₦airaland Forum

Thank u Nathz45, theleakytribe, lawyer123, omodadi2, simababe, Nnystc, biollar1, LadyG, Egonne1, ChicMalkia, Ajuju2, Harjeehbaday.

For some reason, the bp came to normal when my naija consultant checked himself 3 days b4 my travel cos I was told if he took the reading himself and it was high, he wld order an emergency c-section.

The day I was discharged from St Francis, the dr told me I was inches away from having a seizure...and that when seizure occurs...placenta abrupts and cuts off oxygen supply to the baby. Baby neva makes it and for the life of mother...it's a 50-50 thing (had to be placed on oxygen at some point before I delivered).

Guess I've rested enough. Here's my story. About 10 days before my travel date, swelling on my legs which had always been minimal increased so much. Even after raising the legs up at night, the moment my feet touches ground in the morning the swelling returns. 3 days before my travel, I used the home bp monitor to check my bp and it was ranging btw 140/80 and 145/85. I immediately drove to hospital. Nurse on duty checked with the manual bp monitor and another young dr checked and it was still high. They had to call my consultant. He ordered they check my urine for protein and nothing came up...he eventually came himself, checked the bp and said it was normal.

3 days later I travelled with Lufthansa on a united ticket at 34 weeks + some days. Requested for wheelchair and they said since I brought fit to fly I can't use wheel chair. I was shocked cos several pple here have used wheelchair. They agreed to book for my mum cos of her arthritis yet we didn't see any wheelchair neither at Frankfurt nor LAX. We flew to Frankfurt and had a 4 hrs layover b4 we flew to LAX. All the while, my mum was so worried about the swelling.

POE was a breeze.
Cbp: what are you here for?
Me: childbirth
Cbp: ok. How long are u here for?
Me: 2 months
Cbp: sorry, what did u say u are here for again?
Me: childbirth, delivery, to have my baby (lol...that's d type of confidence saying the truth at the embassy gives u)
Took our finger prints and stamps us in for 6 months.

We went to agriculture...the officer was busy shouting to the guy scanning the bags...Nigeria, Nigeria, lol...our bags were scanned but we weren't asked to open it.

When we got home...the legs had tripled in size and she insisted I see the dr immediately ( my appt wasn't till another 4 days). We called his office and luckily he was still around...said they close at 5pm. It was already 4pm...so without eating or anything...we went to the dr office. When I saw the dr, my bp had shot up to 159/100. He told me point blank to head straight to the hospital as I had developed pre-eclampsia and baby had to be induced immediately. He said the financial dept would have closed for the day and they don't open weekends...so we had only the next day to pay and sign the contract...cos if I deliver without signing it...I would be left with a bill of over $40k. Got to the hospital and was admitted. Was placed on magnesium IV to prevent seizure...while they ran tests...the same ones I would have done with the doctor's office.

Next day my mum sorted the bills...while they brought the papers for me to fill...despite the induction starting Thursday night...i didn't deliver till almost mid day Saturday...cervix no gree dilate till...was almost heading to OR for c-section b4 LO came forth...I hadn't eaten in almost 48 hrs...day said no food, no water...was just allowed to chew ice...where the strength to push came from...I don't know.

The main testimony is that LO didn't need to go to NICU...was almost peeing in my pant when the thought of it came to my mind...cos of bills...she was just in the nursery...they did hearing test...checked for jaundice...was later discharged. LO is 3 weeks old currently.

Used st Francis medical center and dr. Mb---u. Hospital bill $2700 for vag. Delivery (includes paediatrician, epidural (the thing wore off towards the actual delivery). Stayed an extra day which cost $900 (covers both me and baby). Hospital gives free stroller. I've gotten zero balance.

Dr fees had always been 1500 and 2500 for vag and csection respectively. When I got here...saw it was now 1000 and 1300...was told the dr considered the current economic situation in Nigeria and decided to slash his self-pay fees. Hmmm...Angels still dey dis earth Shaa.

Since baby came early, wanted to shift my date but United wants an arm and a leg just to change date...I'm chilling (mum is here with me, hubby is coming...no need to run home)

TheLeakyTribe:
My sister you can imagine how I feel. I drove out immediately I discovered she had gone missing, like a mad woman crying looking for her, my husband drove the other way too. we know see am. I'm praying she comes back to get her things I've alerted the security. but person wey thief over 1 million naira equivalent fit forget her things.

I've alerted the agent that introduced her. this girl be like angel for my eyes before oh.

