Well, you know what I mean. Surely a much wiser person than I would tell me: "Welcome to Parenthood".
The day started out so well, last Friday. It was Engineer Day, the equivalent of a company picnic. I had volunteered to help out and was assigned an 11-12 shift at the food tent. So I slept in, read in bed before getting up, got up and made breakfast, cleaned some house, took a shower and got dressed at a leisurely pace. I remember thinking, Gosh this is so nice, I wish everyday could be like this....siggghhhhhh.... ahhhh......
So I drove out to the park and showed up for my shift. I ended up being the person handing out the condiments for the hotdogs and hamburgers; the cheese, lettuce and tomato. An easy job, which I enjoyed because I was on my feet, helping people and was busy. Which is just a few of the reasons why I think I belong in the medical field. Someday...... Anyway, I was done with my shift and was perched on the edge of one of our tables under the tent, enjoying my hotdog and slice of pizza. Then I started to notice something quite subtle going on in my britches. Little gushes, if you will. I was thinking, Well that's kind of odd... some discharge? Surely I'm not wetting my pants but you never know with pregnancy..... And then I start trying to figure out how to assess the situation. Then noticed there were bathrooms at the park we were at. I was just about to head on over there, through the crowd of my fellow employees, when I decided to glance down at the front of my light-colored pants first. And then I saw it.
The front of my pants was soaked through with blood. This was middle school mortification all over again, topped with Fear. Anxiety. and Terror. I dropped everything and speed-walked over to my car and prayed that no one was paying attention. Of course I run into a fellow volunteer in the parking and he makes a comment about me booking out fast, and I try to sidestep him and laugh and continue on. What do you say to that? Sorry but I'm 11 weeks pregnant and suddenly bleeding and need to get the hell out of here!!
So I fly home, but somehow manage to catch nearly every light along the way. Praying and hoping and trying to remain positive. I get home and assess the damage; its bright red and soaked through my underwear and pants. This is definitely not spotting. I call my Doctor's office, and while I love Dr. Smiley, trying to get through their phone system is downright awful. It seemed like it took half an hour before I finally get through to the triage nurse. I tell her all what happens and she says it's best for me to come in and get che cked out, and Can I be there in 45 minutes? You know it. Of course being that it's Friday, Dr.Smiley's office is closed so I will have to see another doctor, the only one that sees patients on Fridays. I get there at 1, and my appointment is at 1:30. When I arrive at the office, they won't even let me go back to the Doctor's waiting area (there are several doctor's in the practice and they all have their own waiting areas) because they weren't back from lunch yet. So I have to sit and wait till then. And stew and not have a panic attack.
Finally at 1:35, they let me go to the Doctor's waiting area, with several other patients. Over a period of about 45 minutes, I get weighed (and have to go back and sit down), submit my urine sample (and have to go back and sit down) , and finally get to sit down again with the triage nurse and tell the tale yet again. She sends me straight over to the Ultrasound office, and I get to see the nice lady again that always compliments what I am wearing. She starts with the external scanner on my belly and immediately she finds the wee tot and the heartbeat. GloryHalleluiahThanksbetoBabyJeezus. I was trying beforehand to prepare myself to hear those most-feared words "I'm not seeing a heartbeat". But how do you even begin to do that?
And then it was okay. The detail on the monitor was much better than last time; you could see every last bone of the spine, the beginnings of fingers and toes, and she/he was even moving around alot, like flipping from side to side, trying to get comfortable. She gave me another set of printouts and a cd, but the printouts are never as good as what you see on the monitor big screen. She also does a brief internal scan and both of the technicians seem to be interested in what is on the screen. She says she thinks I may have some blood clots.
Then I get sent back to the other doctor's waiting room. And waited and waited and waited. Finally I get seen around 3:45-ish? By this point I had even became tired of things on my phone, the magazine within my reach; and started chatting up the lady next to me, which I never, ever do. I meet with Mr. Other Doctor in his office after he reviews my U/S. He is alright, but I'm glad he's not my regular doctor. He says that it's most likely leftover implantation bleeding, and on the U/S I have some old blood or clotting between the uterine wall and the placenta. And that I will probably continue to bleed. And I could come in anytime I see fit if I become concerned about the level of bleeding, but that it's entirely up to me.
So here I am, 11, almost 12 weeks pregnant and wearing a 'feminine product' of all things, because the 'heavy spotting' continues. But at least I know all is well.
