Yet another belated post. Some of the dates and sequence of events may not be that accurate but I believe should be quite close.
After we came back from HK back in November, Kaelyn began developing a mild cold and cough. It went away after a few days. But after a week or so, so had high fever that hovered around 39+ degrees for several days. She started with cough and sore throat on 26 Dec and we brought her to the GP. On 28 Dec, she was down with fever, and we brought her to the PD who put her on a course of antibiotics. Sent her to the KK Hospital A&E on either 30 or 31 Dec (cant recall exact date) and was sent home after some blood tests. For that few days, the poor gal had very poor appetite. She could only take a few bites of bread or porridge for the whole day and cant even finish half of her usual milk intake. She's also very lethargic. We were really very very afraid she is down with something serious.
When her fever was still very high on the night of 3 Jan 2011 (7th day of persistent high fever), we sent her to KKH again. This time, they advised us to admit her to hospital, as she was in danger of dehydration due to low fluid and food intake. For the 2 nights that she was warded, the nurses would come in every few hours to take her temperature and feed her paracetemol and brufen. There was one evening when she was coughing rather badly and we asked for the doctor. The doctor did not appear even on the next morning. We lodged a complaint that morning itself. How could they not send a doctor for 12 hours when we requested for one, and we are in the hospital! This is simply unacceptable.
We were told she had Influenza A Respiratory Tract Infection. X ray showed patchy streaks in her lungs which warranted a follow up in 3 months. She was discharged on the 3rd day.
Meanwhile, while Kaelyn was in hospital, Sherryn also developed fever around 38+ degrees. When I heard that, I could feel my head spinning - not 2 at the same time! The worse was not over - the day Kaelyn was discharged from hospital, her fever came back again. We called KKH and they actually asked us to visit the GP if the fever came back (shouldnt we go back to KKH for follow up?). Anyway, we didnt have much confidence in KKH after our stay there. We went back to the PD and PD after looking at the reports, said Kaelyn had pneumonia! I cant believe KKH did not tell us about it! PD put her on a course of antibiotics and Singular to strengthen her lungs. She recovered 3 days after - finally!!
During those few days, David and the helper were also both down with flu. Helper's was quite serious as her fever went up to 39 degrees. At one point, I was the only one standing, with 4 people down with flu at the same time, with 2 serious cases. That was one of the most tiring and trying times in my life.
But I am really glad that all this is over. A few lessons learnt:
1) Put on really warm clothings for kids if visiting cold countries. Not sure if this was the reason Kaelyn caught the Influenza but I believed it was partly the cause.
2) Get yourself and kids on flu vaccine. Was told Kaelyn's case may not be that serious if she had taken the flu shot.
3) I'll visit Thomson Medical centre next time instead of KKH (hopefully we'll never have to).
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Updates
It's been a while. We (David, Kaelyn and I) just came back from a trip to Hong Kong few weeks back. Will write about the trip in my next blog. For now, some updates over the last 2 months...
KAELYN
Kaelyn's toilet training has been really successful. She is now diaperless (except for nap/sleeping times), which I think is a really great achievement. I never thought this day would come. I'll take it slow on the final lap of being totally diaper-free. And she is finally off the pacifier (yeah!). Yup, its really taking too long..
Kaelyn's still the natural entertainer - she loves to sing and dance, make poses for the camera even in public. She also loves to draw, paint, colour, write. Oh, and since the HK trip, she has been requesting to use our iphone camera function to take photos for us or of anything / everything around her. I have just deleted 30 over photos that she took without my knowledge..
She knows her alphabets (caps and small letters) very well, a credit to her teachers in school. And she's able to write some of those letters too, and spell her own name. I dont remember being able to do that when I was 3 years old.
SHERRYN
Our dear Sherryn is coming to 1 year old soon (in 1 month's time). Where has the past year gone? She has been crawling all over the place since 8.5 months, and has been holding on to furniture and cruising since around the same time too. She had her first tooth close to 9 months and since has 2 teeth on the lower gum and 1 on the upper gum.
As she grows, we can see her personality and character coming through - she is one stubborn and demanding girl. One really frustrating thing for us is that she refuses to drink water, not a drop at all. She would use her might to push, kick, scream, wail when we try to feed her water.. I dont understand at all why she has such violent objections to water! She still loves to play with and be around her elder sis. And doesnt like to read, unlike her sis. She's getting really naughty now, shouting and screaming to get her way.
I think she can call Mama and Papa(or at least something that resemble these words).
KAELYN
Kaelyn's toilet training has been really successful. She is now diaperless (except for nap/sleeping times), which I think is a really great achievement. I never thought this day would come. I'll take it slow on the final lap of being totally diaper-free. And she is finally off the pacifier (yeah!). Yup, its really taking too long..
