Bath Time fun
Carraig always has a smile
Pina and I were married in Hong Kong 17th July last year. Pina was pregnant straight away. Slight issue was that getting Pina a VISA for the UK from her home in the Philippines became a frustratingly slow process. The UK border agency change the rules faster than the application process spits out Visas, which means applying and reapplying as the rules rapidly change.
By January this year we'd got ahead of the game and got the settlement Visa done. only 5 months. terrific. Not.
Then we discovered that the doctor wouldn't sign her clearance to travel as her blood pressure was slightly higher than the regulations allow. She has high blood pressure sure. But people vary.
Anyway consequence was that the doctor in Bohol demanded she stay in hospital overnight. Which did Pina's blood pressure no good at all. They pumped her full of something. Worry I'd say. I got a call from the doctor a day later telling me she was 'concerned' about her blood pressure having some effect on the baby in her womb.
I'm still convinced the crucifyingly inflated Caesarian fees had something to do with it all. But what could I do? The doctor certainly wasn't going to sign her off to travel home.
That meant our lovely baby daughter was not born in the UK but in Tagbilaran, Bohol. Months early by forced operation rather than naturally in the UK. She was just about a kilo in wieght. Tiny and very frail.
 |
| Tiny Carraig five days old. Swamped by the smallest pants I could buy. |
It also meant a three month wait as babies can only fly after that time. So we waited, again.
Pina left Manila on the 6th April we were happy. but only for a moment. You guessed. The rules changed again. Whilst Pina and Carraig were in flight. After a 12 hour wait in a locked room, they were deported back from Kuala Lumper. Changes to regulations whilst she was in the air meant our baby also needed a full VISA too. Bye bye another £1,000 and hello another long lonely, worrying wait.
It is a very happy ending, they're both now here and we're very happy. Carraig is a right little charmer. She has such a happy disposition. Awesome. And of course my wife Pina and I can get on with our lives together, having had to wait so long. Having had to wait so long we'll cherish every moment even more.
Next I'll find out what our devious UK government/UK border agency will demand (any way to extract more money it seems to me) before they can become 'full citizens'. Stay posted. It'll be another expensive rule-strewn ride.
