Water broken, "feels like warm water running from a faucet into a puddle under my butt"
Pitocin off temporarily to see what happens.
Nicole, eyebrows raised.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Lets get the show on the road
Well, no real labor over the weekend, so we're in the hospital now...going to get induced today!
Nicole's feeling well, still with some mild irregular contractions and pressure. I had the feeling baby Cheng #2 would be stubborn and wait until we made him come out!
We are at Piedmont Hospital, the hospital where Nicole works, so we're in familiar territory. I've got my computer and music, Nicole's got her People magazine, so we're ready! Here she is, getting an IV, all smiles.
I think Hudson will be a good big brother. Last night I was laying with him...my last night with just 1 son. I was asking him if he was ready. I think he is. He says "I am going to hold him. I am going to read to him and help give him his nai-nai (milk). I'm a big brother!" And then he head-butted me, and it didn't hurt him but it hurt me, and he started rubbing my head and said "It will get better daddy."
Pitocin stated around 8:30 am, started at 8 milliunits (mu)/min, now 12 mu, which has kicked in some minor contractions. Will keep you updated!
=)
Nicole's feeling well, still with some mild irregular contractions and pressure. I had the feeling baby Cheng #2 would be stubborn and wait until we made him come out!
We are at Piedmont Hospital, the hospital where Nicole works, so we're in familiar territory. I've got my computer and music, Nicole's got her People magazine, so we're ready! Here she is, getting an IV, all smiles.
I think Hudson will be a good big brother. Last night I was laying with him...my last night with just 1 son. I was asking him if he was ready. I think he is. He says "I am going to hold him. I am going to read to him and help give him his nai-nai (milk). I'm a big brother!" And then he head-butted me, and it didn't hurt him but it hurt me, and he started rubbing my head and said "It will get better daddy."
Pitocin stated around 8:30 am, started at 8 milliunits (mu)/min, now 12 mu, which has kicked in some minor contractions. Will keep you updated!
=)
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Not much action
4:22pm Saturday
Seems like contractions come and go every 6 to 8 minutes, but aren't too intense. No baby yet! On Thursday Nicole was dilated 3cm and had her membranes stripped...the doctor said she'd have that baby by 10pm...but its Saturday now. He'll probably be stubborn like his brother Hudson, who waited until 41 weeks, and then waited for 10 hours on pitocin before starting to move.
It's so funny how the second time around we are much more non-chalant. We waited forever to get baby's room ready, and we just packed a bag Thursday. We haven't cleaned any bottles yet, and the crib is set up but still acting as "storage". We haven't read a single page of a book to prepare ourselves...unlike the many books we read before Hudson. I heard the second kid is like a second-class citizen sometimes!
Well, to update you on other tidbits in our lives, Nicole is officially on maternity leave from her job as a liver surgery and liver transplant physician assistant at Piedmont Hospital. She takes care of transplant patients! How cool! I'll be finished with my second year of cardiology fellowship and will start my third and FINAL year of training (all together, 11 years of medical training). I just found out I will be one of 2 chief fellows at Emory cardiology - what an honor! Hudson is doing really well - I think he is excited about being a big brother...when we talk about it he seems to like the idea...although we'll see if he walks the walk. He's getting so big - he'll be 3 in June, and will be starting preschool in the fall. Barbara is doing fantastic...we believe she's cancer free and living life fully and loves being Hudson's "Baba", right down the street!
Aarish is getting married soon...his bachelor party is in Vegas! By the way, for any wives or girlfriends out there, would you let your husband/sig other go to Vegas for a bachelor party??? =)
More updates soon...
Friday, March 09, 2012
2 years later
Well hello again. I can't believe its been over 2 years since my last post. A lot has happened. Why am I writing now? Well, because we're expecting another child. In fact, Nicole is already over 3 cm dilated, 50% effaced, and had her membranes stripped yesterday.
Our next baby boy (name to be announced when he's born) is supposed to be due March 15th. We are scheduled to be induced March 12th, if we make it that far. We are all doing well, and I think Hudson wants to be a good big brother, so we'll see how it goes.
