There was so much drama that came along with me trying to find an OB in Georgia. I put off finding one until the very last minute. The Friday before we moved, I called the OB rates #1 in the area and as it turns out, they don't take our insurance. Go figure. Picking an OB is so important bc the outcome of your delivery alot of the time depends on the doctor you go to. I've seen so many times babies that might have had better outcomes had a better decision been made during the labor process. The doctor matters. And I wanted a doctor I felt I could trust right away. I've never had to pick a doctor just by closing my eyes and pointing...I've picked a place to live that way, just not a doctor.
So, I finally get ahold of the group I go to now. I ask to see their #1 physician (#2 in the area). They needed a referral from my insurance before anything could happen. So I put that in motion. Then, turns out I didn't need a referral. So I call the physician's office again, ask them if they can take me, they say they will call me back. Two days later, no call. So on Monday, June 4, I call them back and say I need to know bc I had a high blood sugar result at my last doctor that needs to be addressed. They finally give me an answer. They have a new doctor coming in...a woman... and she starts the next day, Tuesday June 4. They fit me into her schedule for 3 pm the next day. Perfect. Finally an OB.
I arrive at the doctor's office, a bit nervous. But they were so nice. They took my hand and led me to the different places I needed to go. By the time I had filled out my papers, pee in the cup, waited for lab, I had sat in THREE waiting room. The nurse's tech called me in, got my history, my old chart, weighed me (OUCH), and took my BP (it was high-ish). She sent me back out to the same waiting room while we waited for the doctor.
A few minutes later the tech calls for to come with her. She said they were sending me for an immediate ultrasound. I said, "Ok..." She then said, "since the baby has a heart condition, we want to see how it is doing. If the heart condition is still there then we are going to send you to our high risk clinic right now." I had NO IDEA what she was talking about. I start crying. She was surprised that I didn't know anything. So she pulls me into a patient room and tells me that there was reference to a heart condition on the 18 week ultrasound. So she said that I needed to sit and wait and they were going to do an ultrasound before I saw the doctor. Talk about being freaked out. My phone only had 5% battery left. I didn't want to call Alex bc I kept tearing up and I was trying not to cry. I also didn't want to worry him until it was necessary. I didn't want to tell my family. BUT I needed to tell someone. So I texted Niki. I just gave her a basic bit of information. She prayed for me and the baby. The things that went through my head... I was so scared for my baby. So scared for what he or she might have to go through in the months to come.
I was taken in for my ultrasound and I talked to the ultrasound tech about the reason why they were doing it. She showed me the report. Then, she showed me my baby.
And here is the beautiful site I saw...
Such a beautiful... perfect... profile.
She looked over everything on this sweet child of mine. The tech talked me through all of it while I cried. (I was a bit distraught. I felt so bad for her.) Everything looked perfect to her. The heart appeared to be completely normal. PHEW! What we ended up figuring out is that they worded in the order that the reason I was having an 18 week ultrasound was to rule out any heart problems. Apparently that is their insurance coding reason. I was not having it at 18 weeks for that reason. All patients have ultrasounds anywhere between 18 and 22 weeks to check growth and development and to identify any issues of the baby... and for most people, that is when they find out the gender.
Once all was good in the hood, she then turned on the 3D part of the ultrasound. I've never seen a 3D image. OMG! So amazing!!!
My beautiful baby :)
That part was just plain 'ole amazing. I cried and cried. She probably thought she needed to offer me a pill of some sort. I was a basket case.
I then went to see Dr. Amanda McPherson. It was her first day at the office and she ended up not seeing me until after 5 pm... the office closes at 5. She came in all frazzled and apologetic that she hadn't even looked through my old records. I gave her my background, my history, etc. She let me know that she would probably induce me at least a week early. She gave me an update on what would happen so we could monitor the baby closely given my preeclampsia history. She was so nice...even if she was frazzled. She reminded me alot of a doctor, Dr. Kennard, that I used to work with at Trident. She also stated that she agreed that the whole heart condition part was probably about insurance coding.
I left the office feeling completely drained but feeling relieved that I got to see my baby and meet my doctor. Such an emotional rollercoaster. But, the only that matters is that my baby looked fabulous and healthy...and chubby...in the ultrasound :)
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