365 China Photo: One-A-Day

11.30am – Heart beat drama and panic attack

We arrived at the hospital and went straight to see the doctor. Canthy was not feeling well and was worried that the baby wasn’t moving. They did some tests on Canthy and then put a heart monitor on the baby. Everything was peaceful until the baby’s heart beat suddenly drop. It went from 140,130,120, 110, 100, 90 and Canthy started to panic. I watched the monitor and could believe what was happening. Then Canthy started screaming she was losing the baby as the heart beat drop 80, 70, 60, and I rushed out to get the nurses. By the time we came in the alarms had gone off as the heart had dropped 40, 30, 20, then 0! Canthy was hysterical and crying and I just watched feeling numb. My mind was racing and thinking this cant be happening. How can we get so far and then lose the baby like this. It felt like time stopped, but when the doctors came in they calmly diagnosed situation in seconds. The baby had moved in Canthys belly so the monitors couldn’t pick up her heartbeat. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, as it was such a simple explanation. However Canthy was still crying so she had to be given oxygen to calm her down.

1.00pm – Canthy says goodbye to her belly after nine months

Once Canthy had calmed down, the doctor recommended we have the Caesarean right away, as they were worried about the baby’s condition. Canthy had very low amniotic fluids so it was hard for the baby to move around. And as she had a low lying placenta covering her uterus we had no option but to operate. Canthy said she wasn’t ready and I wasn’t too. However the doctor said; “It’s not about us being ready, but the safety of the baby”. We had planned June 7^th as a good day according to our Feng Shuii master. So Canthy immediately got on the phone to check if June 2 was a good day or not. Luckily he said it was a good day as long as it happened after 3pm and before 7pm. While I don’t necessarily believe in this, I was happy to hear it was a good time. Canthy felt relived but was now dreading the operation.

3.00pm – Pre surgery tears

The doctors had been preparing Canthy for surgery and putting her on various drips. You’re not suppose to eat before surgery but Canthy had had breakfast as we were not expecting to have surgery today. The doctors told us they would operate around 5pm and left us alone. Canthy started crying again, as the emotions of the day got too much for her. She started to talk about how she hadn’t made a will and if anything happens, to look after her mother. I told her to not say stupid stuff, as the operation would be fine. Then the doctors came and took her away and I realised in all the excitement I didn’t get to say good bye or even good luck. I then sat in the room on my owns watching the clock and counting down the minutes and praying everything would be ok.

5.00pm – The Caesarean section starts

A nurse came and took me to the surgery room. I had to wear the green scrubs and a mask, so I looked like a doctor, which I thought was cool. But when I walked into the operating theatre and saw Canthy, I realised how scared she was and how scared I was too. She immediately grabbed my hand and became tearful again. I told her everything was OK and not to worry. Watching a Caesarean operation is not for the faint hearted. I wont go into details except to say that it’s a very physical procedure with lots of pulling and pushing. Luckily Canthy couldn’t see or feel anything, which was good. I kept looking on watching the operation and hoping I wouldn’t faint as many men do.

5.25pm – Babies head comes out

After a while they pulled the babies head out, but it had the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck. The baby was blue and I remember thinking she looked all floppy like she had no life. Canthy kept asking me what was happening and I kept telling her it was all going well and everything was OK. Hovever I didn’t really know what was happening and was just as scared as her and didn’t even know if our baby was alive or not.

Cutting the umbilical cord

After the baby came out they had to cut the umbilical cord and then I thought I saw it move. However I still hadn’t heard it make a sound. Canthy was becoming more anxious but I told her the baby had come out and was ok. I tried to explain what was happening but I didnt want to tell her too much so all I kept saying is “its Ok, its Ok” “dont worry the baby is OK”

Passing the baby to the doctor

Once the surgeons had freed the baby they  lifted her up and gave her to the doctor and his team to clean up. Canthy kept asking me what happening as she couldn’t see anything but could hear the commotion and the nurses talking. I told her they were given the baby to the doctor, but dont worry saying again “its Ok, its Ok” “dont worry the baby is OK”

Getting the baby to cry

While the doctor was attending to the baby, the surgeons were trying to stop Canthy bleeding. I didnt know where to look and what to be more concerned about. Suddenly the baby started crying and I felt a huge sense of relief. For the first time I knew the baby was alive and we had done it. I heard myself repeating  the phase to Canthy again  “its Ok, its Ok” “dont worry the baby is OK”

Canthy’s first look at her baby

A few minutes later and the doctor brought the baby over for Canthy to see. She was still hyper and nervous so I hoped this would calm her. The doctor told us we have a beautiful baby girl and everything is OK. But Canthy was still panicking and wanted the doctor to show her the babies hands and feet so she could count all her fingers and toes. Thankfully she had ten fingers and ten toes so Canthy  felt relieved. I am not really sure waht I expected the baby to look like but I remember thinking she looks so small but has so much hair.

Stopping the bleeding and sewing her up

I was hugely relieved that the baby was OK, but it was the next part of the operation that I was really scared about. The doctors had previously told us that they were concerned about Canthy placenta problem and how it was attached to her uterus. They were worried that in giving natural birth she might bleed out and need a blood transfusion. In worse case scenario and as a last resort, they would have to perform a hysterectomy and remover her uterus. For this reason we had decided on a Caesarean section which would be  safer, however I was still worried about the bleeding. Canthy suddenly looked even more nervous as I think she could hear the conversation between the doctors. While the doctors were trying to stop the bleeding I was just praying that everything would be ok. My heart was in my mouth as I watched them and found myself saying again “its Ok, its Ok” “dont worry the baby is OK”

A beautiful scar

Eventually and thankfully they managed to stop the bleeding and sew her up. The doctors were pleased with how it went and then showed me her scar. I told Canthy it was a beautiful scar and a very nice line. It was a little bigger that I expected but I told Canthy its not that big. I lied and told her it was only a few inches long and showed her with my fingers how small it was. I was surprised how clean it was and couldn’t see any stiched marks. The doctors explained modern techniques are more advanced now so you dont see the black sewing thread that they use to use years ago.

6.00pm – Successful operation

After an hour or so the whole thing was over and the doctors and nurses were very happy with how it went. I was just so relieved and still slightly shocked after what I had experienced. The doctor said; “congratulations you’re a father”, but I was I didn’t feel like one, as I was still feeling numb with relief. I must say again, that the doctors and nurses did a great job. I am sure for them, it was a routine operation and just another normal day in the office. But when your watching  your wife and baby on the operating table, there is no such thing as just a routine operation. I am sure that every parent has had similar fears and feelings. So I don’t think that ours was any more dramatic or unique – just more personal. I read somewhere that there are over 200,000 babies born every day in the world. Our story is just one of them and luckily and thanks to God, it had a happy ending.