Chapter 1: The Beginning
6 MONTHS AGO
The photo above was taken in December at Auntie De's house. If you can enlarge the photo, you might see there is no nail on Amar's middle finger. I took a clearer photo of his swollen finger at that time, but I don't have the photo anymore (the reason will be revealed in Chapter 5)
So that was the beginning. The first time it happened. He was uneasy for two consecutive nights. Crying throughout the night on the second night. Only on the third day, I realised that he was super sensitive when I touched his left hand. And then only I noticed it was slightly swollen.
Towards evening time, the finger became more and more swollen. He was on my laps and crying ALL the time. By that time, he held his hand straight and upwards. And got very angry if the hand was in contact with anything.
In the middle of that night, he got up and cried. I noticed that his finger was leaking with pus and blood. And guess what I did? I squeezed his finger until I drained everything out. Amar screamed, but after that, he had a good night sleep.
Babah was on his last night of nights shift, so he didn't see the finger. He only received a photo sent by MMS.
The next day, when Babah came back I booked an appointment with the GP. Amar was given antibiotics. I also remember that GP just had a quick glance, and dismissed Amar as if it was a small matter. A few weeks later, upon healing his fingernail came off.
A month later, the same thing happened to Amar's little finger also on his left hand. The same ordeal, the crying, swollen finger, but this time it popped by itself while Amar was sleeping at night. The same medication - antibiotics. This time, his fingernail remained intact. Babah was on nights duty too.
Six months onwards, he was restless again. Remember the entry about his MMR jab? I thought
Amar was a psychic child that he was trying to escape from the injection. He was extra clingy, and cried to be picked up.
6 MONTHS LATERSo that was the beginning. The first time it happened. He was uneasy for two consecutive nights. Crying throughout the night on the second night. Only on the third day, I realised that he was super sensitive when I touched his left hand. And then only I noticed it was slightly swollen.
Towards evening time, the finger became more and more swollen. He was on my laps and crying ALL the time. By that time, he held his hand straight and upwards. And got very angry if the hand was in contact with anything.
In the middle of that night, he got up and cried. I noticed that his finger was leaking with pus and blood. And guess what I did? I squeezed his finger until I drained everything out. Amar screamed, but after that, he had a good night sleep.
Babah was on his last night of nights shift, so he didn't see the finger. He only received a photo sent by MMS.
The next day, when Babah came back I booked an appointment with the GP. Amar was given antibiotics. I also remember that GP just had a quick glance, and dismissed Amar as if it was a small matter. A few weeks later, upon healing his fingernail came off.
A month later, the same thing happened to Amar's little finger also on his left hand. The same ordeal, the crying, swollen finger, but this time it popped by itself while Amar was sleeping at night. The same medication - antibiotics. This time, his fingernail remained intact. Babah was on nights duty too.
Six months onwards, he was restless again. Remember the entry about his MMR jab? I thought
Amar was a psychic child that he was trying to escape from the injection. He was extra clingy, and cried to be picked up.
The above photo was taken on Thursday (18 May 2006) afternoon while Babah was asleep. (The swelling grew bigger than that after the photo was taken) Poor Babah has just finished his night shift so he was sleeping during the day. (Hmmm tiap kali berlaku bila Babah buat nights)
At first, it was only a slight swell at the tip of the finger. Then I noticed a yellowy 'dot' under the nail. Then, it became greeny then bluey then blacky colour and it sort of spread to the first joint of the finger, and later to the second joint. (I asked Babah for the terms, 1st joint = proxima. 2nd joint = distal. I don't even know what they are called in Malay. Sendi jari?)
I sent an MMS to Auntie de (Qualifications: MBBCh, Part 1 and First part of Part II, a wife and a mother of two) She rang me immediately after she received the photo via mobile phone. She said, if it was her she would have brought Amar to A&E.
So I thank her for that.
