Hubby and I have been married for quite awhile and we have not been blessed with children. After consultation with a LOT of doctors, the only option for us was In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). It took us more than a year to finally decide to do it, mainly because of financial constraints, but also we were taking our time and hoping for a miracle. This happened last year, March 2006.
This post will be about our stay in Singapore. This was my journal:
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March 16, 2006, Thursday (Day 1)
Left the office at around 3:15 PM, arrived at the airport after only 30 minutes. Paid the travel tax and went straight to Priority Check-in. Hubby’s Gold Elite membership at Singapore Airlines worked for us, almost no waiting time. Went straight to the SQ Lounge to take advantage of the privilege. Ate merienda there until boarding time. Flight was 15 minutes delayed, finally leaving at 6:30 PM. Dinner was pork adobo and tuna vegetable salad. Was able to browse several movies on the plane. Pride and Prejudice, Derailed and Elizabethtown. Arrived in Singapore at 9:40PM. Changed some money at the airport and then took a cab to go to the hotel. Arrived at the Marriott Hotel at around 10:30 PM. After checking in, ate a snack at KFC Far East Plaza. Di masarap. Sobrang iba from the KFC back home.
March 17, 2006, Friday (Day 2)
Woke up at 6:30 AM and ate breakfast at the Marriott Café. Buffet. Dimsum, bacon, smoked salmon. Left for the hospital at 7:45AM. Arrived at the hospital at 8:15 AM. Went straight to Women’s clinic to see Dr PCW. Saw Dr AA and had a chat with him. Ultrasound by Dr PCW with Dr AA assisting. Dr PCW commented that fallopian tube still there and there was a cyst in the right ovary.
Blood test at the Center for Human Reproduction for both Hubby and me. The blood tests cost SGD239 for me and SGD117 for Hubby. Were given instructions to call back for additional instructions at about 3PM.
Went back to the hotel
Went to Ngee Ann City. Had lunch at Pepper Lunch. Browsed at the Kinokuniya Bookstore, bought some magazines.
Bought SIM card for M1 at 7-Eleven, it costs SGD18. Went back to hotel to call CHR for further instructions and to give our local number.
Met hubby’s cousin TS and wife GS with Baby Noah at Starbucks Wheelock Place and walked to their place at the Avalon, Anderson Road.
TS and GS brought us to Jumbo Seafood Clarke Quay. TS brought us here a year ago and we remembered that we loved the food especially the crabs and the prawns with cereal.
March 18, 2006, Saturday (Day 3)
Had breakfast at the Marriott Café. Left for the hospital at 11AM. At the CHR Clinic, we were taught how to inject the Gonal F. We were given the 900IU box which should last us until Tuesday, March 22.
Listened to the IVF Orientation conducted by CHR from 2PM to 4PM.
Went to TS’s place for merienda and stayed there for the evening. Walked to Big Bird for dinner where we ate Hainanese Chicken Rice. Really good!
March 19, 2006 (Day 4)
Woke up at 9AM and had buffet breakfast at Marriott Café. Left at 9:45 to catch the Sunday mass at Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Went to Raffles City Centre after to meet the Salazars. Had lunch at the Food Court, fishball noodles, yum. Then had coffee at Coffee Club.
March 20, 2006
Woke up at 8AM. Had lunch with my friend AS (friend from Citibank Manila who now works for Citibank Singapore) at Sushi Tei, Millenia Walk. Took the cab from Millenia Walk back to the hotel.
Went to Auntie CM’s place at Chuan Park to accompany her to pick up my Mom from the airport.
March 21, 2006
Woke up at 9:30 AM and had breakfast. Met Mom at 12 PM. Ate lunch at the Food Republic. Checked out from the Marriott to stay with Auntie CM
March 22, 2006
First day without hubby (Hubby had to go on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur). Am so depressed. Have to go to hospital for blood test and ultrasound. Woke up at 6:15, Auntie CM brought us to hospital Had to be in the hospital at 8:30AM. Went to the CHR first for the blood test. Dr. PCW scanned me and said the cyst was still there. But there were already 11 follicles which was very good daw. Went back to CHR, where they gave me additional Gonal F. They said to wait for further instructions.
