Last Friday was a rough day for me. Felt like I was having an extreme case of sea-sickness (I do have bad sea-sickness so I'll probably never go on a voyage trip). My head felt like floating over the waves. I could walk and move around freely, but if I moved my head quickly or if I moved it to certain positions, the dizziness started (or the room started spinning around) and I'd feel nauseated. I threw up five times that day. On Saturday I was scheduled for work, so I called in to say that I couldn't come. Had an appointment at the health centre, but there were emergency cases that day, so I had to wait for almost 3 hours before I could finally meet up with the doc. The doc asked me questions and then ran some tests on me (mostly I had to do things like move my arms or legs certain ways). The dizziness (the feeling that the room was spinning around) had actually started a few days prior to the crazy Friday. I went to bed and turned around on my stomach and it started. Just once, though. The next day I was brushing my teeth and again it happened and I had to hold on to the sink in order to keep my balance, but nothing else happened (didn't feel any sea-sickness-like symptoms other than that) so I went to work like usual and it went fine. Until Friday happened.
The doc then gave me my diagnosis and printed it out for me. It's called "Hyvänlaatuinen asentohuimaus" in Finnish or "Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo" orBPPV in short. Basically speaking it's really a benign form of vertigo, induced by certain movements. I wouldn't need any medication other than some anti-motion sickness medication in case I got too nauseated. The doc said that it wasn't dangerous, but bothersome, because on average it'll go away by itself in TEN weeks.TEN?!?!?!?!I sure hope it'll go away faster because at work, I need to be able to move my head around freely and fast, especially during rush hours. In the meantime, though, I've asked R2 to buy me some anti-motion sickness medication in case I need it at work 'coz I'll only start work tomorrow after this diagnosis and I still feel that every now and then I get dizzy/nauseated. I don't really know what caused this, but I think it may have something to do with genetics, as well. My Mom started suffering from vertigo after she got older (over 50), though it isn't a frequent incident. I also read that lack of sleep and stress can induce it. Andhead trauma may also make you more prone to it. I fell down head first when I was young, so maybe the combination of different factors make me more prone to experience something like this at an earlier age. One thing I'm now wondering about is...how can I exercise before I get over this? I want and need the exercise, but I can't really do vigorous exercises that'd move my head around too much hmmmhhhh...we shall see about that then. I've already done the exercise written on the link above to help speed up the process of healing, so we'll see about that, too.
Baby Ken arrived at the PERFECT timing for many reasons. I'll explain them all to you in this post. First of all, Arttu and I got to see the little bundle of joy 1,5 days before we were about to fly back to Finland.
On October 22nd at around 5.30 pm, we got a phone call from my SIL's father, saying that my SIL was taken to the hospital earlier and they told her to stay there. We didn't know much more about what was happening. So my Mom decided to go there. Since I was worried of her having to take a public transit alone, I decided to go along with her and I took Arttu as well. I was torn between leaving R2 at home or taking him with me, but he said he'd come.
About half an hour later, we arrived at the hospital and we could pop in to see my SIL who had an IV already by then. The doctor put her on an IV since her water broke at around 5 pm, but still no signs of contractions. So they had to make her start having contractions right away. When we got there, my brother was feeding her in the labour room. They told her to eat so that she could get enough strength to push.
So we waited in the waiting room in front of the labour room she was in. There were already my SIL's parents and younger brother. Not long after that, her aunt and uncle came by to wait, as well. The contractions started becoming steady at around 7 pm (she was 2 cm dilated by then). So started the hellish hours!!! At one point, I could hear her crying softly for a little while from outside. My Mom was SO worried about her already that she also cried and she started praying right then and there.
We waited and waited...and at around 8.45 pm, the nurse said that she was already 7 cm dilated. So we were sure that it wouldn't take until midnight before the baby was born. At around 9.30 pm, the doctor came in to assist the labour. The baby was born at 9.45 pm and my SIL only needed to push twice. She half-screamed on the first push, but then I heard nothing else (I was standing right in front of the room to listen to the progress). Then I heard a baby's cry HE HE HE HE HE HE...and everybody who was sitting in the waiting room came out and praised the Lord! ;-D
A while later, the nurse came out with the bundle of joy and she asked if we wanted to look at him. He was SOOOOO CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEE, even though he was still "damp" he he he...However, he looked so small, too! He was born 3.1 kgs, 51 cm tall.
