20 January 2023

The Birth-Day Story of Adam Koay!

It has been more than a month since we brought Adam out to this world. It still feels surreal, but we are truly enjoying every moment we have with him now. 

The experience of carrying Adam was a lot more different and tougher than when I was carrying Alex and Sofia. If I can rank them from the easiest to the hardest, it would be Alex, Sofia and then Adam. I truly enjoyed being pregnant when it was Alex inside me, and with Sofia, I constantly struggled with acid reflux and horrible backache and with Adam, no need to say liau. The worse for sure - backache, rashes on the entire body (which did not actually go away even after he is out) and other usual pregnancy things. 

Third trimester was the beginning of everything tough carrying Adam inside. I was diagnosed with a more serious case of GDM and had to be on medications because even with diet control, my blood sugar would still spike up. I think even if I don't eat anything, the readings would also be higher than normal. 

So, my doctor recommended (or demanded really) to bring the baby out when he is at 38-weeks. I was given 2 steroid injections to strengthen Adam's lungs so he would be healthy and ready to meet with world at 38-weeks. I remembered feeling all sorts of different emotions because as much as I want him to come out earlier, I also wanted to be sure that he was healthy and strong enough. I would not be able to take it well if he has to be put on tubes and stuff. But the risk of keeping him inside me for more than 38-weeks were bigger and I am not a risk taker in this kind of things. 

On 9-December-2022, we checked into Island Hospital in the morning and did all the required things like taking a swab test (just for me). We requested for a single room so that Adrian could spend the nights with me, but they were fully booked. So we were given a double room. We then put in a special request (urgently) for a single room in case someone checks out that noon. 


Once we got to our room, the nurses did everything that needed to be done like shaving, taking blood pressure, give me some liquid up my bum-bum so I can empty them tanks and tracking Adam's heartbeat. I was super excited to get him out because I was still very much scratching everywhere, and it has been the toughest 38-weeks of being pregnant with him. 

While we were waiting for them to wheel me into the OT, we were still so focused in getting a single room. To the point Adrian kept walking out of the room to see if anyone would check out, and kept telling the nurses to keep up on top of the list. Hah. 

Someone at the end really did checked out, and they moved us to a single room. The downside was there is absolutely no view in our new room. After moving in, we requested (again) to change to another single room with view if someone checks out. Hah. We are thankful that the nurses didn't go crazy on us. They were very nice and accommodating heh. 

In the end, we didn't manage to get a new single room with view because no one checked out. Still thankful we got to stay in a single room la. 



When it was time for me to go in, we found out that the hospital's new policy now is that daddy is no longer allowed to go in during the C-Sec procedure. It was implemented after MCO. Adrian was pretty upset because we really thought he could be inside with me when they bring the baby out. 

We wanted it so badly, that he went to Dr. Eric's office to get clarifications. Hah. But Dr. Eric confirmed what the nurses had told us, so no choice la. He had to wait outside.

I was getting a lot more nervous the moment we separated at the front of the OT's sliding door. I remembered feeling super cold and while waiting for them to inject me with the epidural, I looked around and noticed that the OT's lobby was filled with so many patients. Memang good business this hospital. 

Once I got into the main OT, everything happened really fast. My blood pressure was dropping to a point I was feeling really nauseous, but the pressure picked up and I felt normal again. Dr Eric came in, and cut me open and Adam came out screaming heh. 

After cleaning him up for a little bit, the nurse brought him over to my face and I gave him a kiss. I stayed in the recovery room for a little bit before they wheeled me into my own room. Everything happened so fast! I remembered not feeling itchy anymore, and in the span of 3 days, some obvious scars disappeared too! 

But now that I am writing this, it is with so much sadness and frustration that new rashes appeared again, and I am back to seeing different skin specialist. It's really one tough battle, but I know we will get there one day - when no more rashes and no more scars be terrorising my body anymore. 


The most popular question now is how much did it cost to go for a Caesarean procedure at Island Hospital with a single room? The answer is FOURTEEN THOUSAND RINGGIT. 

Crazy right? 

Now, because GDM is considered as one of the complications that could occur in a pregnancy (as recognized by my work insurance policy), Allianz have confirmed that they would cover the cost of the procedure and stay, so yay! 

Anyways, thank you all again and again for always praying with and for us. We are beyond thankful for each one of you. 

We celebrated Adam's fullmoon by sending a box of yellow glutinous rice and chicken curry (the usual traditional style) from Li Er Cafe Penang. We love the bamboo box packaging as compared to the usual box kind. Of course they cost more but hey, packaging is everything. Heh. This time, we brought all three kids along while we go around Penang Island distributing them boxes. Thankful that my mother in law and sisters helped with some boxes. 


So yeah, everyone please meet our third born. 


Adam Koay Wey Jie
2.8kg
Hairy and loud
OCD-baby

Till next time, bye now.