries his hand at something new despite all the bravado before the actual attempt. On the way to swimming class last week, he said he wants to learn how to swim properly and take part in competitions. During the lesson, we can hear him crying "Ahh!! Aaahh!! Daddy!! Mummy!!!". I asked my hubby to go talk to him and ask him not to panic and relax. He said to let him handle the situation himself. After a while, there were no more cries and we can see him relax visibly. Apparently kids are really resilient.
Keane has continued to show improvement in his speech. But other than that, nothing much to report. This guy is a "deep waters" person.
I finally finished "The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew" and progressed to volume 2 "From Third World to First". To be frank, the first volume was an easier read than the second because the first was written in chronological order while the second was written by subject. According to the author, it would not have fit into one volume if the 35 years from 1965 to 2000 was written in chronological order. Without sounding too much like PAP propaganda, I really respect the man. Before reading his books, I looked up to him as the man who made Singapore and my respect was out of reverence towards someone who is far removed in the ranks of the highest order. After reading his books, I learned a great deal more about my country's history and I really take my hat off and give him a deep bow. I know that my comments are nothing new and a lot of people have expressed their thoughts more eloquently than I ever can. But I still want to say my piece. Lee Kuan Yew is a remarkable person who is real evidence of a statement on a poster in my office cubicle: Real Leaders are Ordinary People with Extraordinary Determination.
In any situation, be it in governmental politics, commercial office politics, secular organization politics, sporting organization politics or even family politics, it is never possible to have all parties come into agreement. What is important is to keep the big picture in mind, to remember the purpose of the organization, do what is right for the good of the people. We cannot satisfy everyone in the organization as no one is the same. So what we can do is to follow the 80/20 rule and ensure we take care of the majority. Maybe in some cases, we can take care of 90%, sometimes we can try to make it 95%. To be able to do 100% is impossible. Why? People have different expectations. People have different needs at different times. We cannot control how they think, we cannot control how they feel, we cannot control their circumstances. However, we can manage their expectations. Never over promise. Under promise and over deliver.
Going back to office has put me back into "reality" but I miss spending time with my kids. I enjoy being able to sit down to Tom and Jerry with Xavier, carrying Ryan and going for a short walk, making silly faces with Keane. These are things I won't be able to do for much longer. When they grow up, I don't think hanging out with their old mummy can count as having fun. But I can always hope, can't I?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Reflection
This is the 4th week that I've stayed home to look after Ryan. This month has been arduous. Xavier caught a virus and had high fever a couple of weeks ago. Last week Keane was suspected to have chicken pox but was actually down with a virus similar to Xavier's with high fever. Ryan's wound never seemed to heal. My patience has been tested frequently this month. Fortunately I have an understanding boss and he allowed me to take leave to stay home. He never pushed me to go back to office either stating that taking care of the kids was important. But I long to return to office. Not only do I have projects pending for my return, I also find that I am beginning to slack a little at home.
Today I gave my blog address to my long time friend and asked for his comment. He said it was a refreshing read and reminded me that it wasn't important who or how many people read my blog. Most importantly I have an outlet for my piteous creativity and hopefully share my experiences with interested readers. Thanks to Gabriel for your motivation!
I had a lot of thoughts over the last month and cannot wait to share them. I'll do it in chronological order continuing with the hospital experience. I am amazed at how inconsiderate people can be, being noisy without considering patients sleeping in the same room. At the same time, I am amazed at how much love people like nurses and doctors can show strangers in need of care and comfort. The world is beautiful and amazing. I don't understand how it works and I probably never will. But whilst I am in it, I will do what I can to keep the good going.
I learned that we all take things for granted and we need to wake up. The good days can only last so long and it is imperative to make the best use of the days given to us. I may not be around for my children as long as I wish I could but during the time that I can, I have to do my best for their good, not mine.
Something that caught my attention this month was the AWARE saga. I'm sure most Singaporeans are aware of what happened at AWARE so I won't go into too much details. If you want to know, google "AWARE saga" and you'll get as much as you need. My thoughts on the AWARE saga is probably similar to some people but my cynical outlook and too much CSI gives me too paranoid a view on it. I think it's all a scam and a whole load of overhype. If the old guard claims to be inclusive, why can they not accept the new team and allow them a chance to take office for a year and if the new team does a poor job, then re-elect themselves. Was the new team familiar enough with where the organization was heading before deciding that AWARE was diverting from its original objectives? After all the happenings, AWARE had a surge in membership. So was the whole event a publicity stunt? I wouldn't put it past the organization - this is my CSI mind speaking about conspiracy theories.
