How July flew us by....

It's a Thursday night, almost approaching Friday, exactly mid August, 2008. I was nursing Jere to sleep and I was thinking so much..... How I wish everything that went through my mind would just be penned down here.

It had been a hectic month of July!
Initially I had thought to write the whole of July straight but after I started writing, I decided to break them up coz the whole post is just too long....

so here goes....

Jeremiah turns 2! Praise the Lord!
July 5th, we celebrated Jere's 2nd birthday with our family and a couple of baby friends of Jere. We had a great time, Jere was blessed with lotsa love, prayers and gifts. Thank You everyone. I promise to upload the pictures soon.

The follow-up urologist visit
July 10th, I went to the hospital as promised 2 weeks after the last to meet with another parent and hopefully to have made a decision for Jere regarding his medical situation. I was a little apprehensive when I headed for the hospital as Tim could not take leave and I haven't finished the book of Jeremiah and thus don't have an answer to the solution. I prayed as I went. God went before me. The other parent could not make it and the dr told her nurse to tell me to come back on July 31st when the other patient had an appointment. Thank God. Praise the Lord!

Our visit to National Skin Centre
July 18th, we were referred to the National Skin Centre for Jere's eczema problem. The people at registration were really nice. There was hardly any wait. We saw the medical officer almost immediately and she called the consultant in to see Jere also which we found out later was the emeritus consultant. Jere was prescribed some steroidal creams and aquaes cream for his skin. Next appointment 27th August 2008.

KorKor Nat school registration
July 17th & 18th, I was monitoring the vacancies of Primary school more eagerly than that of stocks :P It was time to register Nat in Primary One. We wanted a mission school, a good school and a school that is convenient for us. There were clearly 2 choices. Catholic High School which was within 2km of where we stayed and we had a direct bus right in front of our block to the school in 10 min. St Joseph Institution Junior (SJI Jr) which was walking distance of Novena MRT and Novena MRT is just 4 stations from Ang Mo Kio MRT which is 5 min walk from our place.
We hoped Nat would get into Cat High coz his God brother Owen was in there and it would be good for Godma and me :) but by the end of Day 1 of registration, we were told out of 1km need not apply as within 1km was already balloting. So we headed down to SJI. As it neared the closing time, there was still chance for balloting for those out of 2km so I decided if God left the door open, no matter how small, I would just try. So we applied and waited for balloting day on the 23rd July.

July 23rd, Tim and I took leave to witness the balloting. We were one of the 40 people vying for 10 places in the school. The last number was called. It was 221 and unfortunately we were 223! Sigh! I never thought not being able to get your son into your choice school could be so disappointing, so upsetting , so... undescribable.

I had wanted Nat to get into that school coz I liked their school Motto very much... which calls upon Josephians to be in communion with, and to be guided by God through prayer; and to always work conscientiously in learning and growth, and in service to God, especially in uplifting the last and the least amongst us. Also, I wanted Nat to get in as It would be easier for me as Jere still visits KKH pretty often and it would be most convenient for me to fetch and send the boys as usually I catch the shuttle service to KKH from Novena MRT station too.

My so desolated look was caught by the darn chinese evening tabloid and that night, I got infamous among the ah soh and ah pek at the void deck of our block. Nah.... just kidding, thank goodness, the aunties and ah peks never read paper that day :P but nevertheless, our dear neighbour Shirley and family caught it and told me. She even gave me a copy of the papers for keepsake. Gosh! I really looked sad in the papers :P We had to try applying again in Phase 2c next week.

July 29th 30th, 31st, I was monitoring again. Cat High and SJI Jr had no chance at all. The doors were closed. SHUT! TIGHT! At 2 plus, there were still over 10 places in Maris Stella. We thought we were headed there. Came 3 plus no more vacancies for out of 2km. We then headed to St Gabriel's at Lor Chuan. We were the last registrant there and we secured a place. Thank God! coz the last thing we would want is not getting our child into a mission school as we thought faith formation in a child is really important.

The meeting with the other parent
July 31st, I headed down to KKH myself with Jere. I was kinda afraid coz Tim had used up lotsa leave for Nat's registration so I was left to face it alone. I prayed that God would go with me and before me. I reached the hospital and at registration the urologist dr came by.
Dr: Hello Mummy! I'm glad you came. How? Have you come to a decision?

Me: No Dr.

Dr: OH....The fact that you came is already very good. Meet up with Ivan's parents later then you see me ok.

Me: Ok Dr.

Soon, I was led into a room with Jere, given chairs to sit and a Filipino lady in her early 40s and a Chinese man in his 40s also came into the room with a 5 yr old walking awkwardly behind them. The lady seemed a little defensive initially until I showed her Jere's operation scar and Jere's feet.

We had a chat and found out Ivan was one of their twin sons. The other son was perfectly ok. Ivan also had Spina Bifida Meningocele. He was born in Philippines and was only operated at 5 weeks. The parents then brought the child to Singapore and Ivan was then operated again at 5 or 6 months. They cannot remember for sure. The dr then had given them an option of operating lower down and having his lower half affected or operating higher and then having a possibility of having a shunt operation later in the head. They decided the former. They then took out Ivan's shoes and socks and showed me that Ivan also had his feet operated. They shared with me that after the op on the spine, the feet seemed to turn inwards. Thus, as advised by the doctors, they had his feet operated. So now, the feet turned out instead of inwards. They then told me that their son started to walk after the operation. The urologist dr then came in and added in... "yeah... the operation is so easy!" The dr then cut us short and the family went with her. Somehow, I don't know why, I kinda followed the family when they went into the treatment room. I saw how Ivan sustained a pee and how the mother catheterised Ivan after and he did not seem to mind at all.

After the meeting, I just felt so inspired, so motivated and so convinced that my child would walk and his pee can be normal. AMEN! It would not be like what the drs said... catheter all life, wheelchair bound... walk with walking aids.. NEVER!

That kinda wrapped up our month of July.