Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Placenta Previa : Stage III

Wednesday, August 27, 2014 0 Comments
Imagine the heartbreak I had when the doctor confirmed that my placenta had moved further down my servics to the point that it was covering about 3.8cm of my servics opening. The ultrasound image I will never forget. A lot of things came to my mind. How the fuck did I end up with such complications? Did I will myself to give myself PP? Or does other people had to do with it?

I sat down and looked back at the 6 months of my pregnancy and only one word came to my mind to sum it up: bitter. Why was I bitter? Why was I resentful? Was it my pregnancy hormones talking? I started the blame game, I blamed my husband for dumping me with his mom in Malaysia. I blamed him for making take the stupid pastry course (which actually did cheer me up a little but strained my legs and vagina) I blamed his mom for not taking care of me after I abruptly stopped my classes (both doctor's and husband's orders) I blamed everyone around me. I was hard on myself, how could I let this happen to me?

The doctor had many theories why I got the PP in the first place. This is my first pregnancy. I never had abortion, operation or scarring on my vagina before! I am fit as a fiddle! I used to do 5KM on the mill before I got pregnant. I had switched my vodkas to Merlots.

Then I looked back at how this shit started in the first place. The first sign I overlooked was the vomiting after I touched down at KLIA back in February. I had bucket load of medicines with me at that time. The doctor advised me against travelling but we had a target to meet. We wanted to open a bakery and I needed to get the knowledge. We wasted good time in Malacca for some stupid temple opening ceremony.

Then the husband and I went to KL to our new pad. We both lovingly decorated it with Ikea furniture. This was my second strain. I shouldn't have picked up those chairs; no matter how light weight it was. But the husband thought it was OK. I told him it's not ok. I have a hereditary problem- I don't blame him. We were both very naive and this is my primi gravida. He left after the house was fully furnished. We ran out of budget and his demanding mom wanted her bed first. Get me a bed! Get me a bed! Bed! Beeedddd! So we decided to get the kind of bed she wanted and I would sleep on the floor in my room on a 4 inch mattress while his mom will sleep on a 12 inch mattress on a bed. Then after inspecting the house, she went to her daughter's house and wasted one month there. Horay! I get to spend the whole month at my parents house. The third straw came when I had to drive thru and fro to classes everyday from Banting to Putrajaya Sentral and change 2 trains, and walk 500 meters to my classes. Which also meant I was exposed to the unpredictable KL weather. I walked in the rain. I switched to slippers because my Mary Janes were getting soaked into. Despite the rain, the state was predicting water rationing at my area.

Then came the water rationing. His mom decided to come back after the husband reminded her that he's not paying the rent in KL for no one to stay there. I was of course reluctant to stay with his mom. She would make me do the house work. By then my 90 day visa was expiring and I didn't want to lose the free medical coverage so I went back to Doha for the weekend. Our studio apartment in Doha was a mess. My husband was losing weight. So I cleaned up the place. The next morning I started bleeding at the airport. I called my husband and he was worried as hell. I asked the steward for a pad. When I landed thank god my family were there seeing their faces cheered me up and I went back to my parents house. The next day I woke up at 5am. Went to see the doctor. She gave me meds and told me to stop doing any work at all

I went to my class dishearten and feeling extremely sorry for myself. When I went back to my house in KL his mom was waiting there for me. She was watching some soap on TV. I went to my room and unpacked. His mom has this bad habit of sneaking up on me and my husband at our most private moments and she sneaked up on me. Said we had no water. I said I am going back to my parents. I can't stay one month without water. I am pregnant. I offered to send her to the train. She wanted to go back Malacca to her step-daughter's house. Fine by me, suit yourself. Exhausted when I reached my parents I slept sound on the thick, very expensive spring and coil mattress my parents had installed for me and my siblings. My mom wasn't back from her trip to India and I missed her terribly

In the second month I spent my time in Banting I cheered up amicably, got to spend my father's birthday and had a generally good time. Then the water rationing stopped. So I had to go back to my marital house. How I dreaded going back! But I had to. So I did with a heavy heart. He reminded his mom of her duty towards me and she came back to KL too. Then my mom came back from India. It was delightful! I went back home and spent some good weekend with her. I brought his mom along with me. For the first few days she behaved well and on the last day had a brazilian blow-out drama because she wanted to go back early and mind you I was tired and I didn't want to do much driving. She blew out of all places in the hair salon I went to get a haircut. I rolled my eyes and vowed never to bring her anywhere with me. So much for gratitude. After all gratuitousness is cultivated and never expect it from gross people.

