From mikal@stillhq.com Sat Feb 22 23:40:41 2003 +1100
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 23:40:41 +1100 (EST)
From: Michael Still <mikal@stillhq.com>
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Subject: Introducing Matthew Alexander Still
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[The technical accuracy of this hasn't been verified yet, I thought
timeliness was more important. Dates and times are likely to be off].

Some of you might have noticed that I have been a little poor at answering
email in the last month or so (sorry Matt and April!). This is because I
was scheduled to attend a conference in the Middle East over the next
week or so (http://www.e-ducation2003.com).

I left for this conference on Wednesday the 19 of February, leaving behind
Catherine seven weeks from being due with our second, and Andrew our first
son. Catherine had been having intermittent vision problems and stomach
cramps for the last few days, but the specialist and general practitioner
were unconcerned. I arrived in Abu Dhabi where the conference is about
29.5 hours later. This included:
 - a one hour flight
 - a five hour layover in Melbourne
 - a fifteen hour flight to Dubai
 - a seven and a half hour layover in Dubai
 - a one hour flight to Abu Dhabi

I had been in Abu Dhabi for about an hour when I got a variety of SMS
messages from various members of the Still clan informing that Catherine
was not well. It turns out that the vision loss and cramping are symptoms
of extreme high blood pressure, which is very rare.

Catherine was taken to maternity, and had a Matthew Alexander Still
delivered by emergency Caesarian section at just past midnight on Friday
the 21st. He weighed 2.1 kilos, and has not been measured yet. He feels a
_lot_ smaller than Andrew did. There was serious concern for Catherine's
life as they had a lot of trouble controlling her blood pressure.
Catherine was taken to intensive care, and Matthew was admitted to the
special care nursery (baby intensive care).

I had left Abu Dhabi after a three hour stay, and was back in Canberra
26.5 hours later:

 - a one and a half hour drive to Dubai at about 150 kilometres per hour
 - a four hour layover
 - a 15 hour flight to Melbourne
 - a record setting three hour stay at the airport Hyatt to get some sleep
 - a couple of hours mucking around and checking into flights
 - a one hour flight to Canberra

I went straight to the hospital.

Catherine was released to the normal maternity ward at about lunch time,
and Matthew is under UV lights for jaundice as of mid this afternoon. I'll
endeavour to keep you informed of what happens, and will put something on
the website when I get a chance. I have attached some pictures for your
edification.

In summary, no one's life is at risk at the moment. Catherine is in a
standard maternity ward now recovering from her surgery, Matthew is still
in intensive care (and will be for about four to six weeks they're
saying), but isn't at risk at the moment.

Cheers,
Michael, Catherine, Andrew and Matthew