Thursday, September 01, 2011

I owe you all an update

So, who in their right mind announces she's pregnant and then disappears for 2 weeks?  Exactly.

So, I had my appointment at the doctor's office but only with the nurse practitioner because the doctors are far too important and busy to see you that early.  First you see the nurse, get the blood drawn, get a super-awesome internal exam, pee in a regular cup, pee in a clean catch cup, and other super awesome fun stuff like getting weighed and having your blood pressure taken.

After all that totally normal stuff was done, it was decided I needed two more non-routine blood tests with my history, so they checked for progesterone and something because I had a cat (toxoplasmosis, I think and I am way too lazy to google it). 

Two days later I got a call on my cell phone while I was at work: "ObGyn" said the display.  Of course, I excused myself from a meeting and took it (I actually walked outside to take it).  The progesterone was 15.4 which does indicate I ovulated and can be OK for a pregnancy, but let's say that a number that lower doesn't inspire confidence.  They wanted to make sure I hadn't been spotting (no...a pregnancy first for me) and ordered me onto supplemental progesterone (suppositories...or bullets as I call them).  I then had to locate a compounding pharmacy (it's OK...I know where all 4 of them are). 

All is well, and I started them and still no spotting.  Because of no spotting, I didn't get an ultrasound.  I have never gone without an early fluttery ultrasound.  I need that ultrasound.  How do I know this is real without some kind of confirmation?

I was then supposed to fill a script for pre-natal vitamins (free at Meijer even if you have insurance.  Yay Meijer) and make an appointment for my "new Ob" with the same old doctor I had the last two times.  The practice is a man and a woman.  The woman delivered both of my boys (performed the c-sections).  Our kids used to go to day care together.  I could not get in to see her before 12 weeks.  She's just booked.  I want the nuchal translucency test (since I will be 36 come April) and I really need to get in at 10 weeks to have time to schedule with the perinatalogist.  Same thing happened with Bobo.  So, I will again do all my prenatal visits with the man, and just hope the woman is on-call when I start hemmorhaging or however you know it's time to go to the hospital to have the baby extracted.

ACOG just came out with new guidance saying that VBA2C is safe.  I'm not interested for a variety of reasons but the #1 reason being I don't like the way safety is calculated.  Pretty much the only complication that matters to me is death of mother or baby.  Infection, longer recovery, and all that is great, but I don't care.  From a strictly mortality perspective, the planned repeat c-section is safer than the VBA2C.  Also, totally frivolous but I know what to expect from a c-section, I get two additionl paid weeks of maternity leave for a c-section (though people who've had babies both ways tell me those two weeks are wasted not laughing and holding your stomach when you cough), and my nethers have never had a baby pass and my abdomen is already ruined, so why destroy a second geographic region?

Also, Chuckles started first grade, and it's OK.  It's really still too early to tell.  I'm not thrilled, but I might be eventually.  I really wish there was some kind of half-day first grade option because the half-day format suited him so well last year.  Also, they do a 90-minute reading block every day where they drill phonics and whatever other theory of teaching reading is popular right now.  I just hope they leave him alone and let him read.  He gets really irritated after about 5 minutes of review.  I get his point, but sometimes you need to be a team player and just go along with it, but he reads, so leave the kid alone. 

The teacher said they'd be doing 5 weeks of review.  Another mother and I were joking that we're just holding our breath for the end of the 5 weeks.  I hope they hurry up and put her kid and my kid in a reading group.  I know there are 3 strong readers in his class who did pull-out reading last year.  I requested that they be put in a class together so that they wouldn't have to do pul-out (because Chuckles hates being singled out and felt punished by having to do "extra" work last year).  If there are 3 (or more!) of them all doing the same things, I don't think he'll feel persecuted (and maybe he'll stop acting out...he rushes through his circle-the-letter work and then disrupts class...he's a handful, but I'm rather fond of him).

3 comments:

  1. How annoying that you can't get in to see your preferred doctor. I have an HMO and use a medical group... but even so, I got to see my "regular" Ob/Gyn early on. He and his nurse practitioner alternate appointments.

    I've had one baby each way, and I have to say I definitely prefer the "old-fashioned" way. My recovery was so much faster. And I didn't throw up after delivery. But that's just me. And I'm not doing it again, so who cares what I think? You have to do what seems right to you.

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  2. Thank you for the update! I think it's good they are doing the extra bloodwork given your history. I know I'd want it!

    And I LOVED this line: "when I start hemmorhaging or however you know it's time to go to the hospital to have the baby extracted." Classic!

    Good thinking to request the readers be in the same class together. It's so hard when kids get bored because they are ahead of what's being taught! I know my girl acts up then, too.

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  3. "...my nethers have never had a baby pass and my abdomen is already ruined, so why destroy a second geographic region?" Heh. Hard to argue with that logic.

    Interesting that they tested for toxoplasmosis. We were in a bit of a pickle when I was pregnant as DH can't change the litter box due to his own immunosuppression and well, I was pregnant. I think I made him change it anyhow. I mean, he had a cat before we met (and he was immunosurpressed then) and he changed the litter. It was really nice having a break from cat litter duty for 9 months or so.

    Keep the updates coming!

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