My Ante Natal Check-up

Yesterday I went for my ANC at O&G Clinic HUKM, as scheduled. 2 days earlier I went for my 4 times blood collection for my blood sugar production (BSP). That was my third BSP days with HUKM. The doctors were still "worried" although all the readings were similar to those of my fornight BSPs during my second pregnancy. The doctors then just caution me to eat well, small portion meals and as long as the BSPs are stable nothing beyond 1 point above normal standard, they are not worried (and did not make me worry) since the baby's controlled growth was their primary concern.
Never mind that.... the doctor (specialist) who attended to me yesterday still insisted to use the revised EDD of 27th August instead of the original EDD based on my last period, 16th August 2008. Baby is now 2.7kg, slightly bigger than Millie of the same gestational age. She's definitely taller (longer). Everything was fine but the doctor is still (overly) "concern" with my fasting BSP, which is 0.2 point higher than the normal level. She had to consult another specialist whether to put me on insulin. ARGH!!!! I have to do it one more time... on 29th and I have an appointment with the dietician on 30th and my next weekly ANC is on 31st. I have been asking if I need to see the Dietician since I first came to HUKM for my first check up and they have to wait until 3 BSPs and 9 weeks later to decide that.
The doctor was the least bit concerned over my blood count and history of retained placenta. I asked her to have my Hb tested and she looked at me quizically..... looks like I am going to have one done at my private clinic.
And I hope they will not make any rash decision to put me on C-section operation for whatever stupid reason later. I am praying all the time for normal, full term, cephalic delivery at 40 weeks LMP.
I was on MC yesterday and earlier on 22nd. Will be on MC again on 29th and 31st. Have to take half day leave in the afternoon on 30th. When will I finish my handing over?

Weekend Chronicles

Friday afternoon, Haakem went off for his school camping trip @ Kem Idaman Nurani Hulu Langat. I helped him pack the night before. It brought tears to my eyes when he slow talked to Millie about not being around for 2 nights and the younger child, nodded here and there...... they hugged a few times.....
Hubby drove directly from KB to join Haakem for the Saturday night. I came back home from my reunion on Satuday to be with Hubby who's already home for a few hours, pampering Millie. After coffee and abite to eat, Hubby pushed off back to Kelantan before Maghrib (arriving @3.00am).
Sunday was spent cooking and doing the laundry. My Mom usually comes around and have lunch with us on Sundays after her (with my aunty) Tafsir classes. We had rice, asam pedas ikan parang and vegetables soup. Haakem arrived home at around 2.00pm... How I missed him... my maid cleaned his shoes and put away his dirty clothes (for me to do the laundry later in the evening). I took my noon nap from 3.30 to 5.00pm. After Asr, I started reading ASING, a novel written by one of my best friends (he has 6 novels to his name now, I am proud of him). It's his first attempt on a new genre and I find it really refreshing. I finished it in 3 hours flat... excited to post my comments to him the first thing on Monday....
It was good to have Haakem and Millie sleep next to me again.... and yes, I put the laundry in the machine before bed......

k-Oz Reunion Lunch @ Hartz Chicken Buffet

My best buddies from work (incl. those who've left the company) decided to meet up once before I give birth. Plans were made for us to meet for lunch at BTS Chicken Hartz. 7 out 11 of us turned up. 1 had to cancel due to upset tummy, 1 cancelled due to "busy schedule" although both eagerly promised to come earlier. The other 2 had apologised that they would have to give it a miss for personal reasons.
Short and small gathering but fulfilling and fun!!!! THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FRIENDS!!!!

Counting the Days.....

I am well into my 37th week (from LMP) today... due for my TCA on 24th.... 3 more days.. to determine my actual (tentative) delivery date. Considering my GDM, I'll most probably by induced @40 weeks LMP.

