I was pregnant at 29 to 30 weeks at this time. Though I have been going on regular checks with my government healthcare that is free for all citizens, I had some apprehension and needed some explanations from my old gynae who delivered my firstborn.
I finally set an appointment with his clinic at Gleneagles KL on a Monday morning. My boys especially the second one who is the small older brother was thrilled to be going with me.
It was a small clinic but we managed to get a comfortable seat at their sofa next to the window. My appointment set was 1045am and we arrived just before that after parking the car and did a bit of walking.
All the familiarity of the clinic came back to my memories. It was indeed the first place I felt the courage to give birth. The gynae is a know doctor in this Obstetrics and Gynaecology field. He is known to be funny, witty to calm our nerves. He never make a patient too nervouse for any reason, even if there can be something very very serious.
I wanted to see him because my amniotic fluid is said to be on the higher side so I wanted to make sure everything is ok. Also, I very wanted to confirm the gender of the baby.
My sons were relaxing while waiting because sometimes the wait can be up to 2 hours before seeing the doctor. He may be caught up with rounding the wards or even go out for a delivery for the other patients in labour. True enough, after the nurse weighed me and I just sat down, he exited the consultation room and his nurse assistant told everyone he had to do his rounds at the wards. But he actually came back not too long after.
3 more patients before me. My secondborn was happily drawing and even accidentally drew on my husband's jeans. He said, " Uh oh!" and he started wiping it off with some wet wipes but to no avail. I just looked at him and laughed.
Finally it was my turn!
I went in to see the doctor and he checked my old old old records from the last I saw him which was almost 5 years ago when I had some pain in my earlier 2nd pregnancy. An old lab report was handed to me which I did not collect since.
The doctor asked me to lie down for an ultrasound scan. He took time to look at the baby parameters in detail and said everything looks okay. He even confirmed the gender by saying, "If this is not a girl, I can pay you money. It is 120% a girl!" Baby girl was already weighing 1.3kg at that time!
My second born was so excited to see his baby sister on the other TV projection. He seemed to be very fond of her. He kept saying, I can see her!
Eldest bro was just chilling around because he could not finish a game before the doctor called us in.
I am actually under immense pressure and anxiety in this pregnancy. Maybe because I am older and diagnosed with gestational diabetes too. I am constantly in a lot of unrests. There have been meltdowns too within me and outbursts. I became less social though I have many questions within me. I asked the doctor a whole list of questions and he too told me many things to ask me to be at rest. I appreciate that so much from him, someone I truly trust from my first time as a mum. However I cannot afford his doctor fees and also his delivery package in his hospital so I am opting to deliver at the government hospital who has been very rigid with numbers and checks, always telling me something is wrong and give me a long list of to-dos. I too try to give thanks that at least the government healthcare in Malaysia is free and I will get good favours. My current nurse in charge of me has been friendly towards me. Penning this down as I am stepping into the last month of my pregnancy feels a bit surreal. I am in another state of nervousness now.
Since that day, my secondborn kept asking to follow me to see the doctor for checks. He thought he could see his baby sister every round but it is usually not the case with government clinic checks. There is usually no extra space or luxury for us to go as a family hence why I thought this check at the private clinic can be a memorable one for all of us.
