SINGAPORE : For one Singaporean woman, this Mother's Day is
finally one she can really celebrate: she beat the odds just to
have someone to call her "mother".
Since Mohamed Khalid and Siti Nurhudah tied the knot, they have
encountered hurdle after hurdle.
For eight years they tried to have a baby. They even tried
unsuccessfully to adopt a relative's baby.
Things started to look better when Siti became pregnant with
twins.
Then their happiness turned to pain when one of the twins died at
birth.
The other survived, just barely.
At birth, Siti Aisyah was only 415 grammes -- the size of an adult
palm -- the smallest baby ever born at the Singapore General
Hospital.
Said Siti Nurhudah, "When I first saw her she was really, really,
really very tiny. She could not wear anything. At that time, even
the Pampers had to be cut into half, even smaller than half. We
even went through Internet to find a pacifier for her. And my mum
knitted for her small little caps."
Medical expenses soared to S$80,000, wiping out the couple's
Medisave accounts.
So, Siti Nurhudah had to return to work while her baby was
incubated in hospital for about five months.
At such a tender age, Siti Aisyah went through heart and eye
surgery.
Worst of all was when her lung collapsed.
Through such tragic and difficult times, the family rallied
together and Siti's mother looked after her granddaughter.
They were difficult times, but Siti Aisyah pulled through. Now over
a year old, she weighs 6kg.
Last year, during Mother's Day, the family was still grappling with
the loss of Siti Aisyah's twin sister.
One year on, it is clear they have found renewed strength,
especially because Siti Nurhudah is expecting again.
And despite being in hospital for yellow fever, Mohd Khalid has
only one Mother's Day wish.
"Currently, my wife is four months pregnant, so my wish is for her
to have a safe delivery at the end of her pregnancy term," he
said.
And thanks to Siti Aisyah, SGH now has a 'lightweight' department,
opened specially to treat babies born weighing below 1.5
kilogrammes. - CNA /ct