Hi mummies
they say lightning does not strike twice but for me it did...if you read my post few threads up, you'll know my heartwrenching story of how I lost my babyson Nathaniel at 21 weeks...and how after 3 years, I plucked up enough courage to try for FET and was blessed with twins...now, that happiness was robbed from me as well.
Last Friday, 20 April, I experienced strong contractions and quickly rushed to KKH. After an u/s, my gynae Dr SF Loh found that I'm already 3cm dilated and the waterbag's in the cervical passage. Immediately I was warded and scheduled for an emergency cerclage by the top fetal-maternal specialist Dr Kenneth Kwek.
However, after being administered the spinal epidural and some probing, Dr Kwek had to abandon the operation midway cos I was far too dilated for him to even see the cervix wall - so there's nothing for him to sew and he does not want to risk bursting the bulging waterbag containing my bigger twin. I was wheeled back to the Delivery Suite while the top doctors conveyed an urgent meeting on what to do next.
Throughout the day after the failed op, I started to leak water...by evening, when the doctors tried to listen to the baby's heartbeat using the doppler, they found none. An u/s further confirmed that my boy has died in utero...
my heart was torn to shreds and I wept throughout the night...
The next morning, yet another Sunday (baby Nathaniel too was born on Sun), I was anaesthetised again (same spinal epidural - had it twice in 2 consecutive days). The intention was that Dr Loh will surgically remove the dead baby (and hopefully the placenta) so that they can try to stitch up my cervix to preserve the 2nd twin. Alas, this op too had to be abandoned half-way as midway through the op, my baby's head was severed...
It's not the doc's fault -he explained there was a narrow band in my cervix opening which prevented him from controlling the strength of the instruments. He consulted my husband and I on whether to continue hanging on or to clear all contents of the womb. In tears and hopelessness, I had pleaded with my husband to let me end it all but my husband convinced me to give our surving baby girl a fighting chance. Hence, I was wheeled out of the OT with the head of my baby boy in my uterus together with the surviving twin...
At this point, the doctors were dejected too - they were very fearful that the bloody tissues remaining in my womb will cause infection which will threaten my baby and me. I was administered tons of antibiotics and drugs to prevent further contractions and complications. My spirit was oh so broken - everything that could go wrong had and did go wrong...we felt so devastated that our baby was delivered without a complete body...The sisters of the ward felt so sorry for us and did their best to clean up the baby, dressed him up in tiny-sized diapers and a woven cardigan before presenting him to us. My husband and I cuddled him for an hour that night and wept unconsolably...the spirit of death and darkness shrouded the room as we mourned his tragic passing. It was mummy who failed him again...we named him baby Joash - the little Prince for he was such a darling when he was in my womb. I could feel his movement everyday and he gave me so much joy...
Now, a week has passed and I'm still here in KKH fighting infection, mustering all the courage I have to continue this journey for my surviving twin. I pray somehow the storm cloud may pass and I can see some light at the end of this heartwrenching childbearing journey...Pray for us. I will update whenever I can using this wireless internet device which my husband has set up for me...