Life in Singapore

No, we did not move. I am in Singapore though. Let me start my first post in a very long time by offering a pre-emptive apology. I am sorry if I offend anyone with this post. Erin and I tried for three years to get pregnant with no luck before we had the triplets. I know what it is like to be trying very hard to get pregnant and hear someone else make getting pregnant sound bad or easy to do. Less than 5 years ago Erin and I were in a very different place in life than we are now. God has given us 4 wonderful kids... and that is enough!

After Jack was born Erin and I both agreed that we had all the kids we were going to have. If we were going to have more it would be by adoption. Since I had already had one surgery "down there," we agreed that I would eventually get a vasectomy. Sitting in the doctor's office for the Varicosealectomy I had read about the vasectomy procedure. It seemed quick, easy, and painless so I had no problem agreeing to that. It was just a matter of when.

Summer of 2007 would have been a great chance while we were in Houston. However, we were taking our 10th anniversary trip to Canada in the middle of our time back in the US. I did not want to have that procedure right before we went on that trip! Then there were just a few days after Canada before I flew back to Indonesia. Now I would not have the chance to get it done for another year. Luckily I met Mitch.

Mitch is the dad of one of the triplet's classmates. We were at their house and he mentioned he had gone to Singapore for a vasectomy. It was easy he said. Ok, I thought, I will file that away. Two weeks later we were off to Bali just in time for the start of Erin's period... that never started. Gulp! After two weeks of denial, dread, and eventually "whatever God wills," it was clear Erin was not pregnant. Also during that time Erin and I both felt it was time for the vasectomy. I picked out the 29th of February as the best day for me to have the procedure.

Before I started the process of finding a hotel and flight I found out that I would be going to Singapore for a business meeting on March 4th. God again seemed to open the door so I would not have to buy a plane ticket on my own to come to Singapore. The company let me fly up early, since there was no extra cost. I am staying in the $130 (Singapore dollar) a night dive hotel. (It is actually pretty nice for being 1/2 the price of the Holiday Inn a block away.)

I got here Thursday afternoon and visited the doctor. He is a Christian doctor, and he asked me a couple of times if I really wanted to be sterilized. I showed up at the hospital this morning at 7 am just like (someone) they told me. I thought it was early for a 10:30 procedure, but that is what someone said. Well, it turns out I was the doctor's third surgery of the day. His first was scheduled to start at 10:30. I guess there was some miscommunication (bad listening by me). As they checked me in I was asked 10+ times, "you know you are having a vasectomy", "you will not be able to have more kids", "you will be sterile", or "you know this is permanent." Lucky for me the doctor had some free time to start early and I got bumped up to a 10:15 start time. I was still bummed about the wasted few hours.

They gave me the general anesthesia, and 20 minutes later I was awake and sterile. After a few hours of recovery I jumped in a taxi back to the Supreme Hotel. Now I will spend the rest of the weekend with a bag of ice and Civilization 4.