Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Womb transplant.

Baby cradled by first woman to have womb transplant

About one in 5,000 women – or 50,000 of childbearing age in the UK – were born without a womb, I first met a woman with half a womb when Andrew was in NICU.

She was a young Malaysian woman. She told me she kept having miscarriages in Malaysia. Then she came to New Zealand, in her early pregnancy, the Auckland found she had only half a womb. I couldn't comprehend this, but this was how it was.

She stayed in antenatal complete rest in bed, so the fetus would not move and slip out of the non uterus part. When the fetus was big enough to sustain life outside the womb, they took the baby out and the baby stayed a long time. He was still in NICU after Andrew had died.

It is amazing this news should be out just 2 days after Andrew was born 26 years ago. I wonder how that woman is, I wonder how that baby is. Did he survive?

The UK’s first womb transplant is set to take place next year as part of a clinical trial in which 10 women will get the chance to carry their own babies.
Following the birth of a baby boy last year after a successful procedure in Sweden, the Health Research Authority has granted ethical approval for 10 transplants. The first British baby born from a transplanted womb could arrive as soon as late 2017 or 2018.
More than 100 women have been identified as potential recipients of transplants for a team of surgeons to be led by Dr Richard Smith.
About one in 5,000 women – or 50,000 of childbearing age in the UK – were born without a womb, while some cancer sufferers have had theirs removed.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness (NICA) Month


 This photo is very very special. Andrew was prepped to meet his coroner so that the doctors could learn about this rare syndrome. We were happy from day one when Dr James asked this difficult request. What we didn't know was Daphne his favourite day nurse had two photos taken with him when he had become an angel. She got the NICU office to pass the two photos to us. She had wanted to take photos of him. She really loved him.

Make a commitment to inspire hope this September for Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness (NICA) Month. NICA Month is designed to honor families experiencing a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit and the health professionals who care for them. 


http://www.nicuawareness.org/

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Throw back to 2011


This is the first draft of my manuscript.

National Women's Hospital where Andrew was born.

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/
 






In 2011, I posted this.

Dear all,

I started a new site; http://annkitsuetchin.blogspot.com/.
Here I figure my book. If you like to read, do pay it a visit and comment.

Diary of a Bereaved Mother
From the conception of my first blog http://annkschin.blogspot.com/ I had shared with you about my late son Andrew.

In October 2010, fellow blogger Ginny inspired me to write my book about having Andrew. Since then, I had shared with Betsy and George. They have been pivotal in encouraging me.

The book is almost done, my editor suggested that I post some parts of it and I welcome your comments.


This book is not just a soppy and maudlin story of my tragic life. This is non fiction, and the genre is: Self Help/ death and dying/child’s death/survival


The book is my journey of having a baby who died in Auckland National Womens' Hospital and suggestions to help bereaved parents, their care givers and doctors.

It has been edited: It is a wonderful account, written from the heart.

Comment: I know that no words can adequately express sympathy for this tragedy. You must be a very brave woman to come through this ordeal and write about it.

My pastors wrote this introduction in my Forward: Ann’s account of losing her infant son Andrew will resonate with anyone who has had the misfortune to give birth to a child who has struggled to live. As pastors at Ann’s church and as bereaved parents ourselves we felt for Ann through these recordings of her journal.



 http://www.wheelers.co.nz/books/9780473187095-diary-of-a-bereaved-mother/?title=Diary+of+a+Bereaved+Mother

Diary of a Bereaved Mother

This is a real life story of losing one's only son. This experience has made the author strong and caring. This tragedy has been a great help for her to help understand other bereaved people. The author is very brave to write this book. It has not been easy and she aims to touch,... read full description below.

Here's the book, five years after. It is used as a reference book for NICU personnel in University Hospital of Toronto, wonderful write ups from many newspaper, exhibited in England, and spoken off in Medical conference.

Writing the book was cathartic, it also gave me opportunities to talk to other bereaved mothers face-to-face and online. 

Quick Reference

ISBN 9780473187095
Published 1 May 2011
Format Paperback
Author(s) By Chin, Ann Kit Suet
... view full title details below.
  • NZ$35.00 Retail price



Thursday, September 3, 2015

Keanu and grief

abandoned


in 1998, Keanu meets Jennifer Syme. The two fell in love and by 1999 she was pregnant with his daughter. But the tragedy continued when at eight-months pregnant their child was stillborn. The two were torn apart by the death of their daughter, but still remained close friends. But just 18 months later, Syme died in a car accident.
Reeves reportedly told Parade Magazine (via People) in 2006, "Grief changes shape, but it never ends." Unfortunately, it's a lesson he's been forced to learn well.

http://www.idealistrevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/abandoned.jpg

Without you by Saskia Sarginson.


I am reading this book "Without you," by Saskia Sarginson. I had already read her :The Twins."

She wrote about a girl Eva who was drowned and presumed to be dead.

What drew me was her mother Clara. She wrote about Clara having four recurrent miscarriages and the supposedly dead Eva.  Having lost a child myself and meeting with other bereaved mothers, I feel that Sarginson wrote so much as though she had experience of a bereaved mum herself.

Migraines, not wanting to wake up, feeling blurred, tired lines around the mouth, couldn't bear to see pregnant women, couldn't bear to see babies or hold them.

It is by no coincidence that I should read this book. This month is September. September is Andrew's birthday month. I think of that time, there is a part of my heart that belongs to Andrew. I have moved on.

I have chosen the photo of my plum tree, this year especially the flowers have been late. I used to think of the zillion flowers the tree bears, and most of these flowers drop, not producing fruits. I stared at the tree, and think a bereaved mother is like the tree.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Ronald McDonald House





families who stay in Ronald McDonald House are always grateful. When Andrew was at NICU, there was no Ronald Mc Donald house. I stayed in the nurses' home, I just told my rainbow child an anecdote when I got money to get food from the cafeteria. I bought a lot of Camembert cheese thinking I had enough money to share with the nurses.

The doctors, nurses and staff do a wonder job with our kids.

The Manson family from Wairoa have been staying at our House on and off since Ruby was 2 years old. This week they drove a chest freezer filled with 260kg of beef all the way from their farm, to our House in Auckland, for our families to enjoy #HouseHeroes #ThankfulThursday