My Days Spent In Room 507 and 503

During our almost-1-month stay in the hospital, hubby had even bought a stainless steel tiffin food carrier so that he could pack hot meals for me. He also bought bowls, knife, spoons, laundry detergent, fabric softener and other household items. I really felt like the hospital was my home. Good thing the nurses, sisters and other staff were all very helpful and warm. Cost aside, I felt quite comfortable staying in that 5-star hospital that gave us a bill that really choked hubby and I.

Here's one of the meals that hubby bought for me :


Fried mamak mee (supposedly a very famous one but I didn't quite like it), roast chicken and some deep fried stuff. Hmmm, not a very healthy meal and I only ate very little of everything and passed the rest to my maid.

Pix Taken From Room 503

Whilst in the hospital after her second surgery, Baby C felt really insecured. She wanted me to be near her all the time. She didn't want just pats and strokes at night but wanted me to sleep next to her all the time. I had to climb into her cot and lay next to her until she fell asleep but when I climbed out of the cot silently, she sensed it and cried again. Finally I asked the nurse to rearrange the machines and tubes so that she could sleep on my single bed, which is really narrow. I could not sleep the entire night as I was really worried that the NG tube that was hanging precariously on her nose would slide out and worried that she would sleep on the tubes and pull off the central venous catheter that's hanging on her chest. Those nights were really terribly frustrating for me. Nothing causes more stress than not having any sleep at night and being woken up every single hour or half-hourly the whole night.



Me contorting my body to fit into the baby cot.... which resulted in me having stiff shoulders and neck and backache.




How on earth can anyone have a decent night's sleep when your baby with a bunch of tubes hanging all over her body and nose hogs the entire bed? The very little space that's left for me on the right side of the bed was all I had. I could barely turn to my sides. On one night, I even slept with my head at the foot of the bed (and legs facing Baby C), so that I could find more space. Those nights were my worst.... and I hope I will never ever have to experience them again in my lifetime.

Pix Taken From Room 503

Pix taken yesterday:



Despite having both her hands bandaged (to prevent her from pulling the tubes on her nose and on her chest), my dear sweetie-pie sat up on the bed and tried playing with her toys by scooping up the toys with the bandaged hands. She's a survivor... she'll go all out to find her way to pick her toys up.... even with both hands tied up, with a bunch of tubes hanging on her body, a cut on her neck with stitches and 2 painful cuts on her tummy.


Yea, I'm a fighter!

We Will Appeal And Fight All The Way

The hubs and I will appeal to our insurer for consideration to reimburse us Baby C’s second hospitalization expenses. We could not believe our eyes when we were given the latest interim bill by the hospital yesterday. The amount was over RM24k for the second hospital stay and we had to further top up the deposit. We will definitely go all out to fight for a reimbursement for the hospitalization bill as the condition is non-congenital and is not under the Exclusion clause. If indeed our appeal is still rejected, I think it’s high time we cancel our policy with this insurer and start looking around for fresh insurance quotes.

Pix Taken From Room 503

These pix were taken a few days before Baby C's second surgery. Baby was feeling so terribly uncomfortable with her distended tummy that I had to prop her up with a huge pillow behind her during the day. She also often puked in her sleep while in a lying position. So propping her up to a sitting position helped ease her discomfort a little.

What A Waste

For over 3 weeks, I have been expressing my milk and pouring them down the sink.... another big heartache. I feel it's such a waste. I even asked the nurses if they knew of any patients (babies and toddlers) who needed breastmilk but all the patients in the pediatric ward were on formula. Each time the Sister came and saw me expressing, she commented on how wasteful it was that I had to throw my breast milk away. She suggested that I drank the milk myself and know what? I took her suggestion and drank it!!! Gross hor? I know, I know, it's really geli.... I can't bring myself to drink it fresh from my boops and I had to add some Nescafe and some cold fresh milk to force it down my throat lol! I drank my own breastmilk several times and I think I wouldn't want to do it again! Eewwwww!!


10-15 ounces of breastmilk a day .....all down the sink....

Baby C's Second Post-Surgery - 2nd Day

Baby C continues to be more alert and responsive today. Today, more and more of her usual antics resurfaced. For the first time in 3 weeks, she called 'cheh cheh' when she saw her 2 sisters' pic in my handphone. She also said 'mek mek' (milk milk) when I carried her and pleaded for my milkie. After being on the TPN drips (nutrition drips) for 1.5 days, she has regained her strength and there is also color back on her face and lips. However, her face and eyes got puffy today. When our surgeon came in about an hour ago, he said the puffiness could be due to too much of nutrition drips. So he cut down the amount of drips to be released. Also, the morphine drips have been reduced from 2ml/hour to 1ml/hour to 0.5ml/hour today. Tomorrow morning, the morphine drips will be stopped.