Got a call from Ms. T to reduce Gonal F dosage to 150 and said that my next appointment would be Saturday at 8AM. Hubby would not be in Singapore yet.
March 23, 2006
Had breakfast at a Hawker Center in the Housing Estate in front of the Seranggoon Bus Terminal. Wonton noodles, sarap! Then went to MacRitchie reservoir and had a stroll. Reminded me of New Zealand so much except for the heat and humidity. Had lunch at the Alexandra Hawker Center this time for Fishball Noodles. Super sarap! Also had sugar cane juice, reminded me of when we were kids spending summer in Singapore.
March 24, 2006
Stayed home the whole day. Uncle G brought us to the Serangoon Gardens for dinner at the Pow Sing Restaurant where I tasted the best Hainanese Chicken Rice. Very tasty.
March 25, 2006
Had to be in the hospital at 8AM . Woke up at 6AM. Auntie CM brought us to the hospital again. Went to Emerald first for the ultrasound scan. Dr AA and Dr. PCW saw me. Dr AA said there were now 16 follicles! Went to CHR for the usual blood test. Was given two new boxes of Gonal F. Had to pay for the Gonal F (450IU) amounting to SGD409.50
Went to Orchard after. Had lunch at Takashimaya Food Court and then bought shirts at U2 at SGD 12 each. Went home after.
Hubby arrived at 9:00 PM from Kuala Lumpur. I was so happy that he is back.
March 26, 2006 (Day 11)
Left the house at 9:40 AM to catch the 10AM mass at Toa Payoh. Took the 105 bus. After mass, took the Toa Payoh MRT to Orchard Road. Had lunch at Pepper Lunch at Takashimaya. Looked around and saw cheap tshirts at Giordano for SGD12.
Left at 5PM to make it to Orchard for my dinner appointment with LH, friend who used to work for CLSA Manila and now for JP Morgan Singapore. We met at Takashimaya. He brought me to the Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant that was grill your own. Really good!
March 27, 2006, Monday (Day 12)
Left the house at 745 AM for the 830AM appointment at Emerald. Was scanned by Dr. PCW. Dr. PCW says I now have 21 follicles. Dr. PCW says that egg pick-up will most probably be on Friday, March 31. Had my blood test next and a briefing by Ms. T.
Went home after breakfast at the NUH Kopi Tiam. Left the house again at 2PM to have money changed at Lucky Plaza then went to Wheelock Place to check out Borders Bookstore. Bought books that were on sale to prepare for the succeeding days since I knew that I was going to be home most of the time after the egg pick-up. Had coffee at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf beside Borders.
Left the office at around 3:15 PM, arrived at the airport after only 30 minutes. Paid the travel tax and went straight to Priority Check-in. Hubby’s Gold Elite membership at Singapore Airlines worked for us, almost no waiting time. Went straight to the SQ Lounge to take advantage of the privilege. Ate merienda there until boarding time. Flight was 15 minutes delayed, finally leaving at 6:30 PM. Dinner was pork adobo and tuna vegetable salad. Was able to browse several movies on the plane. Pride and Prejudice, Derailed and Elizabethtown. Arrived in Singapore at 9:40PM. Changed some money at the airport and then took a cab to go to the hotel. Arrived at the Marriott Hotel at around 10:30 PM. After checking in, ate a snack at KFC Far East Plaza. Di masarap. Sobrang iba from the KFC back home.