I told Auntie De, I was worried too as the finger looked worse than the first time it happened. But quite apprehensive to take Amar to hospital because I have already taken him to see the GP and he has already been given antibiotics. And I felt;
- a heartless response from the GP and worried that Amar would get a similar response if we go for a second opinion.
- Also, I didn't want to undermine the GP's credibilities.
- I thought the swelling would burst itself like before. Then Amar would feel better. (But it just grew bigger!)
Babah said, "Jom". Honestly, I didn't expect Babah to say that. So, we quickly got ready. I gave the kids some food while waiting for Babah to mandi and solat. Babah had a mug of hot cocoa drink.
WALK-IN CENTRE
Sarah followed Babah to pay for the parking. She fell down and scratched both her knees.
We arrived at the Walk-In Centre, the receptionist or the nurse on duty straight away asked us to go to A&E department at Walsgrave Hospital (where Babah used to work) .
A&E PAEDIATRICS UNIT, WALSGRAVE HOSPITAL
At Walsgrave Hospital, we registered Amar with the receptionist. Not long after that, we were called in to the Paeds A&E unit, and waited in the waiting room. There were lots of toys and books for Sarah and Amar. (They were dirty too!) Amar was more interested to run out of the room.
We were called in by a nurse for a quick assessment by her. Taking Amar's temperature and some general questions. Then we were asked to wait in the waiting room again.
There were many sick children waiting for their turn. There was this boy crying in his mums arms and dripping with blood. There was a girl still in her school uniform, her left eye looked as if she was punched there and the eye ball has been eaten by the head. There were many more, but at least all were sitting in one place unlike my two children who were running around and messing with the toys and books. (Amar didn't look ill at all. Although he has been crying the whole morning and afternoon earlier)
From my observation, there were two doctors on duty that evening. A male doctor in blue scrub. He looked like a doctor actor on TV. There was another young female doctor dressed casually. I had a quick peek at her name tag, she has an Islamic name. Both looked busy and drained. They were calling patients in turns.
I didn't mind the actor looking doctor OR the Islamic name female doctor either.
Then Amar's name was being called. But not by any of the said above. But by a doctor who reminded me of a big bad wolf. Where did he come from?
He introduced himself. I didn't catch his name. And I didn't understand most of the things he said. He examined Amar, and he left us alone. I saw him writing some sort of report. It took him forever!!
The actor looking doctor has already seen two patients since we were in this big bad wolf's 'custody'. The female doctor was busy as well.
Then this big bad wolf doctor left his seat when a nurse said there was a phone call for him and was gone for ages!!!! It was past Sarah and Amar's bedtime. They started to be fidgety and restless. We were confined in the small unit and I had a feeling that this big bad wolf was going to ask us to come back the next day.
Ages later, the doctor came back and said he has referred us to Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital (the first place we went to, but to a different department). I left the room as Amar was crying again. He explained the rest to Babah. I understood later that we were sent to Smith + Clarke ward for a review by another doctor.
SMITH + CLARKE WARD, COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE HOSPITAL
We went home first. Babah had his overdue lunch and dinner. Both kids had their dinner too. But Amar didn't have appetite for anything much. We bathed and changed the kids, and after prayers we went to the hospital. It was around 9pm.
We were escorted by a security guard. The building was closed for visitors. The staff at Smith + Clarke unit were expecting us. The nurse asked if Amar sleeps in a cot or a bed. I said a cot. So she gave us the first cubicle in the main ward.
It was quiet in the ward. But my children were creating quite a racket, although it was way past their bedtime.
The nurse said that a doctor will be with us soon as he has just finished a surgery. Then only I learnt from Babah that we were sent to a Paediatric Orthopaedics Unit. From my collection of memory, orthopaedics has something to do with tulang.
A young doctor (SHO) came to see Amar. He saw Babah and said, "I've seen you somewhere before" So there was a brief introduction between them. SHO meets SHO etc.. etc..
The SHO said, to his opinion it looked like Amar has to stay in for the night. He will be reviewed by a registrar later on. And I heard he said under his breath ("if he wakes up")
It was agreed that, I would stay with Amar. Babah will take Sarah home and come back the next day.