A heartening thing to observe is that Singaporeans are more vocal nowadays and more open. Is being open going against our traditional values? It is personal and subjective. Some of the comments made by the various parties involved and observers seemed to be self-contradictory to me. The whole focus seemed to be on sexuality education issue and how a team of women seemed to have manoveured themselves into the exco within the constitution. Sour grapes and sore losers to the old guard - the new team rightly said that if they were really keen and interested in what was happening at AWARE, the coup wouldn't have happened. It was a rightful wake up call for the old guard in my opinion. They took too many things for granted. It seemed like a "don't fix it if it is not spoiled" situation resulting in dwindling memberships and less public awareness of the organization and its objectives. Of couse, on the other side of the coin, the new team could have started their own organization if they were really interested in contributing to society and didn't agree with what AWARE was doing. Furthermore, the team of well educated and matured ladies should have considered the consequence of bringing in a religious take into the situation whether intentionally or not. People are definitely going to cry foul, especially in a mutli-racial, multi-religious country like ours.
At the end of the day both camps emerged from the scene in a cordial manner. The winners because they think they have made a point and won. The losers to hang on to any shred of dignity they had left. I salute the team of ladies who braved the situation, taking in criticisms in all forms and manner and left holding their heads held high. But I also think that they could have carried out their intentions in a better manner but it's always easier to speak with hindsight. I say we should live and let live and learn how to agree to disagree. I'm sure that the lesson learnt will bring about changes to AWARE's constitution to protect the core group's interest in AWARE. I'd like to thank everyone involved in the saga and the journalists who gave fantastic coverage for giving me a great learning opportunity.
Interesting lyrics from the theme song for TV8 series currently airing at 9pm on weekdays:
每个人都不普通...每个人都不同 translates to everyone is not ordinary, everyone is different.
Today I gave my blog address to my long time friend and asked for his comment. He said it was a refreshing read and reminded me that it wasn't important who or how many people read my blog. Most importantly I have an outlet for my piteous creativity and hopefully share my experiences with interested readers. Thanks to Gabriel for your motivation!
I had a lot of thoughts over the last month and cannot wait to share them. I'll do it in chronological order continuing with the hospital experience. I am amazed at how inconsiderate people can be, being noisy without considering patients sleeping in the same room. At the same time, I am amazed at how much love people like nurses and doctors can show strangers in need of care and comfort. The world is beautiful and amazing. I don't understand how it works and I probably never will. But whilst I am in it, I will do what I can to keep the good going.
I learned that we all take things for granted and we need to wake up. The good days can only last so long and it is imperative to make the best use of the days given to us. I may not be around for my children as long as I wish I could but during the time that I can, I have to do my best for their good, not mine.
Something that caught my attention this month was the AWARE saga. I'm sure most Singaporeans are aware of what happened at AWARE so I won't go into too much details. If you want to know, google "AWARE saga" and you'll get as much as you need. My thoughts on the AWARE saga is probably similar to some people but my cynical outlook and too much CSI gives me too paranoid a view on it. I think it's all a scam and a whole load of overhype. If the old guard claims to be inclusive, why can they not accept the new team and allow them a chance to take office for a year and if the new team does a poor job, then re-elect themselves. Was the new team familiar enough with where the organization was heading before deciding that AWARE was diverting from its original objectives? After all the happenings, AWARE had a surge in membership. So was the whole event a publicity stunt? I wouldn't put it past the organization - this is my CSI mind speaking about conspiracy theories.
A heartening thing to observe is that Singaporeans are more vocal nowadays and more open. Is being open going against our traditional values? It is personal and subjective. Some of the comments made by the various parties involved and observers seemed to be self-contradictory to me. The whole focus seemed to be on sexuality education issue and how a team of women seemed to have manoveured themselves into the exco within the constitution. Sour grapes and sore losers to the old guard - the new team rightly said that if they were really keen and interested in what was happening at AWARE, the coup wouldn't have happened. It was a rightful wake up call for the old guard in my opinion. They took too many things for granted. It seemed like a "don't fix it if it is not spoiled" situation resulting in dwindling memberships and less public awareness of the organization and its objectives. Of couse, on the other side of the coin, the new team could have started their own organization if they were really interested in contributing to society and didn't agree with what AWARE was doing. Furthermore, the team of well educated and matured ladies should have considered the consequence of bringing in a religious take into the situation whether intentionally or not. People are definitely going to cry foul, especially in a mutli-racial, multi-religious country like ours.
At the end of the day both camps emerged from the scene in a cordial manner. The winners because they think they have made a point and won. The losers to hang on to any shred of dignity they had left. I salute the team of ladies who braved the situation, taking in criticisms in all forms and manner and left holding their heads held high. But I also think that they could have carried out their intentions in a better manner but it's always easier to speak with hindsight. I say we should live and let live and learn how to agree to disagree. I'm sure that the lesson learnt will bring about changes to AWARE's constitution to protect the core group's interest in AWARE. I'd like to thank everyone involved in the saga and the journalists who gave fantastic coverage for giving me a great learning opportunity.
