My pregnancy with my daughter, in my mind, was supposed to be perfect. I was young, I was healthy, what could go wrong? As the beginning of my story goes, things were not perfect. We left off with us waiting on the amniocentesis results which could take two to three weeks. Looking back, I’m not sure why we were so anxiously waiting, we knew then, what we knew now and that nothing would change the way we felt about our baby to be. We would love her and treat her like a princess regardless of the results.
It was a normal Monday, February 22, 2010, I was feeling cramps all day in my lower stomach while I was at work. I was just trying to make it through the day, but decided to call the nurses at Kaiser once I got home. After speaking with one of the nurses, she recommended I go to “Labor and Delivery” at the Hospital. My husband was at work, so I called my mom and together we went to the Irvine Kaiser Hospital. It was a beautiful hospital and huge! We hadn’t decided which Kaiser location we were going to have the baby at by this point, but this was definitely incredible. After checking in with the nurse, I was placed in one of the delivery rooms. The nurse, whom I adored, was very friendly and overall a joy to be around. She hooked me up to the monitor to check the baby’s heart beat and informed us that she thought that she had the hiccups. Of course, that made me giggle and she had to find the heartbeat again. After that, they placed me on the machine to take contractions.
As the nurse was reviewing my chart, she noticed that I had the amniocentesis done and inquired why I did it since I was so young and healthy. I explained to her about the ventricles and the sizes of them. She didn’t think it was anything to worry about and asked me what the results were. I told her that I didn’t have them back yet, so she said she would ask the doctor to check on them for me.
When the doctor came in, she checked to make sure I wasn’t leaking amniotic fluid and also that my cervix was still closed. Everything was fine, so she said that whatever was causing the cramps wasn’t effecting the pregnancy. They tested my urine and found that I had a 1+ to protein and that I was slightly dehydrated. The doctor said that would be what was causing the cramps. I needed to drink more water!
Then the doctor looked at my charts and said that all the results were back! She said that the three blood tests I had done, two came back normal and the third came back normal, but positive and that my normal doctor would explain that because she didn’t quite understand. Then she said that the amniocentesis results came back normal as well, but that my regular doctor would go into further detail. I went home feeling much happier and I made sure I was drinking lots of water!
Tuesday, February 23, I still had slight cramps, but I was drinking loads of water. I received a phone call from Kaiser about the amniocentesis results and the nurse said that the baby has all 46 chromosomes, her protein was fine and her spine was in good shape. They also confirmed 100% it’s a girl because of the DNA results from the test. We were already told it was a girl with so many ultrasounds, but it was nice that they also checks and found out for sure. We were so excited to be having a baby girl!
I asked the nurse that since all the results were normal what would now happen with the ventricles and the care I would receive. She said that I will continue to see the high risk doctor and they will be monitoring them everything 3-4 weeks until the end of the pregnancy. My next appointment would be on March 1st. She said that as the pregnancy continues, they still have a chance of reducing. I asked what would happen if they continue to get larger. She told me that I could end up having a C-Section if her head gets too big and that they would place a tube in her brain shortly after birth to drain the water. That could end up taking 3 months or so to do and then they would continue to monitor it for some time as a child.
March 1st was another Monday appointment and we had it with the high risk doctor. They took us into a special room with the big ultrasound machine and once again she checked the ventricles. She also checked everything else like her heart, legs, arms, spine, nose, etc. The results came up under 1cm and she said it looked like to her everything was looking good and back to normal. We were shocked! It was barely a month ago that they were telling us there was a problem, we went through all the testing and now, it’s just gone? We were so happy as we don’t want anything to be wrong with our little girl. When we left they gave us instructions that we would have a follow-up ultrasound in about three weeks at Radiology, just to confirm the ventricles were continuing to stay under 1cm. All my other appointments would be scheduled with the normal doctor until we had further information.
March 22, we had a normal appointment with our midwife. She’s the one I would be seeing normally from here on out. She checked the heartbeat and took the measurement of my stomach. Which, is pretty cool because basically, they take a measurement from your pelvic bone to the top of the uterus. The inches, should match how many weeks you are, or somewhere right around it. I was at 25 inches, which is what week I was in so it was perfect. She said it looks like everything is going well and that I seem to be progressing at a normal rate.
That same week on Friday, March 26, we had our Radiology appointment. This was a bit unpleasant. And by unpleasant, I mean it was horrible and I ended up complaining.
First, the nurse didn’t want my husband in the room, but we refused and she finally allowed it. It was his child too, and he deserved the same information I was getting. After that, the nurse was fine. She allowed me to use the bathroom pretty quick into our appointment, as my bladder felt like it was going to explode. She checked measurements of pretty much everything and for once, I was able to see what was happening on the screen while she was doing it. The baby’s legs were measuring around 26 weeks. Her head was measuring around 25 weeks and there was something else measuring around 24 weeks. When she got to the ventricles, I made sure to pay close attention. First, she measured the left one and it came up .915cm. She checked it three or four times and it came up about the same each time. Then, she did the right one. She also checked it three or four times and each time it was coming up around 1.06cm. So, basically, the left one was normal and the right one was slightly enlarged. I wasn’t too worried. She showed us the feet and hands and I got to see her kick on the machine at the same time I felt her kick, that was pretty neat.