Between 11-12 pm, a sleepy looking registrar came to look at Amar's finger. Amar was already asleep at that time. He was 'digesting' (may be dreaming) my collection of history of Amar's finger with lots of 'hmmms'.
And he said to stop Amar's antibiotics and said he will have to go to theatre the next morning. They will drain the pus out. I asked if an operation was really necessary? He said yes, because it would probably be a better way to remove the 'infection' since I told him that that was the third time happened to Amar. And he was afraid if the infection spread to the bone. He really GOT me WORRIED there.
So I signed a consent operation form and understood his explanation of the aftermath of the operation;
The nurse has asked me not to give Amar anything to eat or drink anymore from that point onwards. But she will wake us up at 5 pm for Amar to only have a bottle of water.
OPERATION??? I went to sleep dreading for my one year old son having to go for an operation the next morning. It was a dreadful thought that although it might seem a small swell on Amar's finger, but to operate it just meant a 'serious' matter after all.
And also, I went to sleep thankful to Allah that we were given hidayah to go to the Walk-In centre. And appointed that big bad wolf who referred Amar to Smith + Clarke ward. He's no big bad wolf anymore, but someone who definitely knew what he was doing.
We were escorted by a security guard. The building was closed for visitors. The staff at Smith + Clarke unit were expecting us. The nurse asked if Amar sleeps in a cot or a bed. I said a cot. So she gave us the first cubicle in the main ward.
It was quiet in the ward. But my children were creating quite a racket, although it was way past their bedtime.
The nurse said that a doctor will be with us soon as he has just finished a surgery. Then only I learnt from Babah that we were sent to a Paediatric Orthopaedics Unit. From my collection of memory, orthopaedics has something to do with tulang.
A young doctor (SHO) came to see Amar. He saw Babah and said, "I've seen you somewhere before" So there was a brief introduction between them. SHO meets SHO etc.. etc..
The SHO said, to his opinion it looked like Amar has to stay in for the night. He will be reviewed by a registrar later on. And I heard he said under his breath ("if he wakes up")
It was agreed that, I would stay with Amar. Babah will take Sarah home and come back the next day.
Between 11-12 pm, a sleepy looking registrar came to look at Amar's finger. Amar was already asleep at that time. He was 'digesting' (may be dreaming) my collection of history of Amar's finger with lots of 'hmmms'.
And he said to stop Amar's antibiotics and said he will have to go to theatre the next morning. They will drain the pus out. I asked if an operation was really necessary? He said yes, because it would probably be a better way to remove the 'infection' since I told him that that was the third time happened to Amar. And he was afraid if the infection spread to the bone. He really GOT me WORRIED there.
So I signed a consent operation form and understood his explanation of the aftermath of the operation;
- Amar's finger might be sensitive to cold for upto one year
- His fingernail may grow back in weird shape
- He said something about the effect on the ligament and joint BUT he said from his observations, that might be unlikely.
The nurse has asked me not to give Amar anything to eat or drink anymore from that point onwards. But she will wake us up at 5 pm for Amar to only have a bottle of water.
OPERATION??? I went to sleep dreading for my one year old son having to go for an operation the next morning. It was a dreadful thought that although it might seem a small swell on Amar's finger, but to operate it just meant a 'serious' matter after all.
And also, I went to sleep thankful to Allah that we were given hidayah to go to the Walk-In centre. And appointed that big bad wolf who referred Amar to Smith + Clarke ward. He's no big bad wolf anymore, but someone who definitely knew what he was doing.
3 comments:
Oh my! What an ordeal for the whole family especially for the brave little cutey, Amar. At least he is much better now. Mama sarah, start writing that children book of yours!
:)
haha sherin!
my first book will be: Amar in Hospital!
I did some writing when he was in the hospital!!!!
Make sure to put in the big, bad wolf in your book. You know. Just to add spice ;)
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