Chapter 2: A Relief

"Mom... Mom..." I felt someone touching my shoulder. It was the nurse waking me up to give Amar a bottle of water. It was still 5 am. I placed the bottle into Amar's mouth but he was not taking any. He continued sleeping!

Every nurse called me "Mom." And called Amar - "Abdul".

Not that they called him by his surname. But when Amar was born, we didn't give him a name straight away. Then, his name was written as "Abdul Muhaimin" (Babah's name)

Since there were two names to the surname, they thought that Abdul was Amar's name. And Muhaimin was the surname.

I noticed there was blood stain on the pillow and sheet cover. There was no more swelling on Amar's finger. It must have popped itself while he was sleeping.

Oh good, I thought. Then we could go home.

Between 7 and 9 am, the ward was hectic. There were new patients coming in including two babies. There was this nurse (Sister, I think head nurse) in dark blue uniform, she wore a smile on her face all the time and kept giving us all thumbs up. She was lovely. Her favourite phrases were "God help him and God bless"

Then another nurse in turquoise uniform came to Amar's cot and hung a "NIL BY MOUTH" sign. I was wondering what that means.

Until later, I found out that that means Amar was not allowed to eat.

Around 9am, there was a consultant ward round. I've heard about ward rounds from Babah. Babah always go to work early to prepare his report whenever there is a consultant ward round.

I was sort of looking forward to the ward rounds. Then a gentleman in black suit came and looked at Amar's chart. He asked for Amar's name. I said "Amar". Then he said, "Hello, I'm Amar, can you tell me what's wrong with Amar?"

I was confused, did I hear right? His name is Amar too!!

As I was just telling him the story, a group of men came dressed formally came directly to Amar's cot. The SHO and registrar who was on duty last night were there too. Only thing was, the SHO was hidden behind the other taller seniors, but I could see that he was reading his notes.

I had to re-tell the story for the umpteenth time to the gentleman in beige blazor who introduced himself as a Consultant.

He gently held Amar's finger. Had a look at the burst abscess. He said that there are still some collection of pus left, but he thought operation might not be necessary. However, he said Mr Gaffy (another Consultant) will re-assess the matter. (I understood later that Mr Gaffy is the Consultant for the kiddies, and the Consultant who had a look at Amar was Adult Orthopaedic Surgeon)

Some hours later, another league of gentlemen came gushing in the ward.

I thought, this must be Mr Gaffy. I thought right.

He came to us, flashed a smile and introduced himself, looked at Amar's finger while I told the history yet for the umpteenth plus one time. He said, no operation needed as the pus has drained itself and that was exactly what the surgeons were going to do anyway. But Amar will be given;

• 48 hours IV antibiotics (I asked why can't Amar take antibiotics orally, he smiled and explained something I didn't quite understand. His words came out like a bullet just like the way he walked)
• the finger to be x-rayed
• blood test
• infection sample (?) to be sent to laboratory
  
• diabetes test
• to be reviewed after 48 hours, and considered to be discharged on Monday.
  

"That long?" I asked Mr Gaffy. He answered something like, you want him to be better, don't you? We'd better do all these tests now and be safe.

Very satisfying answer indeed.

I felt a relief that Amar didn't need the operation afterall. He could have his bottle of milk after the super long fasting period. Hence the photo above!!!

X-ray was pretty straight forward.

But when the doctor tried to insert a cannula for the IV antibiotics. That was just a nightmare. Amar was crying his lungs out until he had no voice left. He was struggling too. The doctor tried to do it on both arms and feet. "No veins" available!

He did try on one arm, and I saw him rotating the needle under the skin trying to find the vein.

Then he asked the nurse to get a yellow needle. (Initially it was a blue one) (And I counted, he used 5 needles to get a cannula in!)

Again, another poking and godeh-godeh under Amar's skin. I heard him said to the nurse, "He's crying anyway, might as well try"

I felt like crying myself, but put up a brave face. The doctor apologised a million times to me. "Sorry mom, may be we will try again when he's calmer"

When the doctor and nurse left, Amar calmed down immediately and slept. When he woke up, there were two nurses in whitish uniform came to Amar carrying a big black box. They came to take Amar's blood.

Another round of crying and struggling. But these nurses were pros. They got it in the end (after a little bit of struggling) They took a lot of Amar's blood!

Poor Amar.

Poor Amar...

Aduh, poor Amar.

Babah came with Sarah to visit us. Amar was back to his normal self. Happy playing with Kakak Sarah. Babah also brought us fresh clothes and lots of food. (A book of sudoku puzzles, a magazine and a book for me to read)(Babah is ever so thoughtful and kind)

Babah and Sarah went back around 7 pm. I changed Amar and gave his soiled nappy to the nurse for glucose test.

I was also told that the Consultant has agreed to change the IV antibiotics to oral antibiotics because they couldn't get the cannula in.

I thought people who came in and out of the ward must be wondering what was wrong with Amar, because other patients were with bandages and cast or with crutches. The two babies who came in earlier have had their operations. They came out with cast from abdomen to their knees. I asked Babah kenapa? Babah said something about hip test something, something - and I did my own research, and I think both babies had hip dysplasia. They were discharged the same day!!!

The 2 months old baby was crying non-stop. Her parents were both taking turns to lulled her to sleep. The 3 months old baby was as quiet as a mouse, but her mother was crying non-stop! I felt sorry for her too.

Amar with no bandage or cast had to stay in for another night!