Another Success Rate (2)

I have recently received an email from a reader of my blog. She is currently pregnant with twins and still under her first trimester.

She said she found my blog inspiring and helpful. I am so glad my blog is able to help others. She saw my children's photos in Dr.Prashant's office and realise that I was the blogger she has been following.

I am glad that she successfully got pregnant and may GOD bless her journey. It is excited to hear about another success rate.

Jack's 1st School Outing Trip

Jack went on his first school trip last Wednesday. In the beginning, I was reluctant to go as I need to take a day off and accompany him for this trip. Children who are less than 3 years need to accompany by a parent. The school was worried about them not able to walk long distance and require to be carried and the teachers will need to care for others.

Jack is always fascinated by things that move and with engines. He has been talking about getting on a bus for quite sometime. I thought this could be fun for him but I am not very sure about visiting an organic farm.

The place of visit was GK organic. The owner, Mr. Gan was quite strict on certain thing e.g. 

1.he disallowed the teachers to feed the children with sandwich breakfast and instead demanded all children to have just a banana

2. All to walk around the farm barefooted. 

Amazingly, Jack was coping well and was able to walk with his bare feet on the uneven ground filled with stones, mud and grown grass. Some other children were struggling and complaining about the pain.

Jack did not mind the hot sun and got his hands dirty into sweet potatoes digging and some other children didn't even wanted to try as they were worry that their hands are going to get dirty.

I was a fun trip out and glad that I was able to spend some one to one time with him. He is now looking for another trip out in a bus.

Sun, Sand, Beach - Trip to Langkawi

Once again, thanks to Airasia's free seats tickets, we managed to get the whole family including the maids to Langkawi for a short break.

It was a pleasant flight journey with a delay in departure to Langkawi of about 10 minutes and early arrival back to Kuala Lumpur around 20 minutes. It was only about 1 hour flight journey, so the children were manageable. Just a little bit of crying in the beginning and in the end of the journey.

We rented a Nissan Serena upon arrival at RM 260 for 3 days 2 nights, not a bad deal at all. We decided to stay at Awana Porto Malai this time due to its spacious room and the children pool, also a magnificent view from the room.

View from our hotel balcony

sunrise view

The children love the beach and really enjoyed themselves digging into the sand, soaking and trying to catch the fish in the sea.

A bit for too short (3 days 2 nights) for this trip. We can managed to go to the pool once, beach twice, visiting friends there, a bit of shopping and dinning out at the beach. Will definitely stay a day or two longer the next time. 

Can't wait for Airasia's next good bargain!!!

G6PD

My youngest son, 1 of the twins is with G6PD deficiency. G6PD deficiency is an inherited condition in which the body doesn't have enough of the enzyme G6PD to help red blood cells function normally. This deficiency can cause hemolytic anemia, usually after exposure to certain medications, foods or even infections.

To learn more about G6PD, you could check out the following websites:-

1. www. g6pd.org

2. www.g6pddeficiency.org

Just to share my experience here. My son was diagnosed with G6PD deficiency since born due to his high jaundice. We have accepted the fact that he is born with this deficiency. When he was around 1, my husband decided to get a 2nd opinion. So, we went for a 2nd blood test and the result came back, has set us jumping high that he has free of the deficiency. I was shocked and delighted with the result. However, I called my gynaecologist and asked is this possible. The doctor said this is possible due to his organs were not properly and fully formed yet when he was just born. 

I have also called the paediatrician of my son who broke the news of his deficiency to us when he was born, to ask him could this be possible? Is mis-diagnosis possible at that time? My husband was not happy with me,  not able to accept the new result. I told him, I do not want regret, I do not want mistake. The doctor's reply was this is not possible and advised us to perform another test.

I decided to send the blood sample to Singapore for more extensive test and the result shown he is still with this deficiency. With that result, we decided to move forward and to pay him special attention and be watchful of his diet. 

My neighbours' children also have the same problem. I noticed that they actually do not realised or research into what can the people with this deficiency take or eat. Basically, they only know about Fava Bean, traditional herbs and some medications. 

