Really?

So I was on a website called Urban Baby. It is for moms in San Francisco or New York. Most of these moms are very wealthy or pretend to be. I am neither wealthy nor pretend to be. One woman complained that her housekeeper was late because she broke her ankle in the snow. She was going to fire her.

But it is a great website for referrals. I am looking for a new ob/gyn so I went to Urban Baby. I got great top-notch suggestions.

Yesterday, I stumbled onto a post, "My husband sees hookers frequently, should I leave him?"

Really!?!

8 Million Residents

New York City is huge. There are 8 million residents in the city. Strangely enough, I have bumped into two doctors from the hospital.

When I was on hospital bedrest, Dr. X, a high risk doctor would come and see me. He always sounded very hopeless. With a very strong Israeli accent, he would say, "Mrs. Roberson, you will probably go into labor suddenly and it would be very fast. The chance of your baby having a normal life will be very low, if he is born this early." I would cry every time he left the room. Unfortunately, Dr. X was correct. He would come to see check on Miles periodically in the NICU.  Last week, the family went to the mall, and we bumped into Doctor X. He had his daughter and a newborn son with him.

Miya and I went to see the Disney Princesses on Ice at Madison Square Garden, a freaking huge venue. We bumped into Dr. Y . She watched over Miles in the NICU. One night, his stomach looked slightly swollen. She called a top surgeon in that night. The surgeon realized Miles needed emergency surgery on his intestines. That surgery saved his life, even though it was for a month. When I saw Dr. Y at Mad Square, we hugged each other. There were tears in her eyes.

I don't know if things happen for a reason or if they were strange consequences. I can't read into things anymore.

Roller Coaster

I want to tell you why my blog is called roller coaster. When Miles, my son, was in the NICU, I would hear the expression, "take it day by day, it is a roller coaster in here." Miles was in the NICU for a month and it was the most difficult process of our lives. Every medical test done on him was crucial. Some of the results were great and some were horrible. My perspective on what was a big deal changed. In the past, I would worry incesently if Miya had a cold or stomach bug. In the NICU, I had to worry about Miles' intestines, brain, and lungs.

He was a cute and handsome boy. I do wish he had a better chance at life.

One day, a lovely nurse was changing out his oxygen tube. She said to me, "Mom (they call you mom or dad), have you had a chance to see how handsome your son is? Take a picture of him without the tube. Isn't he handsome?"

So this is the picture I took with my crappy phone.

Snow Day

Tomorrow is a snow day. Depending on the forecast, 5 to 15 inches of snow is expected by the morning. I went grocery shopping. Miya watched Beauty and the Beast in her Belle costume. I made gnocchi for dinner. Matt enjoyed his with a glass of red wine. I will be making buckwheat pancakes in the morning. New York is such a hectic city to live in. We breathe a sigh of relief on days like this. The only place we have to go is outside to play in the snow.

My mother in law

I have a wonderful mother in law. We are very different. I am black, she is white. I grew up in Africa, she grew up in Alabama. She is petite, I am tall. My mother died when I was ten. But my mother in law has always taken care of me as if I were hers.  
When I was on hospital bed rest, she came to New York and hired a cleaner to help with chores.  A few days ago, I underwent surgery and my mother in law was there to take care of Miya.

If you have a great mother in law...let her know.  The alternative is awful!

Waking up from anesthesia

I have been given general anesthesia twice. The first time was in October, when Miles was born. The labor was too rapid...blah blah blah and I was put to sleep. Yesterday, I was fitted with a bionic cervix to ensure that I would carry my next child to term. During that procedure, I was given general anesthesia as well. Unfortunately, after both surgeries, I woke up from the anesthesia fighting, throwing my arms and legs about, trying to rip the breathing tubes from my nose.

 I am like a horse. According to the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, horses try to stand and gallop away immediately upon waking up from surgery. Imagine controlling a 1000 lb patient! Very dangerous endeavor!

I don't remember either situation. But after Miles was born and I woke up from anesthesia, Matt and the nurse had to physically hold me down. Yesterday, when I woke up from my surgery, four doctors had to hold me down when I woke up from anesthesia. Each time, I woke up fighting. Somehow, anesthesia brings out my true feelings.

Next time I go into surgery, I think I will warn the surgical team!

I love this city

So the trash is finally being cleaned up. For some reason, trash was not picked up in many parts of NYC due to the blizzard. If you look outside my window, you will see bags of trash that line the street. I thought it would bother me. It doesn't though! I really love this city...even though sometimes it does not love me back. No elevators in subways stations. Large rats in the tracks. Small one bedroom apartments (in decent parts of town) costing $500,000 and above. You have to fight to get your child into a good school.

I still love this city though...just like Tina loved Ike and Whitney loved Bobby.

My little girl

This is my little girl, Queen Brat. This picture is a perfect representation of who she is. I adore her!