anyway, the D&C went alright. actually, the whole experience was pretty pleasant. I was scared shitless the night before. Started to get really nervous about everything. Mostly because, dum dum dum...miss-i-not-scared-go-pakistan-for-meetings-alone...was so distressed that her hubby couldn't be with her throughout the procedure. They told me, that he should just drop me off, and the i call him when i'm done. And i'm like, "what? who's going to hold my hand and tell me everything was going to be ok?". He kept telling me, while he drove me to KK Hospital that it was going to be ok, that i shouldn't be frightened. I was about to shit in my pants really
So he dropped me off. Then i waited for the registration, and it was horrible. Utterly horrible. There were some other ladies, some who were definitely further along than i was, all red eyed or puffy eyed, holding on to their already big tummies. I was so sad for them, that i really didn't think about being sad for myself. I mean- i kept telling my hubby, better earlier than later. you know?
Anyway, got in, they put me in a recliner chair after i changed, and i was all nice and comfy under a blanket, with a tv hanging in front of me. Then this very very maculinish lady-nurse came and introduced herself. "I'm CHEN ok. CHAN, Mary". SO strange i thought, why would anyone introduce themselves like that. Anyway, she inserted the pills into my *you know*, and told me to lie back. And then told me i may feel some menstrual like pains and stuff. She also said, that i could get headphones for the tv if i wanted. But i was quite content just staring into the tv, my thoughts entertaining myself. Zoning out.
But there was a silly woman next to me, who was so so unnecessarily loud. I think she was undergoing the same procedure as i was, but probably voluntarily, cos she kept saying that she needed to rush home to breastfeed. And she wanted to do the surgery quickly. And it was late already. I was so going to push the curtains that divided us away, stare her straight in the face and repeat what the nurses had repeated a thousand times over, " LADY! you're supposed to wait for the meds to kick in, and it'll take 2-3 hours? Any earlier, and the doc might as well remove your entire womb! Would you like that? NO! so shut up!" BUT, i decided to be Singaporean, sink deeper into my chair, furrow my eyebrows and just grumble to myself.
Then, THEN! She asked the nurse for headphones. And i think she must come from some planet where they don't teach you how to wear headphones, cos (i don't actually know this for a fact, but i think, i'm sure!) she had them on so loud, and next to her instead of over her ears, that my watching martha stewart cooking a roast, really sounded instead like some hokkien woman swearing expletives as she stuffed a chicken. Hokkien really doesn't suit Martha u know. And did i say anything then? Oh no, of course not. I mousely asked the nurse for headphones myself, turned them up, and happily watched martha finish the roast to perfection!
tsk.
ah well. then it was time for surgery. it was quite late already cos Dr Ben was off on an emergency c-section. i didn't complain. i mean, i was watching afternoon tv, in a very comfy recliner and under a nice blankie (def not as nice as the big girl willa blankie you pampered me with when i was holidaying at your place, but it was a hospital, i didn't think i should have such high expectations!)
then it was time. they walked me to the surgery. and suddenly all the relaxed good feelings disappeared. instead i had a terribly case of jello legs going into the operation theatre. there's a good reason, why in the hospital movies they wheel you into the opearation theater- cos people would just collapse in fear. Anyways, i made it in, and onto the operating bed, and they started fixing me up with things. Oh i musn't fail to mention at this point that all the nurses were so sonice so far, protectively holding me while i walked (they may have had people collapse on them before i suppose) and saying nice comforting things.
I laid down, looked up at that goddamn awful lights which covered the most sterile ceiling ever. I was quite excited- so grey's anatomy you know? I've never been operated on before, and never been into the theatre. the mood was incredibly fun as the nurses bantered with each other. And gossiped. But did that relax me? oh no. my legs were shaking so much that the nurses must have noticed for the shifted their attention to me. They were really nice, told me that that we had to wait just a bit for my doc, who was on the way down from his other surgery (god bless his soul, it never occurred to me that he would have been exhausted, and may have fallen asleep on the job and screwed it all up! But he's the gentlest and most professional, so i definitely had no cause for worry). Another nurse, just stood by my right, her hand lightly on my shoulder, it was all so reassuring.