I saw him sneeze while we were looking at him hi hi hi...then he was taken to the baby's room. A while later, my brother came out and we congratulated him. My SIL was still "being taken care of" inside. Only after some time could we get in to congratulate her. Her legs were still shaking slightly, but she was smiling so widely. She said she was hungry he he he he he...
Almost forgot...the doctor came out afterward and said, "WOWWWWW...so many supporters!!!! Congratulations to all of you!" and then he shook hands with all of us he he he...
We were all SO glad that it went smoothly and fast!!! It's considered very fast, esp. for a first baby!!!
Anyway, another reason why the baby was born at perfect timing was that my brother had decided that the next day (October 23rd), before he found out that the baby was going to be born on October 22nd, he'd start taking his leave (he hadn't taken any leave this year). So that day, October 22nd, he went straight to the hospital from work and the next day he could stay by his wife's side without worrying about work he he he...
The other reason about the perfect timing is that the baby and the mother went back to my parents' house a day after Arttu and I went to Jakarta by bus to fly back to Finland. SO, my parents didn't have time to miss us too much since the baby would occupy so much of their time. Isn't that WONDERFUL????????
OK, now here are two pics of the baby. Unfortunately they're not too clear, esp. since he was put in that "warming box". He was feeling cold, so the doctor decided to put him in that warming box for a few days. (Note: My bro's promised to send more pics of Ken later on, so hopefully I'll get clear pics to share!)
Here's Ken's crib he he he...
And here's a short video clip R2 took of Ken. :-))))
I'm now wondering what triggered my rashes to come back again. This morning I ate lasagna and it was fine. The rashes started to come off and it wasn't itchy...but right after I ate the joulukinkku (pork ham leg), the rashes came back full force. Now my arms are SO red again and stiff and hot...*sob sob*
I think I'm going to the doctor tomorrow evening. My skin starts getting yucky again and I can't stand the itch anymore. I'm going to stay clear of the pork ham leg as well for fear of rashes. Only tomorrow the doctor is open as well as the pharmacy. Uuuuggghhhhh...I hope it won't take too long in the health centre so that if he gives me a prescription, I can buy the medicine right away...because if it takes long there, I can only buy the medicine on Friday morning!
Sorry, guys...haven't had enough time to blog-hop today. Hopefully tomorrow or Friday I can go back to blog-hopping!!!
I've been meaning to write about this, but I've been lazy he he he...Anyway, as you all know, my hubby and I got married in my hometown, Bandung, Indonesia. Since my closest friends were spread around the globe (one in Holland, one in USA, one in Germany, one in Kalimantan, one in Jakarta, one in Bandung), I tried to arrange my wedding date to be close to my Dutch friend's, so I could go to her wedding party with my hubby. Everything went well and we set up our wedding dates two weeks apart (mine ahead of hers). I was SO looking forward to going to her wedding with my hubby. However, things didn't work out that well in reality.
I should start from the beginning, then. We got married on a Friday, then on Saturday and Sunday we spent 2 nights in a hotel (to have some privacy), then the next morning we flew to Bali to have our honeymoon there. The following Sunday we flew back to Bandung and stayed at my parents' place. I decided to spend our last two days in a hotel again so that we would get some privacy 'coz I knew we'd cry our eyes out before we parted again.
Friday afternoon we checked into the hotel I'd booked. We felt lazy, so we ordered some food to be delivered to our room from the hotel resto. I had brought my nice gown and party shoes to the hotel 'coz my Dutch friend's wedding was due on Saturday. However, not long after having lunch in our hotel room, Arttu started going to the bathroom. Again. And again. And again. After a few times going back and forth, I knew something was wrong. His face was contorting in pain. He felt weak, so I ran to the nearest pharmacy to buy some medicine for diarrhoea. The diarrhoea got worse and worse and he started to get a fever. I panicked, so I called my doctor friend (who'd just arrived in Bandung from Kalimantan to attend our Dutch friend's wedding). My friend told me to buy some more medicine. Then I also ran to a food court to buy some food for us both.
