Okay – no decorating got started. But I have a good excuse.
Last night, my actual sonogram went really well. It started with F calling me
an hour beforehand and telling me that him and his mother were going to get
there 25 minutes early “just in case” the doctor was running early. I had to
shake my head – if I wasn’t going early, was he going to have them do an
ultrasound on his womb? (Head shake).
Anyway, Baby looks great! They estimate him/her (her) to be at 4 lbs 9 oz –
that sounded big to me with 9 weeks to go! But my belly measures perfectly so
no worries. Every little part of the baby looked great and we got to see
him/her (her) yawning and blinking and moving. It’s so very cool every single
time.
But then I went in to meet with the doctor. My doctor has
two doctors within the practice. Up until this point, I have been dealing with
Dr. Erhart but last night I met with the other doctor for the first time. She
comes in, listens to Baby's heartbeat, measures my belly – all the typical
stuff. Everything looks and sounds “perfect.” Sigh of relief. Then she says, “Has
anyone talked to you about your liver enzymes?” I told her not recently – I had
them checked in earlier blood work just as a precaution because I had
complained about itchiness very early on in my pregnancy. She explained that
they are elevated and (and all of this came very quickly and as a blob of mixed
information to me) I have a condition called cholistasis which can cause fetal
distress later in pregnancy so they “like to take the baby” the moment it
reaches full term. As of now, “full term” has typically been considered 37 weeks
although March of Dimes and others are pushing for it to be changed until 39
weeks because of all the development that happens between those two weeks.
Anyway, in the meantime, she tells me I will be sent for more blood work and
will begin getting an ultrasound and a fetal monitor every week from now until
I deliver. Then she handed me paperwork and left. I was sort of in shock and
then spent the next fifteen minutes scheduling all of these appointments with
the receptionist. I left upset. The last thing I wanted with this pregnancy was an
induction. (And yes, I know. We can’t plan everything. And we don’t always get
what we want. But this was where my head was at the moment – like the spoiled
girl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who demands the Golden Ticket. I would refuse to have an induction.)
By the time I got to Michele’s, I was really confused. I
felt like I didn’t ask her any questions nor did I express my concerns about
the baby or an induction. I just nodded and smiled like a polite patient and
was left…confused. I hadn’t really understood if I did have this cholistasis or if they think I might. I don’t understand what causes it and what I really
need to be concerned about. There was also the financial aspect too that was
beginning to stress me – it sounds menial compared to the other concerns, but
it’s just as real. I have a $130 deductible charge for every sonogram and I just scheduled up to 9 more! Michele told me not to stress about anything until
I spoke with Dr. Erhart (easy for her to say, although she is probably
correct). So this morning I called and made an appointment with him for next
week. One of the reasons I adore him is because he is very laid back and very
calming. I am hoping he hasn’t lost this magic touch with me. So…I wait. Of
course, I Googled things I shouldn’t have. I read the horror stories and,
intellectually at least, dismissed them. But I’d be lying if I told you I slept
well last night. I will write down all of my questions for Thursday and will
take my mom with me so I don’t leave and feel like I did last night, “Wait – what did she say about that?”
But today is a new day. And I am off to watch my nephews and
niece (I still can’t believe I have a niece) so Michele and Jay can run to
Justin’s parent-teacher conference.
63 days to go!!! (Or, oh dear God, 42 if I have to go at
full term…gulp)
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