Mistakes Sunday

It was an unusual Sunday. I learnt a lot of things and those were reasons to rejoice but in the end it was overall a pretty bad day and I was to be blamed for it.

Eugene asked me to help out at Uncle Lai's. He had some problems with a leaking main water pipe. We woke and 7am, took a light breakfast and went over in Eugene's car. Jen wanted to tag along. Mistake no. 1: I let her.

It was to be a day of hard work. It felt like another day at work but I never complained. These two guys helped me so much since I came to Perth. Doing them a favour would be something I wanted to do for sometime to show my appreciation. Moreover, I would have a first hand experience how folks here fix up their problems in their own home. Whatever it was, Jen had no business to be here.

The copper pipe that provides all the water that Uncle Lai needed

We coupled, bent and jack pipes all morning and dug dug dug.

The existing old copper water pipe was leaking and costed Uncle Lai a hefty water bill for a while. So he decided to change it and was quoted a bill of over $1,000 for the job. He found that it was unacceptable so he decided to do it himself. It was obviously not a job for 1 man so he roped in 2 more for the mission. We removed tiles of paving in besides his beautiful swimming pool and dug downwards to search for the pipe trail. There were areas where we didn't think wise to dig because it would affect the foundation of structural elements so we avoid those areas. As a result, we needed to jack new pipes underground to bypass these spots where laying was not possible.

It was hard work. I hammered the pipe at one end while Eugene pulled on the other end. The process was repeated over different spot. It felt like a gym session. Jen came out to peek several times. Mistake no.2. I let her. It was a scorching day. All three grown men found it really bad, cursed and swore in Cantonese several times. Jen had no business to be out there in the sun, periodically or not.

By the time we finished it was 3pm. Mistake no.3: I didn't make sure Jen had a proper lunch. We went home in Eugene's car. The temperature of the car was high due to the weather. Mistake no.4: This was similar to the incident when Jen fainted in Joanna's car and I repeated it. I should had gotten Eugene to turn the fan higher as it was stuffy and hot in his car. Moreover he was more of those 'rough' drivers.

I felt feverish and sick by the time we got back home. I noticed something not right with Jen by now but I felt helpless and didn't know what to do. She went to bed while I made dinner. I decided to make something nice for Jen. Mistake no.5: I tried to be too creative and whipped up noodles in peanut sauces with nicely cooked thick beef slices and half a hard boil egg with an undercooked yolk. I thought it looked and tasted pretty ok. But obviously it was too exotic for an unwell person to take it in. She couldn't finish dinner, within 10 minutes she puked it all out. It was the first time she vomited during her pregnancy. That was probably unrelated to the pregnancy. She was truly, unwell.

I cleaned up the mess, got her to take her bath, tucked her in bed and rubbed Ruyi Oil over her temple and belly at 20:30 hrs. She managed to sleep soundly after 1 hour, not before moaning uncomfortably a couple of times in her half-asleep state. She refused to take any medicine as she thought it was 'bad for the baby'. Again, I felt helpless and sad. Given a choice, I would not want anything to happen to her in favour of the baby. Baby is really important to us, but Jen is everything to me. My existence in Perth and whatever difficulties I'm overcoming everyday would be totally meaningless without her.

We are due for the next appointment to hospital tomorrow. I hope she'll be well when she wakes if not I'll leave for work with a heavy heart after the appointment. She's finally breathing normally in her sleep now. I'm relieved. I had forgotten I was supposed to feel sick. I felt alright now, somehow.

It's sad to say I had learnt nothing since the last time she fainted. I really doubt my readiness to cope with her eventual labour and ability to perform my responsibilities properly when the baby comes.


9 comments:

  1. Please take good care of yourself and Jen. Since you are going to become a father soon, you must remember to be cautious in everything you do and be sensitive towards Jen, especially if she has any mood swings or whatsoever.

    Some women may have post-natal depressions, so please make sure she is behaving as per normal during pregnancy and after delivery. You may have to help her in terms of waking up in the middle of the night to take care of the new-born baby.

    So, in the meantime, make sure both Jen and you are healthy, important to have nutritious meals and proper rest to prepare yourselves for the arrival of your little princess!

    Hope Jen recovers soon! Please send her my regards.

    LXL

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  2. Today, I went to my counsin's wedding in Kuala Lumpur. Before I left my house, I saw Jen msg that both of you going over to Uncle's Lai house and I though it was just a casual gathering.

    After reading this post, I hope she is all right now. Observation is something that need all time practice and experience .I sincerely believe that you under Jen more than enough. Just put in some consideration and you will be able to notice whether she is feeling well or not. Some time I just thinks that if i'm around there will give her some support. Not much but at least she will have the accompaniment of a close friend.

    Hope that she is all right. I truely believe Jen is already having a prefect pragnancy as in she dont really have much problem but you still need to take care of her nicely. Send my regards to her.

    Peyning

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  3. DRINK HOT TO WARM GINGER WATER. SLICE FEW PIECES AND BOIL FOR 5 MINS, ADD SOME RAW SUGAR OR BROWN SUGAR IF ANY. tHAT SHUD HELP feel better in stomache. jen has heat stroke. so more watr please. I had this alot when i work in plants

    I am a medicine pot, so i am very scared of pills. try this method

    Sei

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  4. I think she has heat stroke too. The sun in Australia is no joking matter especially she is in her late pregnancy.Do take care of her and don't blame yourself for it. You have done what you need to and you are too very tired. Don't be stress and make sure she drinks a lot of water so she won't be dehydrated.

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  5. @ LXL, hi pal. Thanks for the advise. I've been as gentle as I can towards Jen during the entire pregnancy period. I think mentally wise, she is ok. I am observing for any signs of depression. She's good, the only complain comes lately, about the weather turning hot.

    We'll just get a fan as she requested and see how she copes with it.

    Other than that, she told me she gets tired very easily these days. I think that should be normal.

    Thanks and hope to see you soon.

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  6. @Peyning: we prob didn't realise summer is coming. Technically it is still spring. But like when we came in mid Sept, on some days we still get the cold of winter. Now we get the hot of summer while Spring is not officially over.

    I'm now wearing shorts to sleep as compared to wearing winter wear 2 months ago. The drastic change in weather would be what we need to be ready for.

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  7. @Sei, That's good recommendation. I'll stock up on ginger. It's about time already.

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  8. @ ellis: yeah.. you're right. I'm feeling the heat these couple of days. It's no joke at all. I wonder how I'll get through the entire summer... it's not even here yet..

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  9. Jen is doing very good for the entire pregnancy period already. Nothing much complain about the vomit, high blood, high suger level or any other related sickness due to the pregnancy. So is doing prefectly fine. I hope she can pass through the hot summer in Perth. A fan will be ok at least the air is ventilating.

    Rest more for the tired. There is still a long way to go after the little princess come out.

    See both of you very soon. Cheers.

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