Baby C did not nap the whole afternoon today. She was wide awake from 2pm through 10pm. This afternoon, she kept fussing and fretting and I didn't know what was wrong with her. I thought she was in pain and discomfort. But when I switched on the TV and played her favorite VCDs, she instantly stopped whining. She has been watching VCDs from 4pm through 10pm today! BTW, after more than 9 months, she still loves her "Your Baby Can Read" VCDs and will always be very attentive whenever the VCDs are played.

Baby C's haemoglobin has dropped to 7 from 8. But our doctor is not keen on doing a blood transfusion just yet. The risks of a blood transfusion are too high. When he came in and saw Baby C about an hour ago, he told me that she doesn't need a blood transfusion since her cheeks look pinkish and her lips are red again. I just hope her haemoglobin will now only go up and that very soon, she can take iron supplements without having to do a blood transfusion.

I am still very worried that Baby C hasn't passed out wind or poo pooed. But our surgeon is very positive that she will do so soon, after listening to her tummy with a stethescope this evening. I am praying very hard that Baby C will fart and poo poo lots coz if she doesn't, we will have to go through one whole lot of agonizing tests again.

Sorry, no pix today.... too tired to download them into my laptop from my camera. I am really burnt out and severely sleep deprieved. I better sleep now that my baby is sleeping.

Not A Single Cent Claimable From Our Insurer

I am really disappointed with the insurance company which we have purchased our medical insurance for Baby C. The company has rejected our claim for Baby C’s second surgery. This is the second time the insurance company has rejected our claims. Nevertheless, I will try to appeal to the insurance company for a consideration but I doubt they will approve my appeal. As of today, Baby C’s hospitalization bill is already close to forty thousand ringgit and we have to settle the entire amount through our nose! My dad has asked me to switch insurance company and insurance agent. When Baby C is discharged from the hospital and everything is settled, I may scout around for a good insurance agent and seek term life insurance advice and medical insurance.

Law Of Attraction

Chin Nee kept telling me to use the Law Of Attraction to help Baby C get better. This morning during breakfast, I tempted Baby C with my food. First, I used slices of oranges to tempt her. She was excited and moved her head forward to lick the orange. When I took the orange away, she cried. I then tempted her with my omelette and she too licked it enthusiastically. Next, I tempted her with my slice of multigrain bread with peanut butter and kaya and she too licked it fervently! I told her to quickly fart so that I can start feeding her "mek mek" and she can go home to see her 2 cheh chehs soon.







When daddy went back to KL a few days ago, he had recorded videos of Alycia and Sherilyn. Alycia kept singing songs to baby, especially Alycia's special song for baby. This morning, daddy showed baby the videos on his handphone and she looked at them intently. I kept encouraging her to fart so that she can go home soon.


Check out my other blog to read about Baby C's second surgery yesterday.

Nasogastric Tube Again

I am enraged, really boiling mad... with my maid this morning. Baby C went through a very harrowing time late last night when the nurse inserted the nasogastric (NG) tube into her nostril. Baby C was fussing, tossing and turning and crying round the clock last night because of the NG tube. She felt really uncomfortable with the tube hanging from her nose. The NG tube also made her choke, cough and retch the whole night. Can you imagine a tube that passes through your nostrils, throat and directly into your guts? It must be darn irritating and painful. I didn't get to sleep at all, not even an hour.

This morning, my maid put the collection bag (that's attached to the NG tube) behind the baby cot without first asking me. She was meddling with the bag and the tubes. I told her to put it back at the side of the cot so that the dr. and nurses can easily see the bag. She listened to me but later put it back behind the baby cot. Minutes later, Baby C cried, struggled and tried to pull off the NG tube. My maid quickly carried her up and because the collection bag is behind the cot, the tube wasn't long enough and it slid off baby's nostril! I was horrified because this would mean that my poor baby has to go through another round of extremely traumatizing and painful procedure of having the NG tube put back. I can never forget the shock, pain and fear on my baby's face when the nurse put the NG tube into her nostrils. She cried and screamed till she puked.... green bile stuff and some blood (must be from her nose or throat that was being scratched by the NG tube). My poor baby, it was really heart-wrenching to see what she had gone through.

In my anger, I kept scolding my maid. Because of her disobeying me, my poor baby now has to suffer another round of traumatic procedure. On one hand, I knew she was trying to be helpful but on the other hand, she likes to do things without first asking us and things that need not be done, she would do them.... and enrage us. I have asked the Sister to check with the doctor if it's ok not to put the NG tube back coz the tube is causing baby more distress than comfort.