The day started out so well, last Friday. It was Engineer Day, the equivalent of a company picnic. I had volunteered to help out and was assigned an 11-12 shift at the food tent. So I slept in, read in bed before getting up, got up and made breakfast, cleaned some house, took a shower and got dressed at a leisurely pace. I remember thinking, Gosh this is so nice, I wish everyday could be like this....siggghhhhhh.... ahhhh......
So I drove out to the park and showed up for my shift. I ended up being the person handing out the condiments for the hotdogs and hamburgers; the cheese, lettuce and tomato. An easy job, which I enjoyed because I was on my feet, helping people and was busy. Which is just a few of the reasons why I think I belong in the medical field. Someday...... Anyway, I was done with my shift and was perched on the edge of one of our tables under the tent, enjoying my hotdog and slice of pizza. Then I started to notice something quite subtle going on in my britches. Little gushes, if you will. I was thinking, Well that's kind of odd... some discharge? Surely I'm not wetting my pants but you never know with pregnancy..... And then I start trying to figure out how to assess the situation. Then noticed there were bathrooms at the park we were at. I was just about to head on over there, through the crowd of my fellow employees, when I decided to glance down at the front of my light-colored pants first. And then I saw it.
The front of my pants was soaked through with blood. This was middle school mortification all over again, topped with Fear. Anxiety. and Terror. I dropped everything and speed-walked over to my car and prayed that no one was paying attention. Of course I run into a fellow volunteer in the parking and he makes a comment about me booking out fast, and I try to sidestep him and laugh and continue on. What do you say to that? Sorry but I'm 11 weeks pregnant and suddenly bleeding and need to get the hell out of here!!
So I fly home, but somehow manage to catch nearly every light along the way. Praying and hoping and trying to remain positive. I get home and assess the damage; its bright red and soaked through my underwear and pants. This is definitely not spotting. I call my Doctor's office, and while I love Dr. Smiley, trying to get through their phone system is downright awful. It seemed like it took half an hour before I finally get through to the triage nurse. I tell her all what happens and she says it's best for me to come in and get che cked out, and Can I be there in 45 minutes? You know it. Of course being that it's Friday, Dr.Smiley's office is closed so I will have to see another doctor, the only one that sees patients on Fridays. I get there at 1, and my appointment is at 1:30. When I arrive at the office, they won't even let me go back to the Doctor's waiting area (there are several doctor's in the practice and they all have their own waiting areas) because they weren't back from lunch yet. So I have to sit and wait till then. And stew and not have a panic attack.
Finally at 1:35, they let me go to the Doctor's waiting area, with several other patients. Over a period of about 45 minutes, I get weighed (and have to go back and sit down), submit my urine sample (and have to go back and sit down) , and finally get to sit down again with the triage nurse and tell the tale yet again. She sends me straight over to the Ultrasound office, and I get to see the nice lady again that always compliments what I am wearing. She starts with the external scanner on my belly and immediately she finds the wee tot and the heartbeat. GloryHalleluiahThanksbetoBabyJeezus. I was trying beforehand to prepare myself to hear those most-feared words "I'm not seeing a heartbeat". But how do you even begin to do that?
And then it was okay. The detail on the monitor was much better than last time; you could see every last bone of the spine, the beginnings of fingers and toes, and she/he was even moving around alot, like flipping from side to side, trying to get comfortable. She gave me another set of printouts and a cd, but the printouts are never as good as what you see on the monitor big screen. She also does a brief internal scan and both of the technicians seem to be interested in what is on the screen. She says she thinks I may have some blood clots.
Then I get sent back to the other doctor's waiting room. And waited and waited and waited. Finally I get seen around 3:45-ish? By this point I had even became tired of things on my phone, the magazine within my reach; and started chatting up the lady next to me, which I never, ever do. I meet with Mr. Other Doctor in his office after he reviews my U/S. He is alright, but I'm glad he's not my regular doctor. He says that it's most likely leftover implantation bleeding, and on the U/S I have some old blood or clotting between the uterine wall and the placenta. And that I will probably continue to bleed. And I could come in anytime I see fit if I become concerned about the level of bleeding, but that it's entirely up to me.
So here I am, 11, almost 12 weeks pregnant and wearing a 'feminine product' of all things, because the 'heavy spotting' continues. But at least I know all is well.
Just now reading this, but so scary and I'm glad everything is ok now!
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