So sorry dear, this is so painful. I knw u are leaving today but just drop by a police station and report, for rexord purposes and send out her pictures to the blogs, before ur trip. Ur husband can follow up in ur absence. This has been my greatest fear. I've been alone since I got married...no help and I work an 8-5. With baby on d way, its become inevitable...been praying like a mad pe2abt it. I'm so so afraid. Stories like this just break our hearts. I forgot to add, with a police report u can approach her mobile network for last calls she made and text messages. Try to be calm please.

ozycy:
Uber is better than yellow cab.
Yes yellow cab have something that will be taking the reading as you ride, you will sit down and watch how your money will be increasing rapidly and to think some of the drivers are just something else, they will b so slow so the traffic light will be red and even while waiting for traffic light th turn green the meter will be reading.
During my last journey, I didn't even enter yellow cab for once, I used uber once for a $5 trip, all my plenty other waka n by bus apart from the normal soulcare transport waka. I saved a whole lot unlike my first missionary journey, yellow cab ate up all my money

Ozycy, I was just about to ask if buses and trains no dey US? because even d price mentioned above for uber is not cheap. Some of us like to waka waka plenty...na why I like UK...london precisely...

http://www.strike-the-root.com/3/scarmig/scarmig1.html

http://www.parents.com/kids/safety/tips/what-is-child-identity-theft/

Nef and Modath's submissions as per not applying for ssn prompted me to do a little search. Found the links above interesting. Apparently, people can wreck havoc to a child before he/she even reaches age of consent. Pls Nef throw more light on how not to get ssn for ur child. Are there forms or columns in forms which u deliberately don't fill?

tbash16:
Thanks dear, thanks everyone, my lil girl came around 5:03pm and dr fagbohun wasn't even around all in all i thank God.

Congrats tbash16...welcome to ur Lil princess

Onlineise:
So as the cravings dey start again...this time na Indomin "they" wan chop...as our case no allow us carry any 9ja foods, i say make i go online try order carton indomin ooo.

See me see trouble...they even say "Free shipping"

$66.97 * $:N320 = N21,430 ... enuff to setup a mesuya stand

What Dats madness

omodadi:
Good morning people, please hiw do I apply for PTA at stanbic and fidelity banks? I mean online as their branches here claim they don't give PTA but I know it happens in lagos (HO). Do I have to go in person to book? Please this would cost us about 70k and at least 2 working days(leave) to travel to lagos in person and book, and we still need to go and collect it when it's our turn, so any alternative will be of great value.
Please give me info if you have; maybe phone number of staff involve who I can speak with on phone to book us,or email address as the case may be.And please if the contact you have is not any of this bank, and I can still open account in a new bank to meet up, don't hesitate to asist. I can PM personally if required.
Our travel date is 1st week April. Thanks and Gid bless!

Is Abuja closer to u? Jaiz bank hq (Google for address, call d no u see online to confirm they are giving b4 going). Heard there is a 3 weeks wait time.

Onlineise:
*In Daddy GO's voice* Let Someborrri shout hallelujaaaaah!!!

Congrats. So happy for you

Porshebabymama:
Great job ya'll are doing here.. so nice to see people help each other....Ayav not marry but I don read taya my eyes are hurting .....if I don't update myself in a day with details from dis thread I no dey beleful... To d Angel baby mamas and pops God will give you double for the Loss....and to all those who share their experiences helpers will never stop bardging in on you....will keep reading till I marry and have a bun in d oven....for now na reading and waka pass mode I dey..

Phc mama's I'm glad to have mentors like firstyymum et all....I shall call on u when it's very necessary...

God Bless ya'll

U 'yav not marry'...u may end up being a Lagos, Abuja mama or anyone. Never believed I'll leave lag.

Petdaughter:
Hi Guys, just wanted to give a rundown of my own experience.
I renewed my visa via Dropbox

Congrats Petdaughter, please Which hospital did you use and was it form A u used to pay the hospital in advance?

happytbaby:
Imagine! I will never advise my enemy to go through that place. They will just be grilling somebody like say one follow share for security vote money

Lol...asking for house rent, type of car...odiegwu

ebonychic18:
I agree I said all that but still it still doesn't change the fact that it's their rules, their country. It's not our right to be there but a privilege . Na we carry our legs go apply for visa. So we play by their rules. And if unavoidably you have to go through those POEs then be ready to take anything you see. Meanwhile IAH was and will be a breeze for some

U've said it all...na we carry our legs waka go meet them

ebonychic18:
Their airport, their country, their rules, I guess if one wants to get in then play by the rules. They're just doing their job whether overzealous or not. With God on your side If you have dotted your I's and crossed your T's then no cause for alarm. Mind you the same JFK has occasional issues too. It's been reported on this thread.

When u've dotted ur T's and crossed ur I's and still get delayed for 4-10 hrs, den dia is cause for alarm. Even Lax takes pple for extensive secondary inspection, and I've also read of the JFK incidences...but Houston and Chicago has always stuck out as sore thumbs...u even narrated ur friend's experience in houston and ur sis in law's experience in Chicago and swore never to step foot in ORD...no one is contesting the fact that the power to let u into their country lies in the hands of the cbps, my question is are d cbp's in Houston working with different laws than others?

justwise:
They are simply doing their job.