Baby is cephalic, so that is a relief and I hope it is anterior cephalic so the vaginal delivery would be quicker. At this age, I don't think I can go through long labour. Something like Millie's would be tolerable. I'll let you know what happened on 24th July.... and earlier, tomorrow, I have to go for my (hopefully last) BSP readings blood collections and without Hubby, I have to taxi myself alone.... I am combining the travelling for 8.00am and 11.30am collection, planning to finish my friend's novel in between. Haakem promised to accompany me for the 5.30pm and 10pm collection. It's the 10pm one that I am dreading. I hope to get a cab and ask the driver to wait for a bit since the whole procedure usually takes no more than 5 minutes, 10 minutes top if the nurse cannot find the vein.

I am getting really heavy and awkward but alhamdulillah my sleeps at night are usually without disturbances... getting up only once, to weewee and to change Millie's diapers at around 2-3 am. I walk with penguin gaits..... wobbly hips..... I never had this problem before but I guess age is really catching on you especially when you are pregnant. That makes me decide to make this one my last pregnancy and Hubby has no qualms about it...... well, last one unless I get pregnant naturally before the age of 40 and I am at ideal weight and tiptop health. Heheheheheh.....

But, hey, on Thursday, my colleagues and I had lunch at Johnny's Steamboat and we took the wrong bus, ending up back at the office only around 3.00pm......

Lunch @ Secret Recipe

It has been a while since I had lunch (outside) with the girls from my Department. So, today, an impromptu decision was made for all of us girls (except the Head) to try the promotion lunch set at SR. At first we wanted to go to the outlet at The Weld but experience taught us to forget trying to get our food within an hour, so we decided to go on a different direction, trying the outlet at Standard Chartered Tower instead. The walk there is less stressful, perhaps a few steps further.

We made the right decision as food was served within 10 minutes. And it was worth every effort (and every cent).

And we took pictures, tons of pictures..... and yes... I am very pregnant!!!!

Clinic Visit

I finally brought Millie for her 18 months' jab this morning, she's 22 months old exactly today and completed her immunisation dosages. The next one will be while she's at school. Can't imagine talking about school when it concerned Millie. She weighs a mere 11kg, a small toddler just like Haakem but look at Haakem now. Last check on 28th June, he weighs 38kg, standing at 138cm and he is only 8½ years old. No wonder Millie is still wearing M size diapers.

My aunt also came for her long overdue blood / urine tests. Cholesterol, sugar, the likes.... we also requested for GTT considering almost her siblings are diabetics but the doctor said to test her fasting glucose first and the GTT later if her fasting sugar is high. Her BP is okay 130/80 as she's been on constant medication.

And I had my 34 (LMP) weeks ante-natal check up. As usual, baby's size is 2 weeks off (HUKM specialist suspected I ovulated 2 weeks later than my LMP, so she had a revised EDD of 2 weeks later but confirmed that since my firstborn and secondborn were delivered at 38 weeks, most likely the EDD will prevail anyway). Everything else is okay. My BP is 110/70, as usual. Baby is now properly positioned. Placenta, FM & FH are good. She now weighs 1.91kg (400g in 2 weeks) and my weight gain is 300g (in 4 weeks). My doctor said baby is likely to remain cephalic until labour, Alhamdulillah!! It had me worried sick to know that baby was breech at 30 weeks but my Mom (with her 33 years experience as a midwife) confirmed that she'll be okay and shall move accordingly. Thank yous to my husband, my aunt, my Mom and Haakem for the constant doa's, prayers and especially reading Surah Maryam for me. I cannot imagine having to go for C-Section. I hope this labour and delivery will be quick and easy just like Millie's.

