I'm now calm and collected and am trying to manage a quick entry before Adri returns home from school. Oh yes, have I mentioned that Adri has started school since the beginning of Jan? I've got quite a fair bit to blog about that but i simply lack the energy. By the time i put Adri to bed (my little indian chief demands that both Daddy and Mummy go to bed with her), I am usually deadbeat. Ha, blame it on my pregnancy? =p
I was telling Mart that both our little ones have had some real shuddering "near" experiences. I do recall blogging about the "close shave" Adri had during my first trip out with her when she was one month old; about how her poorly fastened baby carseat overturned when i did a U-turn along PIE.
Well, I hate to admit it but i had yet another shuddering experience. This time, it was with Baby #2.
What was it?
I fell last Thursday, when i was 6.5 months pregnant!
Yes, you heard me right.
It was quite a stupid fall and I really felt like slapping myself for that. Not that i had been careless, running or climbing but i thought i had been a little complacent and taken things for granted. It was like, "Well, this is my second pregnancy. I've been through it once, I know what to look out for. What can possibly go wrong?"
Pride obviously taught me a lesson.
Well, like i said, i hadn't been running. Neither was i walking way too fast. And I wasn't walking on a slippery surface.
I fell in my classroom! =(
I was trying to put up a poster on the front noticeboard while my pupils were engaged in their group writing activity and there i tripped over the wires which were lying LOW on the ground when i retreated after I had completed my task.
Where did the wires come from?
Those were the ones that connected the visualiser to the PC.
Honestly, that was one of the last few places i thought one would ever trip and fall.
Blame it on my complacency?
Why didn't i get my pupils to put up the posters?
I didn't think it was necessary. The height wasn't something that i couldn't reach; I didn't have to stretch and besides, my pupils would probably have to climb on a chair if i were to get them to pin up the posters.
Thank God i fell on my back.
Gynae said the impact could have been a lot worse if i had fallen on my tummy.
How did i react?
For a few seconds, i lay on the ground and couldn't move. The pain on my back was unbearable. Once i was more collected, i began to worry. Obviously, i was wondering if baby was hurt. I got up slowly with the help of my pupils. Checked myself. No bleeding or water leakage or whatsoever. I gave some quick instructions to my class and went to the washroom for yet another check.
Nothing.
"Good news," i thought, "let me finish this lesson."
And yes, i actually carried on the two-period lesson as if nothing had happened.
I have no idea why but at that instant, i just didn't want to blow things out of proportion - I didn't my girls who had screamed to panic and neither did i want to entertain the boys who had laughed.
(Yes, you heard me right. Unfortunately, the 10 going 11-year-old boys who were insensitive laughed when i fell! I didn't blame them; they were prob too young to know the consequences of the fall.)
The "adult" in me then probably didn't want to cause a commotion?
Don't know. Til today, I'm still puzzled about my response.
Right after the two-period lesson was my break. Enroute to the staffroom, I was unsure of what i should do.
"Should I tell Mart? He would be worried. Who should i speak to? Is baby really alright? Should i make a trip to the gynae's? Will there be any internal bleeding? Am i really fine?"
I was oblivious to the pain on my back by then. Thoughts such as the above were streaming in and out of my mind.
I had really wanted to talk to someone about the experience.
There wasn't anyone in the staffroom! The aisles were totally quiet. For once, i did not quite appreciate that amount of silence.
No one.
I decided to head for breakfast.
Still collected i was.
I began to text Martin and poor Mart got really worried.
He wanted me to speak to someone and ask for permission to leave the school.
I think it was then that anxiety slipped in.
You prob thought i would have packed off and left that very moment?
Nope, i didn't. I wondered if i could hold for another 5 periods, til the end of the day. Afterall, i wasn't bleeding and neither did the waterbag break.
How silly, right?
Just as i was counting the cost, my principal walked past. She had, so timely, gone to the canteen to pack food.
I decided to ask.
Boy, i didn't not realise that i was actually that worried.
The moment i mentioned the words "I fell...", tears started streaming down my cheeks. I couldn't control it. I guess i must have been really worried although i appeared to be calm and was enjoying my food.
Hmm, that said, my P must have wondered how on earth did i still have the mood to eat?
Well, i had to. I was supposed to go through another 5 periods in a row after the break on a usual Thursday and would have starved if i had not grabbed a bite during my break.
My ever-assuring P decided that i should go and that was it.
Given the greenlight, I packed up, settled the little admin i had to do and waited for Mart to pick me up.
So how was Baby?
Baby was fine.
I was really thankful that the nurses managed to squeeze me in the packed schedule and that i did not have to wait beyond some 5 minutes.
Dr Chen checked my back and did an ultrasound scan.
Baby seemed well. She was even moving (as usual) during the scan.
The water level was ok and there wasn't sign of internal bleeding.
Nonetheless, Dr Chen "ordered" me to rest and monitor the impact of the fall.
She forewarned that i would be (which i did) experiencing greater pain due to muscle strains. She explained that the muscles would have reacted and pulled to protect the ......... (uterus? baby? Can't rem!)
She ended the session with "Go cheer up! Have some happy food!" Mart said i looked really pale and it was obvious that although i wasn't tearing, i was obviously not myself.
Dr Chen is forever that assuring.
Hmm, i really wonder if i had tried to be like Dr Chen in front of my pupils, the "lesser".
Just imagined how i, "the lesser", would have reacted if Dr Chen had panicked and made a big fuss.
How would my pupils (the "lesser") have reacted if i had freaked out during the fall?
Traumatised?
I'm not sure. I guess the teacher in me was really "functioning".
I left Dr Chen with her assuring words ringing in my ears.
I was glad i made a trip there. If i had not, i think doubts would have swarmed me continuously and that would not have been wise.
How's Baby thus far?
Still active and kicking. A good sign.
How's Mummy?
Still having backaches! But that's secondary; my baby's well-being is of utmost importance.
Lesson learnt - Never take things for granted; Rid that complacency!
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P.S. Friends, thank you all for your care and concern. I really felt that the fall was stupid but i really appreciated your love.
P.P.S. Other than my sis, nobody else in the family knew that i fell so SSHSSSH, k? I don't want to get "skinned". =p
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