I will use this blog to keep you updated of the pregnancy and delivery! Its funny to read the comments from the last one (06/2009).
Here are some recent pictures of Hudson:
At the "mountain house" for Thanksgiving in Clayton, GA
Centennial Park, Christmas 2011
My new bike from Pop Pop for Christmas
Starting early
I'm a nerdLove, Nicole and Alan
Monday, December 06, 2010
Happy Holidays!
Thanks to Ben and Jen Yin for taking some pictures of us outside on a cold wintery day, so we can have some holiday pictures to give out!
My friends are talented
I like showcasing my friends!!! They're so talented!
1) Bryan Edwards - country singer/songwriter - wrote a song for country superstar Jason Aldean on his new album! The album is currently #5 on the country music charts in the US!
It's called "If She Could See Me Now"; you can hear it here.
2) Vadin Lum You - film producer - he sent me a clip that his film company made...a music video parody of "I want to be a billionaire" by Bruno Mars. They are pretty funny - check out the "Newark State of Mind" video too! Check it out here.
Alan
1) Bryan Edwards - country singer/songwriter - wrote a song for country superstar Jason Aldean on his new album! The album is currently #5 on the country music charts in the US!
It's called "If She Could See Me Now"; you can hear it here.
2) Vadin Lum You - film producer - he sent me a clip that his film company made...a music video parody of "I want to be a billionaire" by Bruno Mars. They are pretty funny - check out the "Newark State of Mind" video too! Check it out here.
Alan
What I do
I get a lot of questions about what I do. It's understandable - many people aren't exactly sure what a "cardiology fellow" is, or if there is a difference between a resident or fellow.
First, the training structure:
College (Bachelor's) > Medical School (M.D.) > Residency (to practice medicine in the US you have to complete a residency) > Fellowship (specialized training after residency, in my case, cardiology).
Second, what is "cardiology"?
Cardiology, or "cardiovascular medicine" or the "study of cardiovascular disease" is a subspecialty of Internal Medicine. It is where I learn to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. The 3 most common cardiology conditions are 1) Coronary Artery Disease (aka blockages in the heart, which cause heart attacks), 2) Heart Failure (damage or dysfunction of the heart), and 3) Atrial Fibrillation (a common rhythm problem that makes your heart beat fast and irregular. Of course, there are many many more conditions:
- coronary artery disease
- arrhythmias (and the study of them, called "Electrophysiology"; they also place pacemakers and defibrillators)
- valvular heart disease (disease of the valves)
- adult congenital heart disease (heart problems you are born with)
- heart failure
- cardiac imaging (echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, CT, and MRI)
- interventional cardiology (the docs who place stents)
- preventive cardiology (the study of preventing heart attacks and heart failure)
Notice that what is not included is cardiac surgery. Cardiologists do not perform cardiac surgery - instead, "cardiothoracic surgeons" do. The decison to become a surgeon or not actually happens in medical school - when you apply to residency, one of the main distinctions is choosing a surgical or a non surgical residency, and thus, to become a surgeon or not to become one. These surgeons do cool things - bypass surgery, valve repair and replacements, correction of congenital malformations. Their specialty though, is not to diagnose and study...their specialty is to cut. Who decides if the patient needs a cutter? The cardiologist does.
So...my cardiology fellowship is 3 years long, and I've finished about 5 months of it. I do a different rotation every month, learning all the various disciplines and skills within cardiology that I listed above. Here is my schedule this year:
July: Heart Failure
August: Inpatient/Consults
September: Consults
October: Consults
November: Electrophysiology
December: Nuclear cardiology
January through March: Cardiac catheterization (learning to put plastic tubes "catheters" into the heart to look for blockages, or to make measurements, or to take certain xrays of the heart)
April: MRI
May: Echocardiography
June: Electrophysiology
I really enjoy what I do. The key to Internal Medicine, and to a subspecialty like Cardiology, is that I get really good at diagnosing patients, and learning the skills to do various tests to help diagnose them. Then, I decide what treatment they need and how to get them better. And there are many procedures I can do to help them...everything except surgery! It is fascinating and there is always so much to learn. The only drawback is...the extra 3 years it takes to get through this!
