Today I met my OB, as recommended by Dr Candour. He was just what I needed. Utterly sympathetic to my neuroses, and told me I could come in and see him every week if I wanted to. He gave me a lot of insight into the drugs I’m taking, why I’m taking them and whether I should continue to take them. I will write more of the knowledgey goodness in another post, because I am dog tired and also I am currently on a conference call and should be paying attention.
But the goodness of him came through in that he got the early pregnancy unit to stay late and give me a scan after my appointment with him. He walked me over to the centre, and went to see the doctor there. The doctor was on the phone so my new doc just left my file with him and told me all would be ok. I waited about 10 minutes for the scan doctor to show up. When he did he asked me what my new doc wanted him to do, how pregnant was I, did I need a nuchal scan? I nearly said yes but then remembered that one of you, I think Betty(?), had had a nuchal too early and it had caused endless worry, so I fessed up that I was 11 weeks and very neurotic and just wanted to know the baby was alive. He said no problem, went to find his keys so he could unlock the scan room, turned on the machine to warm up and left me to lie down. Luckily I remembered that he probably wasn’t going to wand me, so I just undid my trousers and lay down. When he came back he went through the whole gel smearing experience, then started to probe and press buttons. Of course I couldn’t see the damn screen so I was swearing and freaking out, albeit inwardly. Then he pressed one more button and the sound of the heartbeat filled the room.
It was like magic.
Then he showed me the screen. There was something which looked like a baby. It had a head and arms and legs, and when he pushed down a bit it wriggled like a mad thing. “Everything looks great,” he said, softly. We both looked a bit more and he turned the sound of the heartbeat on and off, showed me where the heart was beating in the fetus’s chest (it has a chest!). He showed me the developing placenta (couldn’t really see it), and asked me about my fibroids. These are quite big but are outside the uterus and therefore apparently will not affect the fetus’s development, although they may affect delivery (let’s cross that bridge when we come to it).
He wiped off the gel for me and I thanked him profusely. “That’s fine,” he said. “I specialise in difficult pregnancies, trisomies and such, so it’s great to see everything looking so good.” I’m of course not reading too much into this, but it was a nice thing for him to say, nonetheless. The fetus now measures a few days ahead.
I got seven pictures as a going home present, including a picture of the heartbeat. I think scan doctor really understood what I needed. I’m very grateful there are people like him and my new doctor in the world. And I’m unbelievably, inexpressibly grateful that I have a fetus that is currently thriving in my uterus. It’s just like magic.
Next scan in 10 days - the nuchal.
11w today
Ohh...Thalia that is so awesome! I got lots of scans early on too and it really helped. By the time I started to panick again, it was almost time for the next one. I never got totally stressed out.
Can't wait until you can feel the baby's movements!
Posted by: Krista | Friday, 09 March 2007 at 20:35
Congratulations! What a wonderful milestone, and I'm so happy you had such a compassionate doctor.
Posted by: Liza | Friday, 09 March 2007 at 21:14
That is fantastic! It's great that you've found a doctor who is so sensitive to your needs. I can imagine how thrilled you must have been to hear the heartbeat and see the little wiggler on screen!
Posted by: Bronwyn | Friday, 09 March 2007 at 21:38
Congratulations--sounds like you found just the right doctor today.
Posted by: Lyrehca | Friday, 09 March 2007 at 23:06
Cool! Congratulations on finding the right combo of DR's to help you.
Posted by: 4katnap | Saturday, 10 March 2007 at 00:17
That's great news :) A little bit of compassion from someone we need to rely upon goes a long way :)
Posted by: | Saturday, 10 March 2007 at 04:28
Your post made me cry. Its so awesome to find a doctor who truly understands how you feel and what you are thinking and go out of their way to really help calm your fears a bit. That is very rare. I am so happy for you. I will keep you in my prayers.
Posted by: Jeannette | Saturday, 10 March 2007 at 08:48
It is pure magic getting a peek at what's going on in there.
Good to hear you got on with the new doctor, you'll be seeing a lot of him in the time to come.
Posted by: Lut C. | Saturday, 10 March 2007 at 11:43
So happy for you. Been checking to see an update. It is magic to hear the heartbeat fill the room. Tears welling up reading about your happy office appointment. And glad you can have often scans, they ease the worry!
Posted by: Stacia | Sunday, 11 March 2007 at 01:03
Thalia, I'm so, so happy that you finally got to hear that magical sound. I love that you have such a great doctor too! Continued good luck to you...
Posted by: fertilityfauxpas | Tuesday, 13 March 2007 at 00:46
Thalia you deserve every bit of joy in your life...that is wonderful, wonderful news. I am too happy for you. I hope you continue to have a lovely pregnancy - its what you deserve. :)
Posted by: Drew | Tuesday, 13 March 2007 at 02:39
Wonderful news! It seems like pregnancy is spreading like wildfire. It's so wonderful for a change.
Posted by: flygirl | Tuesday, 13 March 2007 at 23:10
That's great news! Don't you just love listening to and watching that little heart beating? It's so amazing. Enjoy every moment while you have the baby all to yourself. I love having Aislinn on the outside so that I can hold her and kiss her, but I miss that time where I never had to share her. Every bit of this experience seems to pass so quickly and all of it is so precious. I'm so happy for you and I'm so glad to hear that you and the baby are doing well.
Posted by: Amy | Wednesday, 14 March 2007 at 05:08
Congratulations girl....one step closer to your dream. Enjoy!
Posted by: Anita | Wednesday, 14 March 2007 at 21:22
ah, the beauty of a great ultrasound! here's to any equally perfect nuchal scan!
Posted by: waiting line | Thursday, 15 March 2007 at 20:57
Congratulations on everything! I have a 4-month-old baby named Thalia. All I can say is: you're going to have a great time.
Posted by: alyssa | Saturday, 17 March 2007 at 00:10
Your journey has been truly amazing. I am so pleased for you. Good to know everything is going so well!!!!!
Posted by: jade | Saturday, 17 March 2007 at 16:51
YAY! Isn't that great when you get compassionate and patient doctors? Good to know that everything looks good!
Posted by: Ann | Saturday, 17 March 2007 at 18:31
How wonderful! I'm thrilled for you.
Posted by: Sophie | Sunday, 18 March 2007 at 01:55
So glad everything looks good. Hoping that the brown blood stops soon anyway.
Posted by: Larisa Bourgeois | Tuesday, 20 March 2007 at 00:29