The Affairs of Amsterdam

Back from Sweden with paper work done and meeting people who  have meant so much over the years.  Unfortunately, some had to be done discreetly.  Still all was well.  And at home in  Amsterdam, and our little angel has now got her passport.  We are all set to venture out of the shores of the Netherlands.  First stop will be the Sultanate of Oman.  Work calls me back, and going back as a family is something I look forward to. 



 

The weekend was a very relaxed one in the Dutch country side of Terborg.  This is where Maya's grandparents live.  A beautiful little town  near the German border.  What I love about the place, is that it screams of silence at night. That means undisturbed sleep.  Something, I have missed so much since leaving Sweden.   At Terborg, the Sun is not at the centre of the system.  It is Maya who is at the centre and everyone else revolves around her. How fortunate for her, that she has such lovely people around her.  Maya's  grandmother is said to head the Maya Fan Club that she secretly runs!  

We have had a series of things happening here in the meantime.  Running up and down to the municipality office, the consultation office for Maya’s health and a host of other care services.  The paper work and the efficiency of things is something worth looking at.  It must be a nightmare for the officials at the Municipality in Amsterdam  to have things running smoothly.  Still they do.  Besides  having the canals flowing smoothly and making sure the water gets cleaned out every night, they also need to pick out the 2,500 odd cycles  and 40 cars that fall in every month...and then  make sure Maya gets her papers in order!!  Efficiency at its best.   Amsterdam no doubt is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.  The mix of people from all parts of the world makes it very special.  As for our Maya, this will be her base.  

To do this, she needs to starts somewhere...Today was a painful start.  Her first shot of injection for immunisation was administered today.  Not something she looked forward to, and not something we look forward to.  Still it has to be done.  11.30 this morning, she was given her shots, a jab on each leg.  How horribly painful that must have been for that little body.  She did cry out in pain for a few minutes and then she slept.  They also weighed her today. And it all seems fine.  She is 4550 grams and a height of 57 cm.  Doing perfectly well according to the book.   Back to the painful injections. 

She has had the 1st dose of the following: 

 

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Polio plus Hib and Pneumococcal Infection shots.

 

The next administration of the dose will be in Oman.  Hopefully, it will be a bit easier on her at that time.  This is one concern that we have about Oman.  The Tuberculosis mycobacteria famously thrives there.  Hence, we had to notify the authorities here, that she might need inoculation in that front.  They have advised us on what we must do. Get the inoculation before we leave for Oman.

 

This afternoon Maya cried.  It must have been the agonising pain on her legs from the injections.  I would say, she wailed in pain.  I could not bear to see her cry so hard.  I hugged her, kissed her and tried to tell her it will be alright.  I was overwhelmed and immensely sad.  I wept.  How many more times will I go through these emotions and feelings?  Certainly, it will be numerous.  Still, if I could only take her pain for a moment and carry it myself, I would gladly do it.

 

She sleeps now, and I miss her.  She has had a hard day.  I want to hold her close to my heart, share the warmth of my body and tell her,

 

'My beautiful little angel, it will be alright, the sun will rise again'

 

And then, she will smile..