Overzealous is d word! D CBP officer's in NY, NJ, LAX are nt doing their job?

feddy27:
Enizo, leave dis official complaint matter...they are doing their job and they have every right to search your phhones. Do you know sometimes they search your checked-in baggage? Like someone said, there is a law that backs them up to do that. Also, Houston POE receives such attention because a lot of flights land there and it is a potential security and immigration threat.

Every airport is a potential security and immigration threat. And as per lots of flights landing there, official statistics ranks them 8th in d US, behind NY, LAX, NJ...yet pple cannot have rest of mind because POE is houston...

ijebujazz:
For those in abuja looking for pta, I got for my DW at the first bank in central area. Though they have limited supply.

Pls just to ask a question, whr u given cash? Or it was loaded to ur card?

brokewaist:
@nadina,

Abeg no vex. Please don't stop posting o, for person like me wen dey PH, this information is overuseful.

@wheredemdey
Abeg park well

Brokewaist, whr u able to buy? I plan on going tomorrow

nadina:
Thank you for insulting me. I only had one intention,and that is to help others . What would I gain by disseminating false information. I promise never to post any needful information here anymore. God bless you.

Nadina abeg no vex because of okachamalu...oversabi. For the sake of beta pple, pls keep the info coming.

wheredemdey:
Keep shut and stop disseminating false information.

No bank in Nigeria currently sells PTA/BTA.....its a CBN directive that all PTA/BTA sales should be halted....i repeat no bank sells pta...do not be deceived.

And u had to shut her up? because u know everything. For ur information, last week when she dropped this same info, I went to the same branch and because I didn't have an acct and was going to start opening one then, the last 4k was sold right before me.

Abeg Nadina, are they giving cash? Cos last week they were crediting it to the customer's gold card.

Enizo:
[b][/b]

Just called the bank's contact centre I was told they don't.

Was der today, the last 4k was sold infront of me. They also don't give cash. They credit it to ur gold card or wateva. I didn't get!

blue355:
@ firsttymum and @neks 31 and all other mamas who have had their LOs in Houston please assist me

I got this mail from Dr F office

Dear Mrs.

Thanks for your email. Unfortunately our practice is now referral based from prior patients in our database otherwise a remittance of non-refundable $300.00 applied to the physician fee upon arrival must be received before forwarding any information.

Thanks for your understanding.

Sincerely,
Dr. F

I don't blame the man. People have used his head too much.

Bisoye82:
Ha @ dollar palaver. Have being unbothered thinking I ll be able to get PTA easily since CBN have lifted the ban on forex deposit and transfer.
@Apple19 which one is Gtb credit card, I only know of their MasterCard debit. Is that another option? Ha 305 naira nke.Osanobua
Am still lamenting about BA ticket of 400k for economy for Feb flight thinking of waiting a little sha hoping for promo.

Are u particular about BA? And it's transit and not direct flight. If u are not particular about BA, why not book united...u can even get less than 250k. The good thing is that ur 'going' is handled by their partner lufthansa just incase u wanna avoid houston poe. Return u flyunited through houston which gives baby same baggage allowance as u. In the end its a win-win. The ticket is valid for 3 months as against the normal 1 yr...so u can't decide to reschedule for Aug or say Dec. That's the only drawback else u can add infant ticket, adjust return date etc. Call united office direct if u cant go to their office. Google for their no (call the gsm nos, the landline doesn't work)...don't wanna drop it here before dem go remove the post.

biollar1:
I actually don't know anything their POEs, I only know that Delta is Atl and United is Houston. Last I travelled was thru Emirates and that was because we spent some days in Dubai before heading to Orlando.

I can't go thru 7hrs plus 15hrs at once thru Emirates at 35weeks dou I read a page in part 2 about Dubaiconnect (don't know what that means too)

Flew Air France once to the Uk, dont know about USA, can u pls throw more light? Hour many hrs in all for each airline and their POEs, if u can't ... I'll understand, will just look it up.

Thanks a lot dear.

Time wont be as much as flying from dubai, but its still shorter flying direct. For example, if u fly lufthansa...frankfurt to atlanta is 9+ hrs...depends on u shaa. If convenience is much of an issue then u can fly direct. They can fly u to any state u choose, so no fixed poe

biollar1:
Hello All

I need una opinion and takes Biko.

I intend flying to Houston with hubby and 2 yr old son via Delta in May, called the airline to ask for cost and all and I got 318k for hubby, 318k for myself and 240k for my son.