Hope everyone is having a happy holiday season! This will be almost 5 years since I started this blog!
Alan
First, the training structure:
College (Bachelor's) > Medical School (M.D.) > Residency (to practice medicine in the US you have to complete a residency) > Fellowship (specialized training after residency, in my case, cardiology).
Second, what is "cardiology"?
Cardiology, or "cardiovascular medicine" or the "study of cardiovascular disease" is a subspecialty of Internal Medicine. It is where I learn to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. The 3 most common cardiology conditions are 1) Coronary Artery Disease (aka blockages in the heart, which cause heart attacks), 2) Heart Failure (damage or dysfunction of the heart), and 3) Atrial Fibrillation (a common rhythm problem that makes your heart beat fast and irregular. Of course, there are many many more conditions:
- coronary artery disease
- arrhythmias (and the study of them, called "Electrophysiology"; they also place pacemakers and defibrillators)
- valvular heart disease (disease of the valves)
- adult congenital heart disease (heart problems you are born with)
- heart failure
- cardiac imaging (echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, CT, and MRI)
- interventional cardiology (the docs who place stents)
- preventive cardiology (the study of preventing heart attacks and heart failure)
Notice that what is not included is cardiac surgery. Cardiologists do not perform cardiac surgery - instead, "cardiothoracic surgeons" do. The decison to become a surgeon or not actually happens in medical school - when you apply to residency, one of the main distinctions is choosing a surgical or a non surgical residency, and thus, to become a surgeon or not to become one. These surgeons do cool things - bypass surgery, valve repair and replacements, correction of congenital malformations. Their specialty though, is not to diagnose and study...their specialty is to cut. Who decides if the patient needs a cutter? The cardiologist does.
So...my cardiology fellowship is 3 years long, and I've finished about 5 months of it. I do a different rotation every month, learning all the various disciplines and skills within cardiology that I listed above. Here is my schedule this year:
July: Heart Failure
August: Inpatient/Consults
September: Consults
October: Consults
November: Electrophysiology
December: Nuclear cardiology
January through March: Cardiac catheterization (learning to put plastic tubes "catheters" into the heart to look for blockages, or to make measurements, or to take certain xrays of the heart)
April: MRI
May: Echocardiography
June: Electrophysiology
I really enjoy what I do. The key to Internal Medicine, and to a subspecialty like Cardiology, is that I get really good at diagnosing patients, and learning the skills to do various tests to help diagnose them. Then, I decide what treatment they need and how to get them better. And there are many procedures I can do to help them...everything except surgery! It is fascinating and there is always so much to learn. The only drawback is...the extra 3 years it takes to get through this!
Hope everyone is having a happy holiday season! This will be almost 5 years since I started this blog!
Alan
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
I told you he's a country mega superstar
Want to give a quick shoutout to Bryan Edwards
1) He's getting married on New Year's Day!
2) He's been writing and performing country music in Nashville, and just had one of his songs put on Jason Aldean's new album, which came out a couple of weeks ago! "If she could see me now." Buy the album and support Bryan!
1) He's getting married on New Year's Day!
2) He's been writing and performing country music in Nashville, and just had one of his songs put on Jason Aldean's new album, which came out a couple of weeks ago! "If she could see me now." Buy the album and support Bryan!
We went to Ashevile, NC in the fall for a little vacation
Hudson loves fish and the Georgia Aquarium!
Kelly and Ethan, Nicole and Hudson, and Crystal and Paxton - the three kids all have the same exact birthday - June 17th!!! 
Fun at the Dekalb-Peachtree airport with Brady (son of Josh and Amy) and Eli (son of Andy and Joanna). Josh and Andy are cardiology fellows at Emory too.