Interesting lyrics from the theme song for TV8 series currently airing at 9pm on weekdays:
每个人都不普通...每个人都不同 translates to everyone is not ordinary, everyone is different.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
HORRORS!!!
The past 2 days were quite distressing and one of the most harrowing experience I ever went through as a mother. I want to share my experience and my thoughts on what I witnessed over the past 2 days.
My baby Ryan was sick for a couple of days. He had a fever that wouldn't go away and persisted between 38 to 39 deg celsius. I brought him to the GP on Friday and got some medicine to cure the sypmtoms. On Saturday afternoon, my helper noticed a bump near his anal region which looked like a boil. We got a bit worried but thought it was due to heatiness. (Heatiness being a condition which Chinese believe happens when one has consumed too much food said to be heaty in nature, causing the body to react defensively). Nevertheless, we brought him back to the GP who inspected the boil and immediately diagnosed it as an abscess. I had no clue what an abscess was and thought it was just a normal boil resulting from some viral infection.
The GP wrote a letter of referral for KK Hospital and we sent Ryan there. After some waiting, it was explained to us that he had an abscess which was a result of infection and there was a canal of infection leading from his anus to the "boil". And the "boil" had to be cut to drain out the pus. Technically, Ryan needed what was known medically as "Incision and drainage of periannal abscess, keep in view fulislotomy". Fulislotomy referred to removal of the canal between the anus and the abscess. At first the doctor who examined him in the emergency department said that they probably could operate on him at 1am, the earliest possible after a fast of 6 hours.
Ryan had to be moved around on Saturday night from the pre-screening to the waiting room and then to admissions and to the ward. At the ward, he was very tired and sleepy but he could only sleep in fits as he was woken by the surgeons visiting him for check up. It was then decided that it wasn't fair for him to go for an op after 12 midnight so he was scheduled for 7am the next morning. He also needed an x-ray because he had a bad case of cough with phlegm and slight runny nose. Since he needed to fast for 6 hours before the op, he needed to take one last feed before 1am otherwise his body might not be able to take the long bout without sustenance.
Much to my dismay Ryan refused to drink milk at 12am even though it was 4 hours since his last drink. I tried very hard to hoax him but no means no and he is one strong baby who was bent on going to sleep as he was very exhausted. So I resorted to using the syringe to force feed him. I managed only 2oz of milk and he just slept in protest. After consulting the nurses, it was decided that he needed a drink of glucose by 3am to have the sustenance. Any later and he may face complications if he vomits during surgery. I tried to feed him at 3am and faced the same resistance. For an exhausted baby, he had a lot of fight in him. Out came the syringe and this time it was another 2oz of glucose water before he slept in protest again.
My baby Ryan was sick for a couple of days. He had a fever that wouldn't go away and persisted between 38 to 39 deg celsius. I brought him to the GP on Friday and got some medicine to cure the sypmtoms. On Saturday afternoon, my helper noticed a bump near his anal region which looked like a boil. We got a bit worried but thought it was due to heatiness. (Heatiness being a condition which Chinese believe happens when one has consumed too much food said to be heaty in nature, causing the body to react defensively). Nevertheless, we brought him back to the GP who inspected the boil and immediately diagnosed it as an abscess. I had no clue what an abscess was and thought it was just a normal boil resulting from some viral infection.
The GP wrote a letter of referral for KK Hospital and we sent Ryan there. After some waiting, it was explained to us that he had an abscess which was a result of infection and there was a canal of infection leading from his anus to the "boil". And the "boil" had to be cut to drain out the pus. Technically, Ryan needed what was known medically as "Incision and drainage of periannal abscess, keep in view fulislotomy". Fulislotomy referred to removal of the canal between the anus and the abscess. At first the doctor who examined him in the emergency department said that they probably could operate on him at 1am, the earliest possible after a fast of 6 hours.
Ryan had to be moved around on Saturday night from the pre-screening to the waiting room and then to admissions and to the ward. At the ward, he was very tired and sleepy but he could only sleep in fits as he was woken by the surgeons visiting him for check up. It was then decided that it wasn't fair for him to go for an op after 12 midnight so he was scheduled for 7am the next morning. He also needed an x-ray because he had a bad case of cough with phlegm and slight runny nose. Since he needed to fast for 6 hours before the op, he needed to take one last feed before 1am otherwise his body might not be able to take the long bout without sustenance.
