Royce and Neri --Love Moves (In mysterious Ways): January 2008

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Thursday, January 03, 2008

Claire Ysabelle at Iba't Ibang Kwento

It's been a while (ahmmm... okay decades ago) since my last post and I must admit that I was thinking of deleting this blog but the memories of all the things I wrote in here are something that I can never ever delete, so I will just continue with this one and hopefully be a better blogger this 2008.

So many things happened to us in 2007 but giving birth to our firstborn ClaireYsabelle was the most memorable one. This is long everdue, almost a year na but I still want to share with you my birthing experience.

I had an ultrasound in the morning of February 08 2007 to see kung naka position na ang baby ko for delivery. There we saw na andun pa rin yung amniotic band that was seen by sonologists on the 4D ultrasound we had on Dec. 2006 so hindi maka move ang baby, meaning hindi makaikot because may nakaharang sa kanya. She was at te same position when we last saw her and I just prayed na sana hindi ma- stress ang baby ko and nothing bad will happen to her. In the afternoon of the same day is my regular check up sa OB ko so he will get to read na the results of the Ultrasound. Upon reading the results, I saw something in my OB's eyes so parang kinabahan ako. Later on, he explained to us the risks of having the amniotic band like incomplete palate and the likes. Plus I can't have pa a normal delivery because he doesnt want me to undergo labor dahil baka makasama pa sa baby ko. meaning CS na ko. He told us that anytime between Feb 14- March 3 pwede na ko manganak. Since ayaw na mag take ng risk ng OB ko, he let us choose kung Feb 16 or 23 ko gustong manganak, C section na. We chose Feb 16. Under the given circumstances, I really wanted sana to give birth sa Cardinal dahil mas magaganda ang mga facilities, pero I was advised na baka mahirapan kami kasi under renovation sya at that time, and nagtaas sila ng mga fees so baka more than 150k ang magastos namin. Our ever mabait na OB suggest that I give birth at Delgado hospital instead dahil magaganda rin ang facilities nila and affiliate pa si Dr. Monteblanco dun so mas madaling gumawa ng arrangements.

I was scheduled to have CS at 6:30 in the morning of Feb 16, so I need to be at the hospital the night before that. Sa sobrang excitement ko, I was at Delgado Hospital ng mga after lunch of February 15, hindi ko na nahintay si Royce makauwi from work kasi naisip ko baka maraming manganak maubusan ako ng room, he he he. My mother was with me and we just brought one small hospital bag, si hubby na ang bahala sa iba pang kailangang dalhin. True enough when we arrived at about past 2pm sa Delgado we were advised at the admiting section that there was no room available, even at the ward section walang bakante. But they told us na maaga pa naman daw para mag pa admit ako and may na ka schedule naman na lalabas na on that day sa ward section and sa semi private room the following day, Feb. 16. So medyo okay na rin, at least may matutulugan ako that night, and we already asked the admiting personnel to note that we will transfer sa private room kinbukasan, or as soon as magkaroon ng available. Maganda naman yung ward section ng Delgado, pero naisip ko baka dumalaw yung mga ka opisina ko since malapit lang naman yung Hospital sa office, and yung mga pinsan ko pa at mga kapatid so parang nakakahiya naman sa ibang patients kung napakaraming tao and maingay pa.

Royce arrived at the hospital ng mga bandang 7 pm na. I asked my mother to go home first then come back in the morning para naka rest sya since nasa ward section nga kami.

I was advised that I can still eat anything pa until 12 midnight so nakakain pa ko ng dinner pero konti na lang nakain ko sa sobrang excitement kasi parang gusto ko nang dumating yung 6 am para makita ko na ang baby ko. At around 430 am of Feb 16, may dumating nang nurse and I was cleaned and prep for the 6am operation. Then mga bandang 5:45 dinala na ko sa OR. Gising pa ko, so nakausap ko pa si Dra. Ruiz, my anaesthesiologist. I even saw yung pag prepare ng mga nurses ng mga gagamitin sa operation and I was glad na okay sila magtrabaho, everything was so organized and naka sterilized lahat ng gamit which is dapat naman talaga. May nag su-supervise pa na resident doctor sa mga ginagawa ng mga nurses while waiting for my OB.