Then, the doctor comes in the room. This was NOT a doctor that I have seen before. She comes in trying to be all nice and requests the door closed and the lights off for better view. After the nurse does this, she suddenly stops and says “Actually, open the door.” She begins looking at the ventricles. The baby did not want to cooperate anymore and I could tell the doctor was having trouble seeing the ventricles. She finally snaps a picture and it wasn’t very clear at all. The baby just kept moving around. She took quick measurements of both of sides from this one bad picture. On her picture, both were coming up around 1.06+cm. She turns to the nurse and says that while she like her measurements, they were going with hers. That there was no change, they are about 1.1cm.” I was not happy. She didn’t even try very hard to get accurate measurements. The nurses results are the ones that should have been used has she did it several times and got the same results.
At that point, the doctor then turns to me and my husband and says that the baby is small for her age and that I needed to watch that. I was confused. This is the first time anyone has said anything about her being small for her age. They told me I need to eat more, especially fattening things like milk shakes. My regular midwife was perfectly fine with my weight and how we were progressing.
Then she turns to us and says that she’s going to offer some unsolicited advice. She looks directly at me and says that I need to quit smoking. I was dumbfounded. I told her very politely that I did not smoke, but that my husband does. I also informed her that he had been working with his doctor and was trying to quit. She then turned to my husband and told him he should quit for our baby and our family, which irritated me even more because I literally just told her that he was trying. At that point, she stood and stormed out of the room, leaving myself, my husband and the nurse in shock.
The nurse recovered and thanked us for coming and then said that she knew how hard it is to quit and that she’s been trying for a long time. She also let us know that Kaiser offers some programs that might help. I thanked her and we left. I was NOT happy. That doctor upset me quite a bit. It felt as if she didn’t care about us or our child. She rushed through the appointment and just didn’t felt like we were not important to her.
On March 29, Kaiser called me to make a follow-up ultrasound appointment because of the results from Friday. I told the nurse, Diane, about what happened on Friday and informed her I never wanted to see that doctor again and gave her the doctors name. She told me she understood and that the follow up appointment would be with my high risk doctor at the normal doctors office and that they may bring in a tech for it. She said that they would check the ventricles again and that IF they needed me to ever go back to the radiology department, they would make sure I would be going when that horrible doctor isn’t on duty. She told me she would let my doctor know what happened at Fridays appointment and that if I wanted to talk to her (the nurse) or my doctor I could call the direct line, which she gave me. She was very nice and friendly nurse. My next appointment is on April 14, with my normal doctor and then I have the follow up ultrasound appointment with the high risk doctor on April 19th.
On April 14, we went to my normal doctors appointment. Everything was looking really good. I have gained a total of 7lbs since the start of the pregnancy, which my doctor says is just fine as I was overweight to begin with. I did my glucose screening test on the 2nd, and I got an 87, so she was real pleased about that. I was really pleased to! She looked at the previous ultrasound results and I told her a little bit about what happened with that doctor. I also made she to mention that that other doctor said the baby was small. My doctor looked at the ultrasounds and said she was fine. She said babies around the 50% range are the normal size and she wouldn’t be concerned unless the baby was in the 80% or 90% range (meaning to big) or the 10% or 20% range which is to small. Our baby was about 43%. She measured my stomach and we’re right on schedule at 28 weeks. And she gave me another Ultrasound just to check the position, and our baby is still breech, but she says not to worry about it as there is plenty of time for her to turn. We, unfortunately didn’t get anymore pictures because the printer wouldn’t work, but I knew my next appointment was coming up so maybe we would get some then.
On April 19, we had our next appointment with my high risk doctor, she says everything looks great to her! She said the ventricles are looking fine at about 7mm and 8mm. She reminded us that anything under 10mm was perfect. The doctor also checked the baby’s measurements and said she was measuring good. Our baby’s head and belly measured 29 weeks and 4 days and her legs are measuring 30 weeks. I was 29 weeks 1 day, so she was slightly ahead! They scheduled our next appointment for 5 weeks out, so we were excited this was coming down to the end.
On May 24, we went in for our last big ultrasound. They said that her ventricles are still normal, so no more high risk doctor for me! We were so excited to finally be reaching the end of this journey. They told us that we would just be going to the regular doctor from now on and that after the baby was born they would take her for an x-ray just to be sure the ventricles were still normal. Of course, our girl was moving and making things difficult for the tech, but they said she was in the correct position for birth, but since it was still many weeks away that could and probably would change. They said she is measuring about 35 weeks and that she’s probably 5 to 5 1/5 pounds already! I was at 34 weeks and 1 day, so she was over schedule.
We had my 36 week appointment on June 8th. They make you go every 2 weeks once you near the end. She said everything looks good and we just got to play the waiting game now. Baby could come at anytime. They would prefer she make it to 38 weeks, but that if she decided now was time, they wouldn’t stop it.
We decided my last day at work would be June 18th and I was so ready. We had, what would be my final doctors appointment on June 22nd. They said that everything was still looking great and that I was 1.5cm dilated and 50% effaced. For those that doesn’t know what that means, it’s getting closer and closer!! The doctor recommended that I just walk, walk, walk!
To be continued…
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