NO MORE EXTERNAL URINE BAG - HURRAY!

Mum is discharged from hospital today, she underwent procedure to have her urine bag removed, she no longer carries the urine bag around! Am sure this is a GREAT relief for her, having carrying it for 6 months because of her kidney failure.

Hubby and I took leave today, sent Kyrell to school then went for lunch before heading to SGH. Hubby had his own appointment with the dentist in another building while I fetched my mum. But surprise suprise, when I arrived at 1pm, she was all done and ready, standing outside the ward for me. Luckily my father was with her. Because I was there, my father decides to go back to the shop while my and mum waited at O'Briens for hubby. Then we all went to fetch Kyrell :)

Here he is, walking around while everyone is seated tsk tsk...

Last Day Of 2009

Kyrell's school was opened for half a day today and my workplace too, so I thought might as well bring Kyrell to work with me, save me the trouble of fetching him at noon since I do not think I can go off on time.

Our office celebrated the end of 2009 with buy-in lunch. Black pepper crabs, Yam ring (with fruits), Pork ribs from Seafood Paradise + Sashimi and Sushi! I packeted Yong Tau Hu for Kyrell but he was so high and tired that he wasn't really in the mood to eat, only ate a small handfuls of them. Finally gave in to him and let him watch DVD at my work station while I finished the rest of the food (wasn't able to eat earlier because he was around) then get down to work :(
Kyrell then slept around 3pm+ and woke up when we were going off, must be exhausted!





Got my work done around 6pm+ and hubby came to fetch us to my mum's place... could have gone off earlier if not for the failure of our company server for the past 2 days argh.. lotsa emails to catch up and work to do before we are closed for the long weekend. Since our Germany office was closed today, not much can be done anyway.

But I did enjoy Kyrell's company with me, in holiday mood and really looking forward to the new year. Dec has always been an exciting and festive month to me.

Thinking back, 2009 has been really rocky to me.
First, Mum got sick in mid year and was admitted to hosp on 1 Jul, only to be diagnosed with (advance-stage 4) cancerous tumour and one of her (right) kidney is failing. To save her better (left) kidney, she has to undergo op immediately to have a tube attached externally (Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or PCNL) to drain out her urine. Because of the kidney failure, the creatinine level is higher (900+) then norm (120).. sorry I do not know the units of measurement...which means, the toxic level in her body is dangerously high. Over the next months, the level has reduced considerably to acceptable range in Nov. Then she went through another op in end Jul for her stoma (external bowel bag) before she can start her radiotheraphy in Aug. So from 21 Aug to 9 Oct, she went through about 7 weeks of daily treatments, except weekends. Next 2 months were regular check-ups with various doctors and results seems pretty good so far. No complication or fever etc *fingers crossed*

The trips to the SGH & NCC for check-ups, operations, treatments etc, all in the high of H1N1 (Jul-Sep) outbreak makes visiting really troublesome. We need to wear a mask at all times (I bought kids' size mask for Kyrell but he wouldn't wear them for long), sterilised our hands and take our temperature. Anyone with temp or sick will be turned away. And the hosp practised 2-visitor-only policy so each time our family member visits the ward, we have to think of ways to maximise the visit :p

Because my mum was unwell, I have to bring Kyrell to work with me for the whole of Jul then half day in Aug after we enrolled him for half-day care with Learning Vision near my workplace. It was not easy to let Kyrell adjust though teachers commented that he was doing well. The cries whenever I left him just makes my heart break each time. He got pretty sticky to me for the first two months. Then having grown attached to the teachers, he was progressing and adapting well. Got confident and started bullying smaller sized kids... haha... Eventually stopped crying in Nov but now back again when he got promoted to N1 in Dec.

The numerous trip to the hospitals and ferrying Kyrell from school had totally 'disrupted' my rountine. My backache is killing me from carrying Kyrell, walking and doing chores. Not to mention that Kyrell and I were also constantly down with cough and flu since he started school :(

So, what's my resolution/wish for 2010? It will be for my mum to recover! Free from the cancer cells, so lets pray for better results this year. I also hoped that my family will be blessed with good health and happiness. Hubby work to be smooth sailing and that Kyrell will continue to be an obedient boy. Maybe I can start getting my driving license and try for a 2nd baby haha...

My Mum Is Hospitalised

For months, my mum has been complaining of stomach bloatedness, some constipation and nausea feeling. We thought it could probably be a case of indigestion and asked her to see a doctor. My mum is someone who will avoid seeing one if she can. She did eventually, sometime in Apr/May. She was prescribed with some medicine to ease the discomfort. However she did not recover and continue to get worst, sometimes with actual vomiting and loses quite abit of weight. By June, she went to consult our GP who told her to go down to Polyclinic to get a referral letter to see a doctor in SGH. Her appointment was on 29 June. A week before her appointment, she felt rather unwell and so I called up SGH to bring forward to 24 June. She went in the morning with my father and I also managed to change Kyrell's 18mth assessment + vaccine to the same date.

She was referred to the colorectal term (clinic D) at SGH. The doctor commented that her blood count was very low (by looking at her eyes) and her rapid lost of weight is not a good sign. They did not check further on her but booked her on a colonoscopy scan on 16 Jul.

Over the next week, my mum's condition deteriorated, she was vommiting a few times a day now (mainly fluid) and her stomach bloatedness is making her losing her appetite. In order to make herself more comfortable, she has reduced her intake of fluid and food considerably. She loses more weight - at only 40kg! Her skin is pale/yellowish. She is losing her energy and looks fatigue. Of course taking care of Kyrell is literally draining her out.

By 29 & 30 Jun, she felt worst so I called up SGH on 1 Jul to see if we can bring forward her scan, also telling the nurse about my mum's worsen condition. Well it was fully booked but upon hearing my mum's condition, she took the initiative to check with the consultant and called me back, advising me to bring her down immediately.

I was in the office then, rushed thru my more urgent work and went back home to bring my mum to SGH, with Kyrell in toll. Atlas, we saw the doctor at 530pm who advised us to have my mum admitted so they can conduct testing/scanning the following day. At the moment, the doctor commented that her stomach did not seem bloated and she is still having some output, so the situation still does not seem too critical. Then again, we will need further checking to find out more.

My mum was agreeable to staying over, surprisingly. I guessed she knows her body better then any of us, she cannot take it anymore. Or, maybe she did sense something amiss?? She was assigned a bed by around 7pm. It was at block 4, level 7, room 11 and bed 4. We admitted her as class C ward (8-9 beds) but this was a class B2 ward (5 beds) and it seem rather comfortable.

The nurse took her BP (it was high) and briefed us through with the switches etc and her possible schedule the next day. Kyrell and I stayed till 9pm+ before we leave. Both grandma and baby seem reluctant to part. My mum was hugging Kyrell and smelling his head whenever she can.....