.... to be continued.

Please Don't You Puke Anymore Baby

Our surgeon told us that if Baby C continues to puke today, he will have to insert an IV line on her body, i.e. on the part near her collar bone... to pump in nutrients into her body. This procedure has to be carried out with Baby C being sedated and I think it would hurt like hell having a needle poked on that part of the body. My poor baby has not eaten or drank anything for 3 frigging long days. What crushes my heart to pieces is to see her body shrink by the day and her weight has plummeted from 8.2kg (pre surgery) to a starking 7.8kg now. I am heart-broken, really heart-broken :(

In the event Baby C turns the corner and bounces back with no more vomiting, our surgeon will allow her to drink some breast milk tomorrow. I am really really praying and hoping for that to come true. Please pray for her complete recovery with no more vomiting, friends.

Pix Taken From Our Hospital Room

Here are some pix of our hospital stay taken last week:


Still with all the tubes hanging from her tummy and belly button but feeling good enough to sit up and play with her toys.


I got a real pleasant surprise when I received this hamper from this mummy... all the way from KL. Thanks Rachel!

Deprieved Of Milk Milk

What crushes my heart a lot now is having to deprieve my sweetie-pie of her milk milk and her comfort and security. By order of the surgeon, she is to be nil by mouth to rest her lazy guts or Ileus. Her cries, bawling and pleas begging for "mek mek" (milk milk) can really drive me bonkers. Last night, she wouldn't want to sleep. She was screaming away and crying for "mek mek". I got so desperate that I expressed my milk out, then let her suckle on an empty boop to sleep! Pulling her off my boop was also challenging. My maid and hubby had to lull and pat her to sleep. Today, my poor baby is too weak to cry for "mek mek" and has been sleeping almost the whole day. Poor poor baby... I hope she doesn't need a surgery to fix her guts.

Dear Lord, please heal Cassandra's guts and spare her from another surgery. Amen!


Baby C desperately pleading for "mek mek" and 'finding' her "mek mek".

Baby C Re-admitted Into Hospital And Alycia Misses Us Like Crazy

Our joy from being discharged from the hospital 2 days ago had been shortlived. Baby C has been re-admitted to Gleneagles Hospital in Penang yesterday. You can check my other blog to read why she has been re-admitted.

Meanwhile, Alycia is missing daddy and mummy very very much, so much that she has been calling us several times a day. The things that she has been saying to me have been so meaningful and matured, so touching that I really felt like crying and giving her a big big hug.

This was our telephone conversation yesterday evening, which really moved me:

Alycia : Mummy, I wish I was a supergirl so that I can zoom to Penang to be with you. I wish you can be a good mummy and stay in KL with me the whole year and don't go away. I wish there was a big aeroplane to bring me to Penang now. I wish I can jump inside the handphone now and be in the hospital with you. I thought you were in Ipoh yesterday and will come back to KL tomorrow? I wish you can come back so that I can give you a big big hug.

Me : Mummy will come back soon ok?

Alycia : What very soon? Everyday say very fast but never come back.....

MIL : Kay Lynn.... quickly hang up...(in Mandarin)

Alycia : Mummy, bye bye.... (very sad tone and on the verge of crying).....

Haih.... I wonder when I can be back in KL to see Alycia and Sherilyn. I have been away from them for more than 2 weeks and miss them very much. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder, doesn't it?

Exorbitant Room Rates

The room rate for a single room at the private hospital which we are currently staying in is exorbitant. The rate for a single room per night is almost the same as the rate for a room in one of those Las Vegas hotels. Food and nursing care charges are not even included in the room charges. That’s how our bill amounted to over twenty four thousand Ringgit when we were discharged several days ago. I must remind the hubs to request for a discount from the hospital when Baby C is discharged from the hospital for the second time next week.

Baby C Has Post-Operative Ileus or Lazy Guts

My heart is crushed. My poor baby is now ordered to stay away from breast milk and all other forms of liquid as she has post-operative Ileus or lazy guts. Today is the 7th day my poor baby has not eaten any solids. She has been super fretful and crabby today. We had spent almost the whole day at the X-ray department today when our doctor ordered that she does a Fluoroscopy to rule out guts obstruction. Thank God her guts are not obstructed, albeit they are inactive, hence the reason why she kept puking and has been unable to retain any fluid in her tummy. I really thought for sure my baby would have to be wheeled into the OT for a surgery tomorrow to fix her guts when our doctor suspected that her guts were obstructed.

