Melissa Tjia For me, that green room is the most horror room ever and never slipped any thought before that one day I could be in that room. But when you have no choice unless to enter it.
As most woman wishes, I also wish that I could be able to give birth to my child in normal way. But the reality said the contrary.
Yeah, so here the story goes…
My daughter was born through C-section–and that was my very first surgery ever in my life–after I spent 30 hours of sleepless night, fighting that formidable contractions without any significant progress of the birth way. I stucked at 4th stage before entering the OR! With not much energy left, we–my husband and I–decided to undergo the C-section.
On the first day arrival to hospital, 26th October, the doctor have suggested me to get induction process, to help boosting the birth way. But, after toughtful consideration, I rejected the process. The induction itself is like a gambling. Good if the liquid works increasing the birth way stages, bad if after got injected and endured all the double up pain but the birth way still has no progress, so at the end I have to undergo the surgery too. So, I decided to refuse the process.
After deciding for C-section, the surgery was firstly scheduled on 1.00 PM to get all things and medical team be ready. Later on, we were told that my obgyn doctor will be late since he is still in Kemayoran branch and waiting his driver to done his Friday shalat. Considering the traffic, he estimated to arrive in Jatinegara around 3.00 PM. So, what we can do unless waiting him to arrive soon?
Bad news was, the contraction kept coming with no mercy and only getting worser and harsher as the time passed! That filthy pain was getting more intense, keep punching my stomach & waist fractures, and almost draining out my breath away. I was deeply in frustration mode. The worst part was after being attacked by that pain, the nurse still ask me to do the vaginal examination to check the birth way stage. Double punches!!! And I cried out in desperation… Even after asking for the pain killer, that medicine was totally no help at all.
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Thankfully, the doctor was finally able to make his arrival an hour earlier than his prediction! I don’t know what would happen to me if I had to wait another hour longer. After a flash checking, the doctor directly told the paramedic to escort me to the OR and getting prepared. For the first time in my life, I experienced what the surgery was like.
Do you want to know what I feel?
I felt numb.
I didn’t want to and couldn’t think anything. I just could chant in my heart that the surgery will over soon, safe, and sound for both of us. I surrendered all to the mighty God.
After got changed and pushed to the OR, the paramedic gave time to me and my hubby to pray for a moment. Then, I was dragged to enter the room. All the medical team was busy with their own job, preparing this and that.
Once done move to the ‘execution bed’, I was told to sit cross-leg, bending down my back, and the anesthetic doctor start doing the epidural injection. I think this was the most terrifying one since I have scoliosis and reminded him to notice my back so he could do the injection correctly. I heard that if the injection was done incorrectly, it could make the patient paralysed.
Most people said that the epidural procedure will hurt you so bad, but I felt like just getting common injection. Not much pain and endurable.
Right after the injection, my leg started to feel tingling and I was pushed to lay on the bed. All the basic surviving tools was being attached on my body, blood pressure and heart control, oxygen tube, and both my hands were stretched and tied on my side. On the left stayed the anesthetic doctor. On the right and above my head stayed the paramedic in standby position mode if anything happen.
After the ‘green curtain’ perfectfully installed to block my vision, the doctor team started to slash my stomach. I still could feel that slash and pain for few seconds. My obgyn doctor asked if I still feel the pain and I said yes. The anesthetic doctor then quickly inject another liquid into my infusion line and I felt like ‘flying’. My vision started to spin around and my ears just felt like deaf. I was like being in another world with nothing to see and no sound in conscious body. I even didn’t hear when my baby out and cry!
My senses started to get back gradually when a nurse coming at me showing my daughter and lying her onto my body for early breastfeed initiation. Only just for seconds and she had to take her out to warm her. I scanned her face in half-conscious condition. The nurse asked to give her a kiss before leaving me. Then after that I felt something vibrate on my stomach and heard the doctor ordered his assistant to finish everything.
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The green curtain was taken away. I was getting cleaned and moved to transition bed then entered the observation room. I was there for about 6 hours before moving to the inpatient room.
Thanks God that the surgery run safe and smooth both for me and my daughter. Through that moment I was being reminded that this was how our mother’s struggling to giving birth us. The pain, the fear, the nervousness, and definitely the happiness when seeing the baby is safe, healthy, and perfect all the way. All the pain was totally being paid-off.
Thanks to my hubby for always standing beside me and sacrificing his hands to be squeezed off in every time that contraction came attack. Your support is beyond anything. And not forget to mention, the presence of my mom, mom-in-law, and husband’s aunty for the companion and giving their helpful hands during the process. I’m so blessed to have you all.
