healing

...and so, after that little episode at Mt. Alvernia, i am given 28 days hospitalization leave from work.

those in the know, will know my BP shot sky high to over 210 overnight. i was feverish... my arms and hands swell... there was such unimaginable pain in my bones... my body was weak... i was shaking like a leaf......

i was driven direct from the gynae's to Mt. Alvernia on Dr. Tracey's orders. thank God for the wonderful team at The Tow Yung Clinic.

thinking back now, i vaguely remember being driven by Dr. Yeong and Nurse Lilian to the Hospital. Dad had to go home for mum. Hubs was outstation.

i know i was admitted immediately (thanks to arrangements made by the Clinic) and pushed into Critical Care Unit (CCU) before i passed out.

woke up strapped to bed in CCU room #4 , hooked up to some mean-looking machines that were helping to monitor my BP, heart, and our precious baby.

the following 48hrs were mostly a blurred mix of pain, meds, visits by Dr. Tracey (thank God for her!), Dr. Tan KS the cardiologist and Dr. Pan the neurologist, blood tests, pain, med, nurses coming by to check on me, Sisters coming by to pray for (and with) me, the parents coming by to visit, porridge, apples, trying to pee into a bedpan, more blood tests, more pain, more meds......

throughout the entire time, the nurses came by every other hour to check on baby. as i struggled through the pain, my biggest BIGGEST (heart)ache was thinking of how i was depriving baby of right nutrients needed (cause i was on so much meds and taking in only porridge). thank God throughout it all, baby's heart beat was strong and i kept feeling baby moving inside me.

was finally allowed to go home after my BP came down (with increased meds dosage). 

hundreds (it feels like it!!) of followup checkups scheduled with the three doctors.

2 weeks on, the pain and swelling in the left arm and hand is gone. the right though, remains slightly swollen and sore. and weak. Dr. Pan reckons this may require long-term monitoring. blood test to continue. the right hand continues to shake, especially if i exert even the slightest bit of strength (like trying to squeeze toothpaste from the tube!!!).

daily monitoring of BP and blood sugar levels continue from home.

the bruises on my arms from all those blood tests are finally fading. where they inserted that huge-ass plastic apparatus for the drip? the wound is healing.

i'm healing. 

Thank God.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

*update: 

trying to pee with a bedpan must be the hardest thing ever! it took me three tries, over half a day, before i managed to do it that first day. dread what's to come after delivery. nurse says i'm not going to be able to leave the bed for the loo that first half-a-day after giving birth. help!!!

baby's a-okay. i'm gaining back the weight i lost. a re-scan scheduled this weekend. can't wait to see the little one.

Thank God for family and friends who have sent a constant stream of texts, calls, flowers, fruit baskets and love to us.