I had passed my first trimesters, with bumps down the road. Now I was gearing for my second trimester. I cooked my own meals while staying in my house in KL. I never ate anything anyone else cooked because the people that stayed with me had poor kitchen hygiene and an awfully unhealthy diet. Which they flaunted. *roll eyes*  Remember what Dale Carnegie said-Ignore people you don't like. I stayed away from people and germs, refused to go anywhere but my parent's home and at all times spent good time in my room reading-until my laptop gave up. Then I ventured out to the living room to watch TV. I had no idea all the great shows Discovery and Nat Geo had in Malaysia. I thought they showed crap! I was hooked! His mom wasn't very happy I was taking away 2 hours from her 8am-10pm TV time. I told her it's temporary I will go back in 2 months time. You can do whatever you like after that. I won't be here to watch your TV or ruin your routine. *roll eyes*

One fine day I decided sleeping on a mattress on the floor is not fair for me, plus standing up was such a pain and unless my husband got me a bed I was going back Banting so off we went to Ikea to buy a bed for me. I got a nice King size bed I wanted for myself. Then his mom decided she was getting bored staying in the house on days at end and wanted to go out. Whatever. I moved the chest of drawers with my back so as not to pressure my front but the next day I bleed! Shit! I went to the emergency early morning and got an an injection up my butt. The doctor told me off no MORE HEAVY WORK! I decided this was my last straw so I called up my mom and told her to tell his mom everything. About the bleeding at the airport, everything. It dawned upon his mom if she failed her duty as a "good, sensible mother in law" and if something had happened to me or my child the blame will come to her. More than anything in the world, she is afraid of her "good name in society" A miscarriage will ruin that for her. *roll eyes* By now I already knew in and out so I just avoided her most of the time. To avoid cooking dinner for her, I stayed back after classes and read up the recipe books. Sometimes I walk to the restaurants near Brickfields and ate the restaurants I like. Sometimes I give them whatever pastry I had made during the day. Other times I go to my aunt and spent some good hours eating fresh, crispy, hot paratha my sister in law cooks for me. At times I sit in the car listening to BFM and generally avoided all phone calls except my mom's

The final nail on my coffin was when I bleed for no reason! That was my second month of my course and I figured I must have stood for too long for my classes, although the doctor said that's perfectly good for you. I stopped my classes and spent the final miserable month in KL with his mom in the house. I cried and begged him to change my tickets so I can come back early but he insisted I spend "quality time" with his mom but I knew better than that. She kept asking if I wanted to eat chili. One day I told her to make chili whatever she want for herself not for me. You know some food are not best not eaten during pregnancy? In the one month I cooked healthy meals for her and myself; everyday toiling in the kitchen alone with my recipe book open. She sneaks up to me all the time when I am cooking to see how I do it. I give her the recipe book and tell her to read it. She shows me her recipe book from 100 years ago *roll eyes* I had to stop her from time to time to dumping her finger into my food to taste it. I said its not hygiene. Get a spoon for God's sake! The kitchen duty did it's toll on me and I bleed twice. Of course I wasn't going to tell her, I told my mom to do it. By now I had made up my mind-I will never have her here for my delivery

I had bleed so many times during my first and second trimester I couldn't even keep record when it happened. If you are pregnant and you have read my experience, 6 months abroad and away from my husband here are some advises to follow:

  • don't stay away from your husband
  • don't listen to people's unsolicited advise on what to eat and not to eat. The doctor is your friend
  • stay away from your mother in law
  • keep her away from you 

So when I did come back to Doha after 5 and half month of shit in Malaysia my poor placenta moved further down and now I an scheduled for an early delivery in September. Of course his mom doesn't know this. Of course she blew up her chance to come here. OF course she is not GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR MY BABY

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Doha Review: Popcorn Girl@ Ezdan Mall

Saturday, August 16, 2014 0 Comments



I will summarize this shop in one word. Diabetes

But they have Jelly Beans, chocolate and popcorn under one roof! Truly dazzling to the eye!











Chocolate coated popcorns, these were truly heavenly and the husband stopped short of telling me buy this...sigh one can only wish. Never mind after the baby is out!


Add caption




The Jelly Bean variety was just bedazzling!


I thought these were jawbreakers but they were bubble gums!



The table leg is filled with popcorn


Pucker powder machine

Friday, August 15, 2014

Doha Review: Ezdan Mall & WHSmith Bookstore Doha vs Jamalon.com Store vs Aido.com

Friday, August 15, 2014 0 Comments
As you probably already know, it's very hard to get one decent book on pregnancy in the whole of Qatar. I have looked high and low for the book but alas, I was to be disappointed by this little country. By luck-last year I managed to find What To Expect When You Are Expecting in I-Spy bookstore, City Center and that was my bible for up to 5 months then I realised I needed a better, comprehensive book. I didn't have time to look for them in Malaysia so I halfheartedly decided I will do the book hunting here in Doha.