Much to my dismay Ryan refused to drink milk at 12am even though it was 4 hours since his last drink. I tried very hard to hoax him but no means no and he is one strong baby who was bent on going to sleep as he was very exhausted. So I resorted to using the syringe to force feed him. I managed only 2oz of milk and he just slept in protest. After consulting the nurses, it was decided that he needed a drink of glucose by 3am to have the sustenance. Any later and he may face complications if he vomits during surgery. I tried to feed him at 3am and faced the same resistance. For an exhausted baby, he had a lot of fight in him. Out came the syringe and this time it was another 2oz of glucose water before he slept in protest again.
I was helpless and all I could do was pray that my baby's body was strong enough to carry him through the long hours ahead.
At about 7am we headed down to the operation theatre. I carried him to the changing room. I put on a smock and changed my slippers while he was checked by the anaesthetist. Ryan had to undergo general anaesthesia because it is difficult to handle fussy babies unlike adults who can control themselves and can do with just local anaesthesia for such an operation. Due to his phlegm they told me he would be put on a high dependency bed after the operation for observation in case complications arose. If his airwaves are sensitive to the anaesthesia, then he might have asthma or pneumonia. That scared the hell out of me.
I carried him into the operation theatre and we sat down. The nurse distracted him with bubbles while the anaesthetists started to find a vein to insert the tube for the anaesthetic to be fed. His hands were too chubby and they failed. So they decided to have him breathe in the anaesthetic. A few breathes and Ryan was knocked out. I was then ushered out of the room. What seemed like the longest wait I had to go through began. The operation was supposed to take only 10 mins as it was a simple procedure. However I waited for 30 minutes. Each time the door to the operation theatre opened, my heart skipped a bit. No smiles from the staff walking in and out. That looked ominous to me. I prayed and asked for God to protect my son.
After what seemed like eternity, the door opened and I heard my baby's cry. Ryan was already awake and looking for me! I ran to him and carried him up. The crying stopped immediately. They told me that he was fine and I could bring him up to the ward. I brought him up to the ward and he looked very dazed. He fell asleep soon. Throughout the morning he drifted in and out of sleep for his medicine and milk. His temperature had gone back to normal once the abscess was removed. That was a relief. By the afternoon he was more active. Although he refused porridge he took milk.
After his first poop, the nurses showed me how to clean his wound and my knees went weak. They removed his dressing and pulled out a woolly thread which was inserted through the fistula. That hurt like hell and Ryan wailed as loudly as his lungs allowed. The worst is yet to come. The nurse parted his wound and stuck a syringe into the opening and injected saline inside for cleansing. That brought on another string of wails from Ryan. I was informed that I had to do this for him each time he pooped until the wound closes by itself. I was a little dazed after that. Apparently they need to make sure that I could clean the wound independently before they discharge him.That night, he had major pains in his gums because he was teething. I carried him for at least 2 hours, trying to make him go to sleep while he wailed non-stop. After almost 3 hours, he started to fall asleep out of exhaustion but was still grumbling about the pain. I asked the staff nurse for help. She gave him some gel to apply on his gums and my baby slept like an angel. I was exhausted. It is no easy feat to carry a 10kg baby and rock him for 2 hours. I could almost feel my biceps and triceps developing! It was such a relief to lie down on the makeshift bed. I couldn't move. Fortunately the staff nurse was very kind and when Ryan started grumbling again at 2am she carried him out and applied the gel on his gums again. Then he fell asleep quite fast. I was too tired to move. Thank God for the angel he sent.
The next morning Ryan was back to his active and cheeky self. Then he pooped. Here goes nothing, I told myself. So I was pretty gungho about it. Told the nurse that I needed someone to help me wash his wound. I just did it and ignored his piteous wails during the process. It's for his own good, it's for his own good, I repeated to myself. Ok, I was exaggerating. Someone's got to do it so I better take up the job. I don't think my hubby will have the time to do it. My maid will probably tremble - she can't stand the sight of blood so I think she might not take to this easily. Ryan seemed to think that I needed the practice and pooped twice more before discharge time!
Fortunately the doctors did their rounds and certified him ready to be discharged. We happily brought him home along with 2 courses of antibiotics, a bottle of paracetamol and 24 tubes of saline.
Xavier, the eldest, saw me washing the wound and said "Let me help you hold him". He said that it must be very painful. Keane simply went "OH NO!" and scuttled away before anyone could try something similar on him.
Children are indeed extremely resilient creatures. Ryan would stop wailing immediately after the cleansing and cling on to me for dear life, sobbing a little. After 5 minutes, he would be back to his usual self.
Thank God everything went smoothly and my baby was safe.
Quote for the week:
Bravery comes in many forms......survival is one of them.
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