Kaelyn's still the natural entertainer - she loves to sing and dance, make poses for the camera even in public. She also loves to draw, paint, colour, write. Oh, and since the HK trip, she has been requesting to use our iphone camera function to take photos for us or of anything / everything around her. I have just deleted 30 over photos that she took without my knowledge..
She knows her alphabets (caps and small letters) very well, a credit to her teachers in school. And she's able to write some of those letters too, and spell her own name. I dont remember being able to do that when I was 3 years old.
SHERRYN
Our dear Sherryn is coming to 1 year old soon (in 1 month's time). Where has the past year gone? She has been crawling all over the place since 8.5 months, and has been holding on to furniture and cruising since around the same time too. She had her first tooth close to 9 months and since has 2 teeth on the lower gum and 1 on the upper gum.
As she grows, we can see her personality and character coming through - she is one stubborn and demanding girl. One really frustrating thing for us is that she refuses to drink water, not a drop at all. She would use her might to push, kick, scream, wail when we try to feed her water.. I dont understand at all why she has such violent objections to water! She still loves to play with and be around her elder sis. And doesnt like to read, unlike her sis. She's getting really naughty now, shouting and screaming to get her way.
I think she can call Mama and Papa(or at least something that resemble these words).
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sherryn at 8 months
Sherryn has been developing new skills without me realising. She turned 8 months yesterday. She is able to sit without support since 6 months, move from lying down position to a sitting position by around 7 months, and pull herself to standing position close to 8 months. I think she is going to crawl over the place in no time. She's been adopting a crawling position but has yet to be able to move too much.
Her routine is now:
- Wakes up around 7am to play.
- Drinks milk (180ml) around 8am. Then bathes, plays.
- Sleeps at around 9.30 to 10am for about an hour.
- Lunch at 12pm - she is now having either porridge or brown rice cereal with cod fish and broccoli / pumpkin.
- Milk (160ml) at close to 2pm before she zzzz again for 2 hours.
- Dinner at 5.30pm - also having either porridge or cereal with fruit puree.
- Milk at 6.30 - 7pm (150ml).
- She knocks out before 7pm every night.
- Then wakes up for a drink of milk at around 10 - 11pm (160ml).
She knows how to call for attention and stretch her arms out for people to carry her. She likes to laugh, and makes sounds when people are talking to her. We havent been able to spend as much time as we would like to with her. But she has been a pretty good girl so far, except that sometimes she can be quite demanding when asking for attention.
Oh ya, she can hold her own bottle to drink her milk too! What a clever little girl!
Her routine is now:
- Wakes up around 7am to play.
- Drinks milk (180ml) around 8am. Then bathes, plays.
- Sleeps at around 9.30 to 10am for about an hour.
- Lunch at 12pm - she is now having either porridge or brown rice cereal with cod fish and broccoli / pumpkin.
- Milk (160ml) at close to 2pm before she zzzz again for 2 hours.
- Dinner at 5.30pm - also having either porridge or cereal with fruit puree.
- Milk at 6.30 - 7pm (150ml).
- She knocks out before 7pm every night.
- Then wakes up for a drink of milk at around 10 - 11pm (160ml).
She knows how to call for attention and stretch her arms out for people to carry her. She likes to laugh, and makes sounds when people are talking to her. We havent been able to spend as much time as we would like to with her. But she has been a pretty good girl so far, except that sometimes she can be quite demanding when asking for attention.
Oh ya, she can hold her own bottle to drink her milk too! What a clever little girl!
Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010
During the games period, Kaelyn was crazy over this:
She first got to know this character while we were at United Square, and the mascots were parading around. We managed to snap 2 photos of her with Merly and Lyo before they disappeared into the changing room. And Kaelyn ran after them and stationed outside the room asking for them to come out.
Few weeks after that, we thought she had forgotten about them, but I was wrong! We went to the Orchard Road stores to look at the YOG merchandise. And Kaelyn said 'Eh, Merly. I always like Merly...' So we bought a soft toy for her and she now hugs it to sleep every night.
We also went to the Marina Promenade to have a look, and we managed to catch the mascots again. And wow, Kaelyn was really head over heels when she saw them, especially Merly, shouting 'Merly, I like you! I love you! Merly! Merly! ha ha....' THis time, she got to hug it, touch it, follow it..
And she would pose in front of every Merly poster for her Dad to take a photo of her. Check out her cheeky poses!
David and I even went all the way down to the floating platform to take photos of the flame the day before the closing ceremony. Afterall, this is practically going to be once in a lifetime scene.
During this period, I was watching the Olympic channel almost everyday after work. And Kaelyn was learnt that YOG stands for Youth Olympic Games. As the Hockey matches were played at the Sengkang Hockey stadium which is near my place and can be seen from my living room, Kaelyn calls that stadium 'YOG' as well.
She first got to know this character while we were at United Square, and the mascots were parading around. We managed to snap 2 photos of her with Merly and Lyo before they disappeared into the changing room. And Kaelyn ran after them and stationed outside the room asking for them to come out.