Hudson loves his Baba! Airpwane!
Hudson's pop-pop!
Hudson's first love, Sydney (daughter of Nate and Amy).
Will (son of Jessica and Mike), Hudson and Nicole, and Nicki and Alice - friends from the neighborhood.
Hudson is obsessed with balls. Quite a soccer player too...
Jackie Chu's wedding at the Atlanta History Center in October, the same exact location where we got married!
Hudson at a pumpkin patch
Visiting Mark and Andi and their son Avery in NC during our fall vacation
Hudson's house party/birthday party in Atlanta!
Natalie (daughter of Dave and Karen), quite advanced for her age...=)
He loved the ferry (coast of NC) - his face says it all.
Yummy burgers in San Francisco!
So much fun visiting SF and Sonoma ValleyHello everyone,
Well I already knew I was bad at keeping in touch, which is why I created this blog – to offer an outlet to keep in touch. Too bad its been months since my last post…really sorry that I am just terrible at keeping up.
This is our 6th month of being in Atlanta! Things have gone well, and there has been lots of change in our lives. First, Nicole’s mom Barbara is now living with us – moved in just 2 weeks ago It has been really great to have her be a major part of Hudson’s life. She is doing wonderfully – possibly even cancer free, and has recovered from heart failure from her chemotherapy. I don’t know what it is like to have a goal of “making it to my grandson’s first birthday” to now perhaps being “possibly cancer free”, but Barbara is living proof of the strength of the human spirit.
Hudson is growing up so fast! Now 17 months old, he speaks 20-30 words and seems to understand lots more. He’s putting phrases together…”more airplane”…”more bread”…”more shoe”…”that pine-apple”! He’s running around like crazy, and his favorite things are airplanes, cars, and animals! I think he may be a pilot. He can spot an airplane even if its miles away and looks like a dot in the sky. He often has us looking for what he’s already found in the sky…
Nicole and I are doing well also. We both are so busy with work right now, which is another reason why we’re grateful to have Barbara with us. Nicole is a liver surgery and liver transplant PA at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where she sees patients who are referred for surgery, and also sees post-transplant patients. It’s a new and different world for her, definitely challenging, but she’s great at what she does. I am 5 months in to my cardiology fellowship at Emory and overall, really enjoying the work. We have developed a great network here and we love the neighborhood we live in, called Lake Claire, an intown neighborhood in Atlanta.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Alan
Well I already knew I was bad at keeping in touch, which is why I created this blog – to offer an outlet to keep in touch. Too bad its been months since my last post…really sorry that I am just terrible at keeping up.
This is our 6th month of being in Atlanta! Things have gone well, and there has been lots of change in our lives. First, Nicole’s mom Barbara is now living with us – moved in just 2 weeks ago It has been really great to have her be a major part of Hudson’s life. She is doing wonderfully – possibly even cancer free, and has recovered from heart failure from her chemotherapy. I don’t know what it is like to have a goal of “making it to my grandson’s first birthday” to now perhaps being “possibly cancer free”, but Barbara is living proof of the strength of the human spirit.
Hudson is growing up so fast! Now 17 months old, he speaks 20-30 words and seems to understand lots more. He’s putting phrases together…”more airplane”…”more bread”…”more shoe”…”that pine-apple”! He’s running around like crazy, and his favorite things are airplanes, cars, and animals! I think he may be a pilot. He can spot an airplane even if its miles away and looks like a dot in the sky. He often has us looking for what he’s already found in the sky…
Nicole and I are doing well also. We both are so busy with work right now, which is another reason why we’re grateful to have Barbara with us. Nicole is a liver surgery and liver transplant PA at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where she sees patients who are referred for surgery, and also sees post-transplant patients. It’s a new and different world for her, definitely challenging, but she’s great at what she does. I am 5 months in to my cardiology fellowship at Emory and overall, really enjoying the work. We have developed a great network here and we love the neighborhood we live in, called Lake Claire, an intown neighborhood in Atlanta.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Alan
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