Then the anaesthetist came in. So hilarious this Indian dude was. He came in and exclaimed,"What? The most important man is not here yet? How could you have rushed me, you cannot make a man leave his lunch halfway you know?" He was so not serious, he had such a funny tone to it, that i turned my head to him and said in my most sympathetic voice, " Oh no, i'm so sorry that you didn't finish your lunch. But i haven't eaten anything since last night. Compared to me, you're much better off". He gave off a hearty laugh and said, "Girl, i never scold you ok. I scolding the big doctor who isn't here yet! Anyway, if you'd have eaten, you wouldn't be here would you?". I laughed, and he said ," We're just joking and having fun on the job you know". And i said, " Well, humour is a saving grace, when you're in a situation like i am". He gave me the kindest look and said, " Let's give you something to just relax you a little, so all this becomes easier ok?" And he injected me, though the drip thingee, while i replied ,"Oh i'm ok i'll manage...oooooooh...i do feel all relaxed now". Oh it felt good.
Then that very minute, i heard the doors open, and Dr Ben said, "you ok? So sorry i'm late, you ok?" I said yes, and the very hungry anaesthetist jabbed something else into the drip and said," You're going to feel some pain, and then you'll fall asleep ok?" I said something like, " Oooh you're right, i feel the pain..." and then suddenly it was all quiet in the room. I turned to the nurse who was on my right, and i asked, " Where did everybody go? Are they at a meeting before the op or something?" She replied, "What everybody? What are you talking about?" I opened my eyes and looked around, and hey i was in a totally different room. There was a clock right across of me, i was out for an hour. Heh. it was funny, she gave me a funny look when i replied ,"Oh, finish already, so fast!". Apparently, the surgery was just 10 minutes long. I was out cold the rest of the time.
Anyway, the doctor there gave me the ok, and they wheeled me into the recovery room. I was at the post-op area before that. They got me to sit up, and i was happy as a lark- very high still on the anaesthetic (the stuff rocks!) They gave me some water, milo, biscuits and some sweets- and a plastic bag. A mousy little Indian nurse told me to drink the water slowly and if i throw up, to do it in the bag. And then she said, if after 5-10 minutes, i'm ok i can drink the milo and eat the biscuits slowly. I looked longingly at the milo and the biscuits, and obediently drank the water. slowly. after i put down the cup, i thought about it a little, still looking longingly at the biscuits and mily, my mouth watering. i counted to ten. hey i was ok- no throw up, yet, so i just gulped down the milo, the khong guan biscuits and happily sucked on the sweets too.
She came back and exclaimed, "All gone? So fast" So sue me, i was starved, more than 14 hours without food by then! She let me rest for another half an hour. I just watched the nurses go about their work, still high as a kite. And then they gave me a phone, and asked me to call my husband, with instructions to pick up my prescriptions first before picking me up. Hubby was so worried by that time. I was supposed to be done by 3pm, but because Dr Ben was delayed, it was about 4.30 by the time i called.
The nurse went through the discharge procedures, told me i could eat anything i wanted. And when i yelped ,"Yaay!" She said sternly, "Don't go overboard lah, don't straight away drive out and eat durians ah girl!". Then she helped me off the bed- saying, "You very good ah, no drowsiness, nausea." Gleaming with pride i lept of the bed, and suddenly this what could have been a gallon of red thin blood gushed from under me, spilling onto the floor. You would never imagine how this looked like. As if someone gutted me there and then. Apparently, they gave me this old 60s pad with just the string holding it, and it wasn't properly positioned, and maybe cos i was lying down, it never flowed out, until i stood up. I just freaked out, obviously no longer high as a kite, saying sorry continuously- all that pride gone and totally mortified and embarrassed. Nurse was cool about it, asked me to not freak out and just go to the toilet and clean myself up. Eww i thought- poor housekeeping.
So i cleaned myself up (It was so bad, that the soles of my feet looked like i had dyed them red) And then waited for them to take the drip thingee stuck on the other side of my palm. And then hubby picked me up and drove me home. I swear he looked relieved to see me in one piece.
We drove home, and I proceeded to wallop 2 bowls of porridge that mom cooked for me while my hubby painfully explained the medication that i had to take. It was so complicated, and i was so not paying any attention, that i proceeded to take double the antibiotics dosage than i should have. Of course, i blamed him for not watching me (my mom-in-law proceeded to side with me later when i recounted the incident and she also gave him a good dressing down for not dispensing it himself, seeing that i was post-surgery and definitely all wonky!). So he had to watch me all night in case i had any negative reaction to the extra dosage. But I was ok.
It started out as a truly terrifying and emotional experience for me, but the professional and most caring nurses and staff of KKH truly made it such a pleasant experience overall.