However, legumes like the following which we consume regularly especially when you are leaving in Asean countries are also suppose to be prevented. The following is best to avoid and may not shown any effect when consume but in long run, it may cause organ failure as posted in www. g6pd.org :-

1. Legumes like broad bean, black bean, kidney bean, pea bean, soy bean, Chinese long bean, french bean, dhal, miso, fu jook, alfafa sprouts, fenugreek, peanuts, tamarind (asam jawa), chick pea and etc.
2. Other foods likely to contain hidden soy/legumes (to check label) : baked goods, chips, candies, gravy mix, low fat cheese, margarine, sausages/processed meat, Worcestershire sauce, salad dressing and etc.
3. Bitter gourd
4. Chinese herbs
5. Vitamin K
6. Tonic Water
7. Sulfides e.g wine
8. Menthol - toothpaste, candy, mouth wash
9. Artificial blue food coloring
10. Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
11. Moth Balls

In order to help body to conserve G6PD, you need to take antioxidants, suitable fats and eating fewer refined carbohydrates:-

1. Good Antioxidants,  Strawberry/Black Current, Walnuts, Sunflower seeds, Pomegranate, Ginger
2. Fruits : Pomegranate, Grapes, Orange, Pineapple, Lemon, Kiwi, Grape Fruit, Lemon
3. Nuts/Seeds/Dried Fruit :Walnuts, Sunflower seeds, Apricot
4. Vegetable: Chilly pepper, Red cabbage, Pepper, Parsley, Spinach, Cereals, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Carrots, Barley, Oats, Corn
5. Roots : Ginger, Red beet, Garlic

Yes, Another Success Rate. She is pregnant!!

I came to know the husband via work. He actually came and see me and chat about my children and my journey of getting pregnant.

He said his wife has a miscarriage few years ago and is skeptical about visiting doctors and going through all sorts of tests. I proposed to him to bring his wife to come to my place and visit my children and I will share my experience with her and let her hold my children.

I am very happy of doing all these, to able to share my experience and see the sparks in their eyes when holding/seeing my children.

I am glad since that visit, they have decided to move forward and make an appointment to visit Dr. Prashant. Since then, nothing is holding them back. They obediently visited the doctors and follow the doctor's instruction and treatment. And 'Bingo', I received a sms yesterday that " my wife is pregnant with twins"!!!!!

What a great news!! As usual, tears running down my eyes. Congratulations! and May GOD bless your whole journey.

Jack Goes to School

My little boy, Jack has finally gone to school.

It was not an easy start. Get started early in the morning, shower, eat breakfast and of course, the cry, the refusal to wear uniform and the refusal to get into the school. After all the hoo-hoo-ha-ha, then refuse to come back home from school!!!

And the same behavior again for the next day! I believe he will get settle down soon enough.

Chances of Fertility Treatment Success

I have overhead on the radio this morning about the new free online calculator which predicts couples' chances of having a baby through IVF has been created by scientists.

This will be excellent and with the test results said to be almost 99% accurate, this could save couples the emotional and financial pain of going through or repeated treatment.

The web resource was based on five years of medical records aim to tell women their likelihood of giving birth and this calculator was created by Glasgow and Bristol Universities researchers.

To use the calculator, you have to answer nine (9) questions related to woman's age, how many years of trying to get pregnant, the cause of infertility, previous IVF attempts and the outcomes.

The calculator is available for free at ivfpredict.com.

I have tried earlier myself by reversing the clock to when I had my first child. My score/chance was only 22%, and this is consider very low. Generally, depending on your conditions, IVF has success rate of 40-60%. 

If I were at that time and with this claimed to be 99% accurate calculator available, I may have back-off with the idea of IVF. But look at me now, 3 children, I can't believe it myself sometime if I think about it.

So, I leave it to you to decide. Again, I think a good and honest doctor played a very important role in your decision making. Once again, thank you GOD and Dr. Prashant for my 3 gorgeous children.