I was trying to pray during the operation. Kaso hindi ako makapag-isip ng maayos. Dala na rin siguro ng anesthesia na sinaksak sakin. Yung tipong pag sinusubukan kong gumawa ng pangungusap nagrarambol yung mga salita. Ipinagpasa-Diyos ko na lang lahat.
After the operation I was brought to the recovery room. Dun ko na ulit nakita si Basuraman. I immediately asked him if he was able to see our baby. He said yes. But he can't hide the worry from his eyes. While waiting outside the operating room kinuwento niya sakin na biglang may dumaan sa likod niya na tumatakbo. He wasn't sure but he felt right then that they were carrying our baby. She was placed inside an incubator and she has IVs strapped on her arms/feet. She was so tiny and her color was blue. She has to use a ventilator because she was having trouble breathing. She has a pneumonia which means she has to take antibiotics. Her neonatal doctor talked to Basuraman that if her pneumonia gets worse they have to use a stronger kind of antibiotic. Basuraman was asked to sign the waiver. Naiyak nako by that time. Hindi ko maimagine ang itsura and kalagayan ng baby ko.
The next day I was able to visit her in the NICU. A day after my operation nakuha ko ng tumayo at maglakad. I need to. Mahabang kwento ang pagstay ko sa hospital after giving birth. I'll try to do an entry about that. Hindi ko na napigilang umiyak nung nakita ko si baby. Panay naman ang hagod ng midwife sa likod ko to comfort me. Baby's weight was only 1482 grams when she was born. Her eyes was covered because of the blue light. Her bilirubin went up thus leading to jaundice. Her ventilator reaches up to her trachea because she can not breathe on her own. She was being fed by tube. From color blue her color became red. Her skin was almost translucent. Since she was born premature, her eyes were not yet fully developed. According to her doctor, if her retinas do not grow well they have to perform a laser treatment. Andaming monitors na nakadikit sa katawan niya.
We were very grateful that the primary midwife of NICU knows how to speak english and she assured us that they will do everything to take good care of our baby until we can bring her home. She was also the one who will mainly look after her.
Everyday there was an improvement. Our baby girl is a fighter. Her ventilator was changed to respirator which means she was breathing outside air. By the time her respirator was removed on daytime we were able to do kangaroo care(skin to skin contact). After her respirator was removed she was able to feed by bottle. Hanggang she was removed from the incubator and placed in a regular baby crib. She didn't go through any laser treatment for her eyes since her retinas grew well. Sobrang saya namin nung totally wala na siyang monitors na nakakabit sa katawan niya. Pero wala na yatang mas sasaya nung sinabi sakin ng midwife na pwede na daw namin iuwi si baby.
I stayed for 11 days in the hospital because my doctor won't allow me to go home until my anemia gets treated. Baby stayed in the hospital for 68 days. After being discharged from the hospital everyday ko siya pinupuntahan sa hospital. 2 days lang ako pumalya dahil sumakit ang tahi ko. May notebook ang baby namin na araw-araw sinusulatan ng mga nurses/midwives tungkol sa kanyang development. We also wrote on it if we have questions or message for baby.
It was a very challenging experience for us. Sa sobrang pagpaplano naming mag-asawa para sa paglabas ni baby iba pala ang gusto ni Lord para sa amin. Ginawa niyang exciting. Mahirap para sa amin ni Basuraman dahil kaming dalawa lang ang andito. Wala ang pamilya namin at iilan lang ang kaibigan namin dito. We are not your typical OFW na kasali sa mga Filipino Community/Group chenes. Pero kinaya namin at patuloy naming kinakaya ang lahat ng dumarating sa buhay namin dahil wala man dito ang pamilya at kaibigan namin physically, they try to do their best to support and help us. And of course we believe na hindi kami pababayaan ni Lord.
Say hello to our angel Mariko Cirille. We call her Miko for short ^_^
November 17, 2012 ng naiuwi na namin siya sa bahay. By that time andito na rin si mama ko sa Japan to help me with Miko. Currently she's doing great. From 1482 grams at birth, now she's already 5kg. And getting heavier everyday! She's taking a medicine for her anemia and hopefully on her check-up on January 7 e magaling na siya. Sabi nga ng mga kaibigan and kamag-anak namin hindi mo iisipin na premature si Miko. Technically she's already 3 months pero ang development ng katawan niya is parang 1 month lang since 2 months siyang maagang ipinanganak. Sa ngayon araw-araw naming ipinagdarasal na huwag siyang magkasakit and lumaki siyang healthy.
We had to stay here in Japan for the holidays. Our first christmas and new year here in Japan and outside the Philippines. We were advised na huwag muna ilabas si Miko since winter ngayon and panahon ng flu. Premature babies are very sensitive to infections and diseases. Nakaka-miss man ang pasko sa Pinas masaya pa rin kami dahil magkakasama kaming pamilya (including my mom).
Miko-chan was the best gift Basuraman and I received this Christmas! ^_^
Basuraman and Miko-chan ^_^
Merry Christmas and Happy new year everyone! Godbless!
Mariko means child of true reason .
