My Christmas Sweetie - Freya

~ Christmas Eve 2006 ~

I was warded into Gleneagles in the evening, at about 8p.m. when everyone else in the world was enjoying their X'mas feast.

SS could not stay for the night as it was a double bedroom. So I was pretty lonely.

Sleepless in hospital. I was excited, scared, happy, worried…a mix of emotions. Really could not believe that my baby would be arriving the next morning. I had butterflies in the stomach and made countless trips to the toilet the whole night.

Counted down as each hour passed.

~ Christmas Morning ~

I took a long hot bath at about 4:00a.m, afraid that I won’t be able to do so for the next few days.

There were footsteps. The staff nurse entered. She did something that traumatized me until today – she inserted a hard cold tube into my poor bladder! Shocking pain lingered even after that. I dared not move a single inch, afraid that any movement might worsen the pain.

Then, two others came shortly and wheeled me into the OT. I was transferred onto a hard, cold metallic surface – the operating table.

Everyone in the OT was relaxed and happily chirping away (perhaps it was Christmas) except me. The anesthesian arrived and asked to bend my body like a “heh2bee4”. Before long, I felt the enormous needle speared into my spinal cord. I gave a silent scream and swallowed the pain bravely. I had opted for epidural on my lower half of my body. Why? Because I wanted to be conscious and hold the baby when she arrives.

My charming gynecologist, Dr. Christopher Chong, arrived shortly and shouted greetings of “Merry Christmas” to everyone, livening up the OT. His arrival had helped me to regain some of my confidence and sense of security.

Everyone started to get to work. Dr. Chong checked and ensured that my lower body was numb enough. Orders were given and equipment was passed around in preparation for the operation.

SS came into the OT and stood by my side, giving me moral support.

“Do you feel anything?” Dr. Chong asked.

Although I could not feel the pain, I could feel the blade cutting me up.

My hands were getting weaker and eyelids started to get heavy due to the morphine that was injected into me earlier.

“Hold her hands down. I will be pushing the baby out,” Dr. Chong said.

Someone came and pressed my arms down against my chest.

“Ready?” Dr. Chong asked.

“Yup” that someone replied.

Repeated pressure was felt as Dr. Chong pushed my stomach. The pressure of the pushes increased. My heart pounded and I continued to wait anxiously…

“She’s coming out soon.” he assured.

The pushes continued…

“Congratulations, you have a baby girl!” he announced.

The baby’s wails were heard. Happiness overcame me and everything else.

Joy to our world, our baby Freya has arrived…

The unforgettable moment came when the nurse put the baby into my weak shivering arms. My heart was warm with overflowing emotions and love. My first thought “That’s my lovely baby…she has so much hair.” It was simply so touching and miraculous. One moment she was inside me, the next moment she was in my arms.

Baby Freya has stopped crying and her saliva kept dripping onto me. Her eyes were opened and she looked at me intensely as if to say, “Hello Mommy!” We greeted her “hello” and gave her our first blessings.

Mommy and Daddie love you very much, baby Freya…WELCOME!