Whilst I was putting her to sleep a while ago, my sweetie-pie kept crying and fussing. She was really hungry and was crying "mek mek" (milk milk) as she put her hand inside my pajamas and wanted to suckle. I kept telling her that she can't drink mummy's milk or she will puke again but this fler kept crying and crying and was really upset. It crushes my heart too to see her in hunger and in pain and being deprieved of something that can give her so much comfort and security.

Good Old Penang Food

Hubby went to Lorong Selamat with his friends to savour some good old Penang hawkers' food the other day. I wish I could follow too but haih, these days, I could hardly go anywhere. Never mind, soon those days will be over and I can start to bring Baby C everywhere when she's fully recovered. Anyway, back to Lorong Selamat. Hubby bought me loh bak, one of my favorite Penang hawker's food, popiah and char koay teow with big prawns and Chinese sausages.





There is nothing like sweating it out and eating at the lorong itself. When I ate the food several hours later, everything didn't taste as good anymore.

Baby C's Post Surgery - Day 4

Yesterday, our doctor ordered that Baby C be propped up on my bed, to ease her queasiness. She has been hogging my bed since yesterday morning and I had to sleep on the sofa-bed at night. My maid had to sleep on a lazy-chair.



Baby C in her favorite ballerina pose (our dr likes to make fun of her ballerina legs lol!). Her legs can do a real good 180 degrees split! See how bloated her tummy is!


Towards the evening, there was a Wesak Day procession along the road outside Gleneagles Hospital. It was really grand and there were throngs of people parading and watching the procession.
This pic was taken from our room on the 5th floor of the hospital.

Baby C's Post Surgery - Day 3

Yesterday (Friday) was Baby C's 3rd day post surgery. Her temperature was still hovering in the 37ish degrees Celsius region. The half-hourly puking sessions have stopped but each time she drank my milk (albeit in very little amount), she puked. Baby is still very weak and still could not muster a smile and could only cry feebly like a little kitten.

Baby C's Post Surgery - Day 2

Baby C has stopped puking since last night. She has also passed flatulence and poo poo yesterday. So the doctor gave me the green light to start feeding her with small amount of breast milk. Initially, I was really worried that my sweetie-pie would reject my boops as she was so weak and listless but boy was I wrong. The minute I put my boop to her mouth, she devoured on it like she used to before the surgery!

However, an hour later, my poor baby puked the milk out when she was sleeping... all over her hair and body... and the bad part is we can't bathe her or wash her hair for at least another week! No amount of wiping could remove the vomit stench from her hair. The same thing happened a few hours later when I nursed her again. The nurses then had to aspirate out the milk from her tummy, eewww! I just hope her guts will be able to digest and tolerate breastmilk better by tomorrow without anymore puking.



Breastfeeding my sweetie-pie has never been this difficult before. With all the tubes dangling from her body and from the machine, I've had a tough time lying down next to her to nurse her. I even had to climb into her tiny cot, lie down next to her extra carefully and contort my body (so that it fits into her tiny cot) to nurse her! Oh gawd, all these are stressing me out to the max. I don't even need ephedra to help me lose weight. Even without exercising for 10 days during my stay in the hospital, I am pretty sure my weight will drop in no time.

Baby C's Post Surgery

This is Baby C first day post operation. When her fever shot up to close to 40 degress Celsius, the nurses sponged her down and gave her suppositories. She was also given a cool bedding to sleep on and ice pack for her head. Still the fever did not subside, not at all. I kept sponging her throughout the day and night and also left her without any clothes on, save for a piece of pillow case to cover her tummy and legs, though in an air cond room. Thank God, her temp came down this morning.



My poor baby has not been drinking or eating since Tuesday. And poor me, I've been expressing my milk all day long and throwing them away. Hopefully I will get the green light from the surgeon to start nursing her tomorrow.

Blog Break

I'll be taking a short break from blogging from tomorrow onwards. If you are a frequent reader of my blog, I think you would have already known that Baby C is scheduled to go for a ureter reimplantation surgery next week. The surgery will be performed at a private hospital in Penang. Hubby, my maid, Baby C and I will be traveling back to Ipoh tomorrow before we depart for Penang on Monday. Long sigh..... I'm really really anxious now. I hope everything will go smoothly for my precious sweetie-pie.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a pic of my cheeky sweetie-pie wearing my undie over her head! Yesterday, she even put 2 undies over her head and gave me a cheeky grin muahahahah!!! Each time I see her in this act, I'll surely burst out in a guffaw.

Like Mother Like Daughter

That's because mummy also loves lemons, though they are sour. The other day, after making some lemon juice, I let Baby C smell and lick the lemon. To my surprise, she liked it... and grabbed the lemon with her hand to lick it again, and again and again.....!