March 17, 2006, Friday (Day 2)
Woke up at 6:30 AM and ate breakfast at the Marriott Café. Buffet. Dimsum, bacon, smoked salmon. Left for the hospital at 7:45AM. Arrived at the hospital at 8:15 AM. Went straight to Women’s clinic to see Dr PCW. Saw Dr AA and had a chat with him. Ultrasound by Dr PCW with Dr AA assisting. Dr PCW commented that fallopian tube still there and there was a cyst in the right ovary.
Blood test at the Center for Human Reproduction for both Hubby and me. The blood tests cost SGD239 for me and SGD117 for Hubby. Were given instructions to call back for additional instructions at about 3PM.
Went back to the hotel
Went to Ngee Ann City. Had lunch at Pepper Lunch. Browsed at the Kinokuniya Bookstore, bought some magazines.
Bought SIM card for M1 at 7-Eleven, it costs SGD18. Went back to hotel to call CHR for further instructions and to give our local number.
Met hubby’s cousin TS and wife GS with Baby Noah at Starbucks Wheelock Place and walked to their place at the Avalon, Anderson Road.
TS and GS brought us to Jumbo Seafood Clarke Quay. TS brought us here a year ago and we remembered that we loved the food especially the crabs and the prawns with cereal.
March 18, 2006, Saturday (Day 3)
Had breakfast at the Marriott Café. Left for the hospital at 11AM. At the CHR Clinic, we were taught how to inject the Gonal F. We were given the 900IU box which should last us until Tuesday, March 22.
Listened to the IVF Orientation conducted by CHR from 2PM to 4PM.
Went to TS’s place for merienda and stayed there for the evening. Walked to Big Bird for dinner where we ate Hainanese Chicken Rice. Really good!
March 19, 2006 (Day 4)
Woke up at 9AM and had buffet breakfast at Marriott Café. Left at 9:45 to catch the Sunday mass at Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Went to Raffles City Centre after to meet the Salazars. Had lunch at the Food Court, fishball noodles, yum. Then had coffee at Coffee Club.
March 20, 2006
Woke up at 8AM. Had lunch with my friend AS (friend from Citibank Manila who now works for Citibank Singapore) at Sushi Tei, Millenia Walk. Took the cab from Millenia Walk back to the hotel.
Went to Auntie CM’s place at Chuan Park to accompany her to pick up my Mom from the airport.
March 21, 2006
Woke up at 9:30 AM and had breakfast. Met Mom at 12 PM. Ate lunch at the Food Republic. Checked out from the Marriott to stay with Auntie CM
March 22, 2006
First day without hubby (Hubby had to go on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur). Am so depressed. Have to go to hospital for blood test and ultrasound. Woke up at 6:15, Auntie CM brought us to hospital Had to be in the hospital at 8:30AM. Went to the CHR first for the blood test. Dr. PCW scanned me and said the cyst was still there. But there were already 11 follicles which was very good daw. Went back to CHR, where they gave me additional Gonal F. They said to wait for further instructions.
Got a call from Ms. T to reduce Gonal F dosage to 150 and said that my next appointment would be Saturday at 8AM. Hubby would not be in Singapore yet.
March 23, 2006
Had breakfast at a Hawker Center in the Housing Estate in front of the Seranggoon Bus Terminal. Wonton noodles, sarap! Then went to MacRitchie reservoir and had a stroll. Reminded me of New Zealand so much except for the heat and humidity. Had lunch at the Alexandra Hawker Center this time for Fishball Noodles. Super sarap! Also had sugar cane juice, reminded me of when we were kids spending summer in Singapore.
March 24, 2006
Stayed home the whole day. Uncle G brought us to the Serangoon Gardens for dinner at the Pow Sing Restaurant where I tasted the best Hainanese Chicken Rice. Very tasty.
March 25, 2006
Had to be in the hospital at 8AM . Woke up at 6AM. Auntie CM brought us to the hospital again. Went to Emerald first for the ultrasound scan. Dr AA and Dr. PCW saw me. Dr AA said there were now 16 follicles! Went to CHR for the usual blood test. Was given two new boxes of Gonal F. Had to pay for the Gonal F (450IU) amounting to SGD409.50
Went to Orchard after. Had lunch at Takashimaya Food Court and then bought shirts at U2 at SGD 12 each. Went home after.