My 9th Anniversaries

1st July 1999 - 9 years ago, I moved to my apartment which i bought with my hard earned salary (after 2 years working) and I am still there... from just the 2 of us, the apartment now accomodates 4 adults and 2 children and shall be welcoming its new occupant in a few weeks time. Until today, with the price increase of everything, I count my blessings for making the decision to purchase the property while everyone else was still "enjoying" their salaries. I watched my budget closely, spending no more than RM5 a day, walking to/from work, ensuring I set aside at least RM700 per month. It was all worth it. I managed to save enough for the down payment and the "fees" by December 1998. I chose the city centre. I cannot imagine having to struggle with savings for the house now. Initially the monthly payment swallowed almost 50% of my gross salary but now it is almost a breeze and with Islamic loan, I don't have to worry a bit about having the interest increasing. It was tough at first but was well worth it!!

And 9 years ago too, I officially became one of the pioneering members of Legal Dept. at the company I have been working at since April 1997. It was really challenging for the first year but I have been enjoying it ever since and cannot imagine doing anything else.......

It all happened so soon!!!!! I am well approaching my 40th year of life... with 2 kids and another one coming soon........ praise be to Allah... for this wonderful life!!!

My Two Cents Worth

Malaysia only has 2 issues, which have been affecting its people’s life. Apparently nothing else happened to this oh So Truly Asia country. But these 2 are enough to ruin the country… from within.
1. Its political Scenario
2. Oil price hike
The 2 issues are intertwined of course. It’s funny really, the ruling Government, while in the state of its most unpopular, it has the cheek of raising the price of fuel (read: petroleum and diesel), which has the domino effect on prices of everything else.
I have not made any posting on any one of the above issues. Truth is I think this whole episode with having this goon Abdullah Badawi as the Malaysian Premiere is a bizarre nightmare for all Malaysians, except himself and his families/cronies.
I personally have regretted Tun Mahathir’s choice of predecessor from day one. Ever since AB was the Ministry of Education I “new” he lacks the intelligence to do anything sensible. He has proven me correct. Oh well….. but who am I?
He should have been on a five year probationary period, if he is at all worth given the chance to test for the job. If he cannot “improve” from what TDM has done or be at par with TDM, he could at least try not to ruin what TDM has done and achieved. TDM must have been in his worst frame of mind when he made that choice in 2003. With due respect Tun….. I have always been your admirer and follower. What could you have seen in AB that you made that choice? Mr Clean? Well, looks can be deceiving. With KJ on the tow (and yes, I know of this one’s and a few of his group of Oxford friends’ stories too), TDM must have noticed of their modus operandi.
I didn’t go voting during PRU12 because I had to choose between a non-Muslim and a munafiq. So, what choice did I have? I stayed put and reserved my vote. Not because I am “on the fence” but because I simply detest everybody, almost. PKR is an absolute no-no with a one-(sodomising)man’s objectives all the way. I lost faith in BN and PAS disappointed me by cooperating with PKR.
The rest is as what they say… history…. And still in writing…. I am fed up! I am almost not proud of my country anymore……
And the oil price hike? Although I am not directly affected by it (as I own no vehicle and only use public transport on daily basis), my purchasing power has somewhat reduced. But I am still counting my blessings. I can still feed the family with the same type of things, same amount and same brands. I would cut down where I can just so that I can save more.
But what is all this nonsense of the government asking the people to change their lifestyle. I was just discussing with my hubby, how does a family who is already using public transportation or already cycling everywhere (as they couldn’t afford their own car even before the price hike), and already eating broken rice with ikan selar kuning, change their lifestyle?
How does a family with five school going kids, with pocket monies of RM1 each, cycling 5km each way to school with hand-me-downs school uniform and nothing but rice and one simple cheap dish for lunch, change their lifestyle?
Come on BN Government, Pak Lah, Shahrir…… we are not living in the 50’s or during Japs occupation and neither are we in a war zone….. while the Ministers are enjoying their lives, as usual….. the poor are getting poorer and the low income group has hit the poverty level and even the lower middle income group (the likes of me) is counting every cent too!!
And it seems like the Government is trying to use stupid “stories” to deviate people’s attention from these 2 issues… Anwar’s case, Altantuya’s case……. But yes, whatever happened to Sharlinie?