Well, it is Yein and my distinct pleasure to introduce to you kid #2 in as many years.  Here's the stats:

  • Name: Alina Joy Tolle
  • Date/Time: July 2nd, 3:06pm in the afternoon
  • Length: 53cm/21in
  • Weight: 3.35kg/7lbs 6oz
  • We selected Alina from Greek, meaning light.
  • We selected Joy from the Bible, meaning (drum roll) joy.
  • We selected Tolle because she's my child (that's sarcasm, incase you can't pick it up through writing).

As soon as we knew Yein was pregnant with our second child, we knew this was a pretty quick turnaround from Nora having ended up in an emergency C-section.  Nora was born in October 2015 and we found out in November 2016 that Yein was pregnant with #2.  Yein and I had been hoping and praying for a natural birth with #2.  As we researched different hospitals in Cambodia, met with hospitals in Thailand and even were able to meet with two different obgyn doctors from the United States, the general consensus was the same: The possibility of having a natural birth after a c-section is reduced dramatically when it's less than three years.

Well, we were settled with the advice and checked out hospitals in Cambodia.  So, for most of Yein's pregnancy, we were decided on one of the biggest hospitals in the country and the only one with a NICU unit.  As Yein did check-ups regularly we met with a particular doctor a couple times to do bloodwork.  About 2 weeks before the due date we were irritated with the fact that the hospital would not help schedule a date for the c-section.  They said to wait until the due date and come in.  I was unsettled with this advice as it was contrary to normal practice of scheduled c-sections being before the due date, to make sure the mother does not go into delivery.

As we were irritated, we decided to try one more smaller clinic, suggested to us by two different people, one of them a full time lawyer on staff with us at FCOP.  As we walked into the check up room, Yein and I both thought we recognized the doctor but couldn't place it.  After breaking the ice and talking through the pregnancy Yein realized this was the doctor from the big hospital that did the blood work.  As he explained he, and other doctors are not allowed to solicit customers from the big hospital for their own private practice and the hospital is unwilling to designate a single doctor for any given patient, so it is the preference of most to go to smaller clinics.  Since we were meeting outside of the bigger hospital he gave us some advice and even suggested to set a date immediately for a scheduled c-section.  Yein and I both let out sighs of relief to finally hear someone suggest to us what seemed like normal practice in other countries.  We even asked some follow-up questions and he was more than happy to answer, which believe it or not, is not common, as most doctors tell you to not worry and trust them because "they're the doctors" without explaining anything.

The only other thing that was nerve racking prior to having a new baby was the doctor suggested that we obtain a bag of blood to have on hand for the surgery.  He explained to us that hospitals were not allowed to stock blood as a result of laws geared towards controlling the spread of diseases and there was only one place to get it but we had to have documentation from the hospital to take in order to get it and someone with the same or a universal donor in order to get a bag of blood.  To get the bag of blood, the process then went like this:

  • Leave the doctors and go to the hospital.
  • Yein's blood tested and told that we need a blood donor.
  • Drive 2 hours round trip to pick up a donor and return to hospital.
  • Wait an hour and be told the lab was closed.
  • Return the next morning and be told we were supposed to meet at the National Blood Transfusion Center.
  • Arrive at the National Blood Transfusion center and be told it has moved.
  • Arrive at the New National Blood Transfusion Center.
  • Told we cannot designate blood without a representative from the hospital and that they will be closing soon.
  • Return the next morning with four donors and a hospital representative.
  • Give blood, go to lunch and done.  Three days: one necessary blood donation.
  • Special thanks to some wonderful people who jumped at the chance to give blood: Khemara Net, Bon Thouen and Christal Hollandsworth.

Ok, on to July 2nd...We went to church in the morning, went down to the hospital and checked in about 10:30am.  I was stressed and Yein made me promise to go eat a good lunch and get a haircut (I hate haircuts, so I don't get them that much and she wanted my hair to look good for any photos).  Yein had family with her.  I arrived back and shortly after Yein was taken to the pre-surgery room.  The Doctor came and sat with me and sang a Cambodian song and played some Candy Crush on his phone.  I have to say I was surprised, but his light demeanor put me at ease.  I had to wait outside as is the law and at 3:06pm I heard Alina's first cry from outside the surgery room.  The electricity had gone out twice in the six minutes they were in there but everything turned out A-ok.  About five minutes after the cry, Alina was brought out on a cart and I followed her to another floor with the nurses and pediatrician.

From then on, it was normal procedure from what we had experienced before.  Our family had changed forever and we would have it no other way.  Yein's recovery was a bit easier than Nora's, as Nora's c-section was an emergency, thus the anesthesia is administered differently.  Plus, Nora's c-section ended up including a removal of a tumor/mass.  Anyhow, the recovery is slow with a c-section but Yein handled it like a champ.

Typical Cambodian culture wants people together, all the time, forever, no exceptions, ever, ever, ever.  If it was up to me, I'd like one or two people to help, but then be alone.  But, I live in Cambodia and I have a Cambodian wife.  So, about 45 minutes after the surgery there were about 10 people in our hospital room.  Yein was still in recovery and by the time she came out, there were about 15 people. Yein loved it, I coped with it.

More from July 2017
And Then There Were Two [Daughters]
And Then There Were Two [Daughters]

Well, it is Yein and my distinct pleasure to introduce to you kid #2 in as many years.

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