Operation started at around 6:20 in the morning. Nararamdaman ko na may ginagawa sila sa

akin pero I can't identify kung ano kasi wala namang pain and medyo hilo na rin ako. Parang may hinihila or something, then after sometime, narinig ko na iyak ni Claire. I remember I even asked my OB na "doc patingin ng anak ko, may problem po ba?" That was around 655 am. Kinakabahan ako kasi baka may effect yung band sa kanya, pero good heavens! Nothing bad happened to her. She was perfectly adorable. No traces of amniotic band on her at all. God is really good. Nawala lahat ng kaba ko when I first held her. Sobrang happiness at contentment ang naramdaman ko at that moment. Then nung nalagyan na sya ng name tag, medyo hilo na ko.

The next thing I knew was nasa recovery room na ko. They are instructing me to move my legs which I was able to do right away so I was wheeled na to my room at about 1140 am. Good thing, I was transfered to a semi private room, pero parang private na rin kasi wala naman akong kasamang ibang patient. Nakatulog na ko ulit then I was awaken by some noise. Yun pala dumating na ang mga bisita namin, that was around 6pm. Buti na lang wala akong kasama sa room, kasi ang iingay talaga ng mga visitors ko. Andun ang mga kapatid ko, some friends and then yung mga ka officemates ko. Hindi pa rin ako allowed sana magsalita pero I can't help it. Di ko mapigilan magkwento. Then some of them nakita na si Claire sa Nursery so sobrang saya naming lahat.

May isa lang kwento na sobrang hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako or maiinis. Most first time fathers I've known were very excited sa mga first born nila kaya tipong nakababad sila sa pinto ng delivery room diba? Waiting for their child to be shown to him. Eto na, on my way out from the recovery room, hindi ko nakita si Royce sa may door, akala ko hindi ko lang napansin kasi medyo grogy na nga ako. Ay sus... my dear husband pala was taking a bath at that time. Nakakulong sa banyo for almost two hours. When I asked him bakit di nya inabangan si Claire, "Natatakot kasi ako, kinakabahan pa" was his quick reply. Yung OB ko pa tuloy ang naghanap sa kanya para sabihin na nanganak na ko, and pwede na nyang tignan sa nursery ang baby. Grabe di ba, he he he. San ka nakakita ng ganyan...

But of course I cannot discount the fact na sobra nyang mahal si Claire. Would you believe na since nag bottle feed kami, sya lang ang naghuhugas ng feeding bottles ni Claire? Nobody else, not even me. Gusto nya sya talaga.

Claire Ysabelle is a very sweet and adorable child. Every morning when we greet her "Good Morning" she smiles back at us, then caresses our faces with her little hands. Sobrang blessed kami for having her. I really give thanks and praises to Mother Mary, Saint Claire, Lord Jesus Christ, (and all the saints) for guiding me from the very start of my pregnancy and for making me a better person. Daming mga nangyari but the Lord never left my side. Until now, and for the rest of my life I will be forever grateful.

Sobrang trankful din ako sa parents ko especially sa Mama ko dahil dami nya ring hirap, mula nung nagbuntis ako until now. When I was in pain, when I was bleeding andun sya. Sabi nga nya parang nanganganay sya ulit. Claire calls her Mama as well. Sometimes yoya, oh yes my daughter can speak some words already. Yung mga madalas nyang marinig sa mga cousins nya and sa amin na rin. She can call us "dad and 'my" also.

Now that Claire will be celebrating her first birthday come Feb 16, 2008 parang ang bilis ng panahon, parang hindi ako makapaniwala na ito na yung baby na nasa tummy ko before, na akala ko I will not be able to carry on full term. She has brought new meaning to our lives, new directions, new hopes, lots of love and countless blessings.

I just wish and pray na sana mapalaki namin sya ng maayos, na sana she will be a good citizen of this country, a good Ate to her would be siblings, a good daughter to us and a faithful follower of Christ.

Let me share with you some of her memorable photos...

On one of her walking lessons. My sister is the one holding her while her cousin Eivan (on yellow shirt) walks with them. By the way, this photo was taken at Baywalk, her first trip there as well.

Claire with my sister, Tita Mommy Pat. Why this shot became memorable? Because Claire wanted her Tita to put the shawl on her head as seen on this picture. She cries whenever we try to get the shawl from her. Kikay na!!!