I inquired about the infant we will be returning with and they gave a ridiculous amt of $400 and ticket has to be bought in the states.

Kindly air your takes on this, trying to avoid Houston POE so United is def not an option. Will also be traveling at 35weeks.

Also note the costs Delta gave is promo price that ends today (according to them). It returns to 380k for DH and I and 270k for my son from tomorrow.

Need tickets to scout for PTA....What do I do?
cc @Nef @Lady G, @Fittymum and other experienced mamas and papas.

Unless u are particular abt flying direct...Airfrance, klm, lufthansa is under 300k. BA is abt same price as d delta promo price

Jiji11:
Abeg, L.A bound moms pls I'm interested in this accommodation thing too oh! I'm traveling mid May or there about. I never buy ticket yet

May....time still dey. Im travelling April and I still have time sef...the truth is I've been researching this LA accommodation for more dan 4 mnths. All d decent ones are quite on the high side. I don't know how person go do sef.

Chizee02:
I guess today is a bad day for many people. Went for mine today in Abuja and wasn't successful , a lot of ppl were denied. I am very much grateful to God for bringing me this far cos I know that denial ain't rejection and my baby is already blessed whether birthed in US or here , I say thank you to everyone here for the wealth of Knowledge I have earned. No knowledge is a waste, tomorrow is another day.

Here is my transcript;

Vo: Good morning
Me: Good morning ma'am with a warm smile
Vo: where in the US are u going to
Me: Elpaso Texas

So sorry Chizeez02, been lookin out for ur transcript cos I remembered ur interview was today. Wld hav suggested u reapplied but I think ur due date is near abi?

LadyGuinivere:
Means say she don zone out immediately she hear say she don get the visa. The rest na phonetics oyibo de speak

Lady G, u are very correct. As I don see white paper, my mind no dey der again. Nef, it was something like the popular, keep ur receipts forever, it will always be asked for in future (dis are my words shaa). Can't remember vo's actual words

mokeju:
Whao.
Congrats ooo..
Am so happy for you.
I tap into this favour .

Have been denied 3ce too.
Pls what was the reason you put for the previous denials??

I wrote that the embassy issues corporate visa to pple in a particular dept in my office for an annual conference in d US and that some of them earn less than I do but none has failed to return. I also stated I am married now and my husband oversees a successful business. I also stated that I have acquired properties on my own.

Interview was successful. Visa granted. Below is transcript:

Vo: where in the US are u going to?
Hubby: California
Vo: purpose of visit?
Hubby: childbirth for my wife, vacation for me and to witness the birth of my child
Vo: Why do u want to have ur child in the US?
Hubby: It's our first, I want her to have the best medical care and because the US ranks tops in maternal care
Vo: What do u do?
Hubby: I am the ... of.....company
Vo: what does ur company do?
Hubby: we do........
Vo: how much do you earn per month?
Hubby: I don't earn monthly, I own a 10% stake in the company but averagely, I make....... per month
Vo: what is the cost of the trip to u and are u in contact with a doctor?
Hubby: costs.....(I hand over budget sheet stapled together with doctor and hospital correspondence) Vo scrutinises doc
Vo: where do u work madam?
Me: .........
Vo: how long have u worked der?
Me: .....yrs+
Vo: how much do u earn per month?
Me: we have salaries and we have allowances. It's a cumulative average of...... per month
Vo: do u both have families in d US?
We: no
Vo: have u travelled outside nigeria b4?
We: yes, we went to Kenya and UAE for our honeymoon, also been to the UK. (Vo types and types)
Vo: ur visa has been approved. U can pick up next week. Madam, keep all your documents. As u will have a child who is a US citizen, u may need to go back for blah blah...
We: thank u

I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, I learnt A LOT. Infact, I turned Vo on top of hubby's head cos he doesn't read the thread, which turned out to be good cos the first time I asked him why he wanted his wife to have a baby in the US, he said because he can afford it. I screamed!!! Lol
This is my 4th attempt! Yes u read it right, 4th! 3 times denied as a single having visited d UK several times. This is hubby's 1st attempt. Thanks to the person who suggested giving a reason for ur initial denial and trying to state how situation has changed in ur d's 160 form as against just saying u weren't qualified at the time.
The vo who interviewed us was the one everyone prayed they wldnt go to...we were d 1st pple he issued visa today. There were generally several denials.

Finally, I want to thank God for this! I simply told myself that it has been said that it is only a mad person that will do the same thing over and over again and expect to get a different result and so I did same thing I did after trying to conceive and several failed medications, I went to the altar and dropped a heavy sacrifice...alas God changed situation.

ifunanya84:
Congrats sis, I want to have my baby in California too.
Please how did you get his contact, break down of the bills and the admission letter. I would love to have my baby in that hospital.
I would be grateful

When are you due? What month?