I gave him some medicine and spoonfed him. After that, he began shivering constantly. I began to be more panic!!! His temperature got higher and higher and he felt so cold. It scared me 'coz usually he loved having AC in the hotel room and I was the one who usually felt cold in that cool hotel room, not him! I had some balm in my bag, so I rubbed his feet and hands with that balm to warm him up. He was still shivering. I called my doctor friend again to ask for advice. She told me to give Arttu two Panadol tablets 'coz probably one wasn't enough. I followed her advice. She also said she's drop by to the hotel to check him up later on.
After a while, he felt his body burning and he started to get rid of his blanket. I knew I had to try to get his temperature down. What to do? What to do? My mind began racing. Then I grabbed my shorts and tank top and wet them with some water from the tap to get his temperature down. I kept on going back and forth to the bathroom to wet my shorts and tank top. I spread them on his arms and forehead. His eyes began to look reddish and I was scared!!! I was scared 'coz he was bound to fly back home on Sunday evening and we couldn't change the departure date or anything else. He either had to fly then or buy a new ticket and I knew he couldn't afford to buy a new ticket, so I was just so freaked out.
After what seemed to be forever, my friend came over with her doctor husband. They brought some medicine just in case and told me what to do in case his fever stayed high. Then we prayed together for his health. I think it was the first time I felt like a wife. Even during the honeymoon in Bali, I didn't really "feel" like a wife yet despite the ring on my finger and the fact that we could do "anything" then.
That night I kept on going back and forth to the bathroom with my shorts and tank top to try to get his fever down. Finally at around 8.30 pm he felt slightly better. He stopped feeling hot all over after sweating his shirt. I helped him take it off and get him a new one. After that, he was finally able to sleep.
The next morning he could get out of bed to have breakfast in the hotel resto. My doctor friend had suggested eating only bread. She thought that other types of food could be dangerous since they might not be cooked well or thoroughly or something. She told me to avoid fresh veggies or anything uncooked. So he had some croissants and coffee, then we got back to the hotel room.
That day he still went to the toilet a few times, but it wasn't as bad as Friday. I think on Friday he went to the toilet more than 10 times. I was then wondering if I should go to my friend's wedding ceremony and skip the wedding party. The wedding ceremony started at 2 pm (I figured it'd take only 2 hours top), whereas the wedding party started at 6 pm (and I knew it'd last until around 9 pm). However, in the end I decided to skip both events. Arttu told me to leave him and go to the wedding ceremony, but I couldn't do it. Besides, if I had gone there, I wouldn't have been able to concentrate, anyway.
So I called my friend and apologized to her about not being able to come and explained the whole situation. She understood. That day I bought more food for us from outside the hotel resto and then we just spent the whole day in the room. I wanted to make sure he was strong enough to fly back home on Sunday. The thing is, we had to drive around 3 hours to Jakarta before he flew back home. Yeah, such a long trip still.
I was glad that Arttu looked stronger after midday. Then my brother came by with his girlfriend to give us some bread he he he he...So we didn't manage to go to my friend's wedding, but I didn't regret my decision at all, because turned out that the wedding ceremony at her church lasted for 2 full hours. That meant that if I had gone there, I'd have left Arttu alone for around 3 full hours ('coz of Bandung traffic and all that, the trip back and forth would have taken about an hour).
One funny thing is that during the two days in the hotel, we hung the sign "Don't Disturb" outside our door, so the cleaners couldn't go inside. On Sunday morning, the hotel receptionist called me and asked me if I had had breakfast he he he he...I guess he must've been wondering whether we had been murdered or something HA HA HA HA...
Oh well...one tip for everybody: if you go to Indonesia, make sure you bring lots of medicine for diarrhoea HE HE HE HE HE HE...