Few weeks after that, we thought she had forgotten about them, but I was wrong! We went to the Orchard Road stores to look at the YOG merchandise. And Kaelyn said 'Eh, Merly. I always like Merly...' So we bought a soft toy for her and she now hugs it to sleep every night.
We also went to the Marina Promenade to have a look, and we managed to catch the mascots again. And wow, Kaelyn was really head over heels when she saw them, especially Merly, shouting 'Merly, I like you! I love you! Merly! Merly! ha ha....' THis time, she got to hug it, touch it, follow it..
And she would pose in front of every Merly poster for her Dad to take a photo of her. Check out her cheeky poses!
David and I even went all the way down to the floating platform to take photos of the flame the day before the closing ceremony. Afterall, this is practically going to be once in a lifetime scene.
During this period, I was watching the Olympic channel almost everyday after work. And Kaelyn was learnt that YOG stands for Youth Olympic Games. As the Hockey matches were played at the Sengkang Hockey stadium which is near my place and can be seen from my living room, Kaelyn calls that stadium 'YOG' as well.
Toilet training
We finally made progress on Kaelyn's toilet training routine. She is diaper free at home since early August, but still needs teachers to remind her to go toilet in school. She also feels more comfortable pooing into the diaper than in the toilet bowl. Well at least we've made some good progress! And can save some money on diapers... finally! It's been a long journey...
Think i will start training Sherryn much earlier.
Think i will start training Sherryn much earlier.
Kaelyn's 3rd birthday
Kaelyn celebrated her third birthday twice this year. Once at home, and once in school with her friends and teachers.
She chose her own cakes as well, specifically picking the one for home and one for school. When we persuaded her against the one she had chosen for home, she was insistent that she had to have that! We gave in in the end. That was a cake with Mickey going on vacation - David said that it symbolises her running away from home!!
There is no decent photos of Kaelyn's birthday at home as she was just so energetic and jumpy.
The celebrity in school..
She chose her own cakes as well, specifically picking the one for home and one for school. When we persuaded her against the one she had chosen for home, she was insistent that she had to have that! We gave in in the end. That was a cake with Mickey going on vacation - David said that it symbolises her running away from home!!
There is no decent photos of Kaelyn's birthday at home as she was just so energetic and jumpy.
The celebrity in school..
New routine
Work has consumed me for the past 2 months ever since I started going back. After 6 months at home, I struggled to get back into the swing of things at work. During the first few weeks, I took my time to get used to looking at the computer for 8 hours. I felt so tired at the end of each day.
I found that my memory has deteriorated. I cant remember much of the details at work - this is bad, because I need to advise people on technical accounting matters. I need to wake up early in the morning to pump, say hello to my gals before leaving for work. During working hours, I need to disappear 2 times to pump. Very good thing that my office has a very decent nursing room complete with a mini fridge, sofa and wash basin. And then at night I had to pump again before retiring for the night. I was so tired that it aggravated my ability to work efficiently at work. On top of that, I had to get used to the working style of a new boss.
Good thing I managed to work out working from home every Wednesdays to give myself more time with baby and save on transportation time.
The new arrangement while I am at work is:
- Mondays and Tuesdays, mother in law comes over to take care of them. Kaelyn will be at child care for full day on MOnday and half day on Tuesday.
- Wednesday, I work from home and Kaelyn goes to child care for full day
- Thursdays and Fridays, my parents bring Sherryn to their home. Kaelyn is on half day on Thursday and full day on Friday. My dad will fetch her to their home after school.
So far, this arrangement has been working fine as I am not involved in the ferrying. I just need to concentrate on producing milk for Sherryn, and going to work on time.
I found that my memory has deteriorated. I cant remember much of the details at work - this is bad, because I need to advise people on technical accounting matters. I need to wake up early in the morning to pump, say hello to my gals before leaving for work. During working hours, I need to disappear 2 times to pump. Very good thing that my office has a very decent nursing room complete with a mini fridge, sofa and wash basin. And then at night I had to pump again before retiring for the night. I was so tired that it aggravated my ability to work efficiently at work. On top of that, I had to get used to the working style of a new boss.
Good thing I managed to work out working from home every Wednesdays to give myself more time with baby and save on transportation time.
The new arrangement while I am at work is:
- Mondays and Tuesdays, mother in law comes over to take care of them. Kaelyn will be at child care for full day on MOnday and half day on Tuesday.
- Wednesday, I work from home and Kaelyn goes to child care for full day
- Thursdays and Fridays, my parents bring Sherryn to their home. Kaelyn is on half day on Thursday and full day on Friday. My dad will fetch her to their home after school.
So far, this arrangement has been working fine as I am not involved in the ferrying. I just need to concentrate on producing milk for Sherryn, and going to work on time.
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