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Sunday 17th July 2005
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A quick, picture-less (because, oh yes, there are many pictures) update: A****** (Alexandre? or whatever . . . we're pretty happy with A****** though) was finally born at 00:22 this morning. Breathing began an agonising minute or two after that. He was pulled out with forceps (following an episiotomy), heart beating and everything, but just wasn't breathing. Fortunately, with the help of four assistants, this was quickly sorted out and then he was rushed to the, erm . . . special care unit. Something like that. Oh . . . his weight. I forgot about that. 4060 grammes, which is slightly over 8lb 15oz. Yes, indeed. So that means a lot of the 'new born' clothing will have to go back, of course. But, anyway, to cut a long story short, everything's pretty much okay now. The main problem for M**** was the after-effects of the epidural and the lack of sleep (must have been close to 72 hours with only a few hours sleep here and there), but the side-effects are quickly wearing off, and sleep is now possible. Right. That'll do for now. If you're wondering why the web-site's been down for so long, we had M****'s mum and boyfriend (Stu) stay over, so thus the computer had to be shut-down to reduce noise. Oh, and one final thing: if you're reading this, thinking, "Why didn't I get a text message like everyone else did?" then this is probably because I simply don't (or didn't) have your mobile number stored in my mobile phone. Also, at that point, there were other things on my mind, of course. I tried to notify most people for whom I had numbers for in my mobile phone, but my apologies if I forgot anyone.
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I keep thinking of extra bits of information . . . if you're reading this and able and wanting to visit M**** in hospital, please check with me first. See, M**** may have to stay on the ward for a couple of days (perhaps leaving Wednesday) in order to recover from the ordeal and catch up on sleep. M**** asked me to convey this request as she is currently catching up on several days of sleep. What sleep she can get may, of course, be interrupted occasionally by the need to feed A******, so we're just keen to ensure M**** gets loads of rest and recuperation whilst she can. Use of mobile phones is prohibited in the ward, but M**** has this freaky telephone/television/radio thing on which she can make and receive calls - again, contact me and I'll let you know if M****'s okay with people contacting her on that. THANKS!
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Sorry - I lied up there. There are pictures after all. I haven't had a chance to look through these yet and decide if any are surplus to requirements. And, yes - I know what you're thinking: that is indeed ginger hair. We're currently unsure as to whether or not it's curly. I own a set of clippers. But, to expand a bit (now that I have some time and there so many comments for this entry) . . . that first picture was taken at 01:26, from the special care unit (or whatever it's called). He was kept there for a while, just for observation. The next picture along was taken at 03:47, A****** now back in the delivery suite with M**** and I (I think . . . it's all a bit confusing exactly when and where everyone was). Then there's the blurry picture of me, taken at 07:58. I've no idea what happened about sleep. I think M**** and I may have caught up on a hour or so whilst in the delivery suite (I remember I could sleep in the chair there, but not in the one in the ward on D-floor). The next picture along . . . and much later . . . the one with A****** in a cot with both hands by his mouth . . . that was taken at 16:39. I had popped home for a few hours sleep, thinking M****'s mum would be able to get into the ward to help out with M****. When I awoke, on discovering that M****'s own mother (bearing food and drinks) had been refused entry to M**** and child, I hurried to the hospital seething with rage. Fortunately, there was no mid-wife nearby, otherwise I may have said or done something . . . wrong. Seeing A****** in his cot, with the strange, glowing tent thing around him . . . well, I kind of calmed down a bit. The rest of the pictures . . . well, the one of M**** is my personal favourite, taken at 20:06. Her expression kind of says it all, really. Don't let anyone ever tell you that giving birth is easy. Prepare for the worst. Oh, and take a good book: "You Are Here", by Bremner, Bird and Fortune, for example.
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