Hubby arrived at 9:00 PM from Kuala Lumpur. I was so happy that he is back.
March 26, 2006 (Day 11)
Left the house at 9:40 AM to catch the 10AM mass at Toa Payoh. Took the 105 bus. After mass, took the Toa Payoh MRT to Orchard Road. Had lunch at Pepper Lunch at Takashimaya. Looked around and saw cheap tshirts at Giordano for SGD12.
Left at 5PM to make it to Orchard for my dinner appointment with LH, friend who used to work for CLSA Manila and now for JP Morgan Singapore. We met at Takashimaya. He brought me to the Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant that was grill your own. Really good!
March 27, 2006, Monday (Day 12)
Left the house at 745 AM for the 830AM appointment at Emerald. Was scanned by Dr. PCW. Dr. PCW says I now have 21 follicles. Dr. PCW says that egg pick-up will most probably be on Friday, March 31. Had my blood test next and a briefing by Ms. T.
Went home after breakfast at the NUH Kopi Tiam. Left the house again at 2PM to have money changed at Lucky Plaza then went to Wheelock Place to check out Borders Bookstore. Bought books that were on sale to prepare for the succeeding days since I knew that I was going to be home most of the time after the egg pick-up. Had coffee at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf beside Borders.
March 28, 2006, Tuesday (Day 13)
Left the house at 9:45 AM for the 10:30 AM appointment at the CHR. Ms. C prepared the two remaining Gonal shots for today and tomorrow. She also showed us how to use the Ovidrel to be injected on Thursday at 12:30AM. I also told her that I was experiencing some abdominal pain. She insisted that I be seen by the doctor. Dr PCW scanned me and said that it was just because of my enlarged ovaries. He sees no danger naman even if I already had 21 follicles. Just said that my Gonal F be reduced from 112.5 to 75 for today and tomorrow. Went back to CHR. They said that we didn’t have to pay anything that day, and we should just settle everything on Friday after the Andrology Clinic.
Tried the NUH shuttle service to the Buona Vista MRT Station. Rode the MRT to Orchard Road. Had coffee at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Wisma Atria. Then went to Isetan to look for pajamas for my hospital stay. Instead found underwear that were cheap. Tried Takashimaya. Found a pajama set for SGD17.90. Went to Isetan Shaw Center for groceries and some breakfast items. Had a snack at MacDonalds. Went home after, took Bus 105.
March 29, 2006, Wednesday (Day 14)
Left the house at 12:30 PM to have lunch and change money again. Had lunch at My Mum’s Place at the Paragon. Boring chicken rice as they had the chicken skin removed. It wasn’t as tasty as the ones I’ve eaten in the past. Also ordered beef satay. Wanted to test wifi, seems like paragon has when we tested it near Starbucks but it was crowded. We went to Coffee Club at the 3rd floor, but there was no wifi available there. We just wasted SGD15. Had a snack at MacDonald’s Shaw Center and saw a lot of people using their laptops. Hmmm, there must be wifi there. Turns out yes there was ,and for free!!! Stayed for an hour to check and answer email. Went home after that.
March 30, 2006, Thursday (Day 15)
Stayed home the whole day. Hubby cooked lunch. Listened to a Conference Call for work at 2PM.
(This was my last post from Singapore, below is the continuation, written today, July 28, 2007, more than a year after)
March 31, 2006, Friday (Day 16)
I don’t remember much about this day. I just remember that we woke up very early. I checked in at the hospital in the morning. I remember that almost all of the nurses who took care of me were Filipinos. I felt at home right away J I also remember being wheeled in from my room to a small “operating room” with spotlights and machines around us. The anesthesiologist was also a Filipino! Dr. PCW was not doing the procedure as he was in China with Dr. AA, it was another doctor, Dr. S. who did the procedure. I also remember watching the Filipino doctor inject the anesthesia into the intravenous thing on my arm.