The book hunting begins

I called I-Spy book store today and they told me they had no book on pregnancy.
I called Jarir book store and no one picked up the phone.
Last night I looked online and my husband suggested I search for WHSmith book store because they have a small branch in the new Doha Airport so they may have some store in Doha. And they did! They have a flagship store in Ezdan Mall (Opposite Landmark Mall, next to Lulu Hypermarket)
Today we decided to check out the store

And they did have books, plenty of English books. Plenty of books written by British authors and all kinds of cook book pastry book sourced from BBC, Nigella and British chefs. And somewhere in the nook of all odd-titled and ill placed books were, on the bottom shelf, a row of books on parenting, pregnancy and fatherhood. It looked so pitiful I felt bad being pregnant. We couldn't find the books in the first place, they were so poorly placed. There were no "Pregnancy Books/Parenting & Toddler" sign or anything like that. Anyways the girl working in the store showed us where the books were located and I bought one titled Your Baby Week by Week by Simone Cave and Dr whatsherface


It cost me 85 riyals

Some pictures of the book store in Ezdan Mall. I only took pictures of the book section. The toys, garish notebooks and books for kids I have left out







The Online book hunting begins

The moral of this post is not to count on the local bookstore for any books you like unless they're mainstream fiction and non fiction. So I came back home feeling dissapointed and my husband suggested me to look for online book stores in GCC. He said there must be some GCC websites that sold books to GCC only. Again my husband came to the rescue. He seems to have all the solution to my woes when I need it the most. After extensive searching it all boiled down to JAMALON.COM and AIDO.COM

It was obvious that books on Aido were higher priced than the books sold on Jamalon. Aido is Dubai based and Jamalon is based in Jordan

Here is a comparison for a paperback from both retailers



Here's the price for a slightly older version of the Baby Book from Jamalon



And the price for a newer version from Aido


The Conclusion

Anyways I settled on Jamalon and got 5 books from them (based on reviews from Amazon)

If you feel uncomfortable buying from these online stores you can always buy from Amazon. Shipment to middle east is not that expensive; for these two books with standard shipping it was costing me about RM (Ringgit Malaysia) 170 If you don't mind waiting for a month to get your book that is.

I bought 5 books from Jamalon and it cost me 360 riyals including shipment (80 riyals) with Aramex (3-7 working days delivery)

I will update this entry once I have received my books

Update


I have sent 2 emails to Jamalon and no one bothered to reply me

I decided to call them today. This morning the guy at the other end spoke no English. Second call attempt worked better-a lady picked up but spoke halting English. She passed me to her supervisor or something and he explained to me that the books were being shipped from their publisher in London to Qatar and it will take 3 days; meaning 72 hours

One of the 5 books is not in stock

They will refund me the money once they have shipped the remaining 4 books

Until I don't hold the books in my hand I am giving Jamalon a thumb down.

Update II

Jamalon.com is the biggest online bookstore-cum-rip-off in the whole of GCC. I regret buying from them. It's the 24th August today and my Aramex record is stand still at "Data Received" and "Record Created"

It's better to buy from bookrepository and Aido that buying from Jamalon, They are a giant big scam online ripping innocent people off their moolah

Here's the screenshot of the email I sent them today using their contact us option


Update III

Imagine my surprise when two days ago I saw this on the Aramex tracking site. They had actually procured the books in London. Within a day it was here in Qatar sitting in Abou Hamour at about 3pm. So I logged another case with Aramex and they called me back saying since there is no driver they will try to deliver it to me within 48 hours. I said please hurry up this parcel is long overdue. And lo and behold this morning I had another call from Aramex and this guy asked me when I wanted the parcel delivered. That's it. I blew up like a volcano. I said now I want it now its been so long overdue why do you even ask me when I want it delivered?! He said he will try before 12pm and someone must have realised what a big cock-up Aramex did with my books so he wrote with permanent marker on my parcel to deliver it before 12pm







Also, two days ago I had a call from Jamalon in Jordan saying my books are already in Qatar (but I knew that already I have been tracking it daily) I said my thanks, resolved never to buy from Jamalon again because 

A. crappy customer service
B. I had to call them to ask for my item shipment number
C. I had to keep harassing Aramex for my books
D. Some of the books' covers were damaged. Someone was hasty when he removed the price tag, the glue didnt come off