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June 8, 2001
Week 12
28 weeks to go
I initially wanted to write directly after my OB appointment, but there has been so much going on lately that there hasn’t been much time.
First of all, I want to say that I really don't understand why I (and those of you waiting to be moved) haven't been moved over to the Pregnancy Today site. I've written twice and received the response "You'll hear something over the weekend." This was at least 3 weeks ago. I'm beginning to feel like we've been left alone here or something. I'm really disappointed. But I love the support that I get from all of you out there and will stay here if it means I have to write my birth story in my preconception diary. So I'm definitely staying!
The first official OB appointment
Is it possible for a prenatal OB visit to be a catastrophe?
Stefan and I went to the appointment together. It was important to me that he be there if there was anyway possible. So first I had to pee in a cup. I made sure to drink an extra glass of water before I left, but it didn’t help much. There was nothing there. The nurse gives me a look and said that I would have to try afterwards. So she took my blood, well tried to at least. She couldn’t find the vein and kept moving the needle in and out and around and around until she got a decent amount. It hurt so much! And she kept showing her teeth and mumbling something about my veins while she was doing it. I do have small veins and it is usually difficult to find them, but anyone with experience doesn’t have a problem. Now I have a bruise on my right arm. But this is nothing.
So she weighs me and says that I can go back to the waiting room until they call me to see the doctor. So we wait and wait and finally I’m called in to see the doctor. So lets back up a little bit. On the day that the OB told me that I was PG he gave me a questionnaire to fill out about my medical history (If I had already been PG, known diseases, allergies to medications, etc.). I filled it out carefully and made sure to bring it with me. Soooooo. Stefan and I walk in and sit down. The doc comes in and starts filling out my “Mutterpass”. This is a little booklet that contains all of the information concerning the pregnancy that every woman gets when she is PG. Since I didn’t have mine yet, he had to fill out things like my name, age, blah, blah. So then he asks me if there were any known diseases in the family and I mention that I had the questionnaire with me and proceed to give it to him. He says “ah!” and starts filling things out. I was dumb enough to think that he was writing the information that I wrote down into the book, which is what any doctor that passed the exam should know to do and actually do it.
I said that I have problems with my blood sugar and he says, “Oh, why didn’t you tell me that you are diabetic?" I say, “I’m not diabetic, I have hypoglycaemia. Too much insulin.” He squints his eyes shrugs and shakes I head (big red flag waved in my head). So I proceed to explain to the doctor what he should already know. And he says, “That is something you need to discuss with your regular doctor, not with me.” (The flag is really waving here!!) Excuse me, did I just tell him that I have a foot fetish and like to act like a dog at home? OK, so he proceeds to ask when my last period was and I said January 28th, but I Oed on April 1st. He says, “Oh. That changes things. I though you were in your 15th week.” Hello?!!? Anybody home? I was there 3 weeks ago and he said, and wrote it down, that I was in my 7th week (I was actually in my 8th week at the time). So 3 weeks later I’m supposed to be in my 15th week? OK, freak! He says, “ I wrote here that your last period was on February 15th.” I say, “I have my chart here, you can see that it was on the 28th of January” and point to the date. He says, “Oh, that doesn’t matter.” And leaves the old date with February 15th. Stefan asks, “Shouldn’t that be changed?” He ignores his question and says that I should go to the next room to have my u/s (The flag is waving so fast right now it’s a blur!). At this point I completely forgot to take out the piece of paper that I brought with me with all of my questions. I was stunned.
So let me back up a bit and remind you that I still needed to pee in the cup again, since it didn’t work the first time. The nurse told him this as he walked into the room. So I go into the room, undress and step onto the table. He does the u/s. This is really the only good thing about the whole visit. Stefan just stared at the picture and smiled. The heart was beating away and the baby was moving around like crazy. Of course, I still can’t feel anything, but it was the first time I could see him/her move. It was so amazing. The doc says, ”We would have a better picture, but your full blatter is distorting the view.” I, a bit unfriendly at this point, remind him that I still needed to give the urine sample and that I couldn’t go before the exam. He grunts.
So, afterwards I get off the table, dress, and sit down in the chair. He says, “Do you have any questions?” I say, ”Not anymore.” I knew that I would never step into that office again. He proceeds to explain a test that can be done to determine if there are any risk factors involving diseases and birth defects with the baby. He says, “It would be a shame to carry a baby to full term and find out at birth that the baby has Down Syndrome.” This is where Stefan steps in; he asks why that would be so terrible. The doc starts about in this day and age and handicaps and society, blah, blah.
Before I go on, let me explain to you that Stefan is technically handicapped. He had an angiome in his brain from birth and once puberty hit, it started to grow until he had seizures. He had these until he was 24, when he was operated on the second time. He wasn’t allowed to get his driver’s license until then. He had to go to a special college for handicapped students and had to take strong medications (which at the time were inferior to the ones today). The good news is all of that is gone now. But technically he is still handicapped and gets a tax reduction because of it, oh; you can also see a scar on his scalp if you look for it.
So back to the doctor’s office. Stefan says, “I’m handicapped.” The OB stops and coughs and says, “Oh, I can’t even tell. Uh.” Stefan goes on, “And we will accept and love any baby that comes into our family. No matter what.” The whole situation was getting weird (getting weird??!!) and I stand up and start to leave, Stefan comes with. Stefan and I had already talked about the test and decided against it anyway.
So to end the visit, I peed in their stinky cup and left. Never to return.
I did receive my “Mutterpass” and saw that the OB left my period date on February15th and left my week of pregnancy as the 15th week. Also that useless questionnaire that I filled out didn’t help at all because there is a part of the booklet that states allergies and I am very allergic to Tetracycline and Sulpha (common antibiotics). The OB just checked “no” without even looking at what I wrote. I forgot to even mention it during the visit and actually thought that he looked at it. I called yesterday, the day I received my booklet, but the answering machine said that he is on vacation.
I have already made an appointment with another doctor. My friend Anja says this other doctor, Dr. Deblieck, is just great an even has a 3D ultrasound machine. The appointment is for June 19th and I’m excited!
Other things that have been going on
My tummy is beginning to show, but still don’t need maternity clothes yet. I did buy 2 pairs of pants, but feel ridiculous in them. So for now I’ve been doing the rubberband-around-the-button-trick.
We went to a wedding last Saturday and had a great time! It was actually really casual. The couple have a tiny farm with chickens, geese and rabbit and had a great time! I have vacation over the next week and a half and plan on packing boxes since we’re moving from the 14th through the 17th. I also made an appointment to go to the dentist to have a special rinse and cleaning for pregnant women. You’re actually supposed to go once during each trimester, but never go around to making an appointment.
On the 16th I have to go to another business meeting/luncheon with my department. Well be meeting more people from our key client in London. It will be nice to be able to match a name and a face, finally. Too bad the luncheon isn’t in London though! I’m dying to go there!
On the 23rd, we’re going to another wedding, this time from a colleague at work. It won’t be as casual as the last one. I’m planning on wearing my black feather-rimmed hat and Stefan will wear his navy suit. It will be so fun to get dressed up!
So that’s pretty much my month. I’m already booked for 2 birthday parties for next month, but more on that later!
Take care and I’m sending lots of tummy rubs and baby dust ***+++***+++***,
Cindy & Wonder Baby
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