9.00pm - Called my mother-in-law's house as usual to speak to Nani. Nani has taken leave since 4 April 1998 and gone to Lumut, the town where her father, my father-in-law, was working . Been calling her twice a day since then just to ask; "Anything yet?". The doctor from Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital whom we've been meeting during the monthly check-up told us that the baby is due on 13 April 1998. It has been 2 days late. 

To my surprise, my mother-in-law answered the phone and told me that Nani just had her "water break" and has been admitted to Lumut Navy Base Hospital earlier at 8.30pm. A bit panic...made a few phone calls to relatives and friends.

1.30pm - Arrived at my in-laws' home. Both of them were awake. Not sure whether they were waiting for any latest development on Nani from from the hospital OR just to make sure I arrive in one piece (but they went directly to sleep 10 minutes after I arrived, so I figured it must be the latter).

8.30am - Went to the hospital with my mother in-law. Nani has been admitted to the delivery room. She's lucky to be receiving epidural treatment, so there wasn't any contraction pain at all. Met Dr Hanifullah Khan, the Obstetrician. He predicted that Nani should be able to undergo natural delivery. He did remind me not to faint during the delivery, though. I learnt afterwards that I would be the first outside person ever allowed to be inside the delivery room in the hospital's history. Not bad.   

At this point, the opening was just mere 3cm. Nani needed at least 10cm for delivery (1 cm per hour). Nani also wasn't allowed to eat or drink at all...so she was just lying down, flat.

2.00pm - Went to the hospital. Dr Hanif asked me to wear the 'plastic suit' and cap. 

3.30pm - Still nothing...so went home again, and of all the things I could've done, I slept. 

7.30pm - Went to the hospital. To my surprise, Nani was in pain due to the contraction because the epidural has run out and the doctor authorised to change the epidural tube wasn't in yet. Didn't know what to do...I felt stupid. All I could say was; "Patience...it'll be over soon". Then a nurse came and whispered to Nani; "We are Muslims, it is not good to scream when we are in pain"....so Nani was quiet again. When I ask her to recite the syahadah and salawat....she asked me to recite them to her instead.

9.00pm - The opening was still short of 4cm. The doctor suggested for cesarian delivery. At first, Nani insisted to wait for another 2 hours, but Dr Hanif said that it'll do the baby more harm coz Nani has already 3 days passed her due date and it has been more that 12 hours since her water break. At that point my in-laws arrived and we somehow managed to talk Nani into that cesarian delivery.

10.00pm - Waiting inside the room...alone. There was pipe-in music playing some silly Malay songs. After nearly 1/2 hour waiting, I was wondering whether any second now, Dr Hanif might appear and say "Hey...the operation went without you...sorry we FORGOT to call you in". However, Dr Hanif did enter the waiting room to have a quick chat....saying that he's waiting for the approval to let me in. 

But on the other hand, I would be INSIDE the operation theatre and watch the whole thing unfolds rather than waiting at the delivery ward with my in-laws wondering what the hell is happening. And as the father, be among the first to greet my baby beside the doctors and nurses (who are strangers) inside the operation room. Furthermore...I bet it's the wish of every father to personally greet his baby from the first sighting of the baby's head until the whole body comes out, isn't it? Regardless whether the father is okay or faints after seeing all the blood...it's totally a different matter. 

Dr Hanif told me to stand exactly in front of Nani's feet. Then the doctors covered Nani's body except for the part that was to be operated. He took a knife and cut slightly below Nani's stomach horizontally. Then 2 other doctors pulled open Nani's skin side by side to reveal all the blood, guts and everything else (till then I never knew that guts look yellowish). At that point I began to have fun and feel confident and I moved closer, only to be told by one doctor to step back.   

Dr Hanif put his hands inside the opening and began to take out the baby's head and... 

The nurse put the baby down on a table and a doctor inserted a tube inside the baby's throat to suck out all the blood and what not. The baby wasn't moving or crying. I kept on saying "Come on baby....come on". Then the doctor realised the tube's diameter was too big and asked the nurse to find a smaller one. She did, but the tube was still big. Then she was looking inside a box full of tubes (at one point when the nurse busy looking for the right-sized tube, she almost bumped into myself). Thank God this time it was the right size. After everything had been sucked out, the doctor put an oxygen mask on the baby and then only there were signs of life. I was so relieved.

So I went back to see Nani who was starting to be conscious again. The doctor told me to speak to her softly. I whispered; "hey...guess what. We are now parents to a beautiful daughter". She was murmuring; "Sakit....Sakit... (Pain...Pain)". I was then asked to wait at the delivery room. As I arrived upstairs, my in-laws congratulated me and saw Alyssa already sleeping inside a 'box' at the baby ward. Soon Nani was taken inside her room, tired but smiling. Before I went home, I whispered; "I'm proud of you", and kissed her gently. 

At home, I realised that I haven't had my dinner yet. Oooh....what a night.