The next thing I knew, I was already being woken up by Filipino doctor. Apparently the procedure was finished then. I was then wheeled in again into my room where hubby and my Mom waited for me.
I was still half asleep when I heard the phone ring. Hubby took the call and apparently it was the doctor, they talked for a few minutes and I remember hubby asking the doctor if he wasn’t going to pass by. How impersonal and rude, I thought. In Manila, you would at least see the doctor after any procedure. Here, he didn’t even bother to explain to my husband personally.
I will now let Hubby take over from here, because I cannot find the words to describe what happened after, and he knows the whole story…
Left the house at 9:45 AM for the 10:30 AM appointment at the CHR. Ms. C prepared the two remaining Gonal shots for today and tomorrow. She also showed us how to use the Ovidrel to be injected on Thursday at 12:30AM. I also told her that I was experiencing some abdominal pain. She insisted that I be seen by the doctor. Dr PCW scanned me and said that it was just because of my enlarged ovaries. He sees no danger naman even if I already had 21 follicles. Just said that my Gonal F be reduced from 112.5 to 75 for today and tomorrow. Went back to CHR. They said that we didn’t have to pay anything that day, and we should just settle everything on Friday after the Andrology Clinic.
Tried the NUH shuttle service to the Buona Vista MRT Station. Rode the MRT to Orchard Road. Had coffee at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Wisma Atria. Then went to Isetan to look for pajamas for my hospital stay. Instead found underwear that were cheap. Tried Takashimaya. Found a pajama set for SGD17.90. Went to Isetan Shaw Center for groceries and some breakfast items. Had a snack at MacDonalds. Went home after, took Bus 105.
March 29, 2006, Wednesday (Day 14)
Left the house at 12:30 PM to have lunch and change money again. Had lunch at My Mum’s Place at the Paragon. Boring chicken rice as they had the chicken skin removed. It wasn’t as tasty as the ones I’ve eaten in the past. Also ordered beef satay. Wanted to test wifi, seems like paragon has when we tested it near Starbucks but it was crowded. We went to Coffee Club at the 3rd floor, but there was no wifi available there. We just wasted SGD15. Had a snack at MacDonald’s Shaw Center and saw a lot of people using their laptops. Hmmm, there must be wifi there. Turns out yes there was ,and for free!!! Stayed for an hour to check and answer email. Went home after that.
March 30, 2006, Thursday (Day 15)
Stayed home the whole day. Hubby cooked lunch. Listened to a Conference Call for work at 2PM.
(This was my last post from Singapore, below is the continuation, written today, July 28, 2007, more than a year after)
March 31, 2006, Friday (Day 16)
I don’t remember much about this day. I just remember that we woke up very early. I checked in at the hospital in the morning. I remember that almost all of the nurses who took care of me were Filipinos. I felt at home right away J I also remember being wheeled in from my room to a small “operating room” with spotlights and machines around us. The anesthesiologist was also a Filipino! Dr. PCW was not doing the procedure as he was in China with Dr. AA, it was another doctor, Dr. S. who did the procedure. I also remember watching the Filipino doctor inject the anesthesia into the intravenous thing on my arm.
The next thing I knew, I was already being woken up by Filipino doctor. Apparently the procedure was finished then. I was then wheeled in again into my room where hubby and my Mom waited for me.
I was still half asleep when I heard the phone ring. Hubby took the call and apparently it was the doctor, they talked for a few minutes and I remember hubby asking the doctor if he wasn’t going to pass by. How impersonal and rude, I thought. In Manila, you would at least see the doctor after any procedure. Here, he didn’t even bother to explain to my husband personally.
I will now let Hubby take over from here, because I cannot find the words to describe what happened after, and he knows the whole story…
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