This week, my appointment at the OB offices were later in the week. It was a pretty quick check up at the offices. The nurse always weighs me, and gets my urine to check for protein. They take my blood pressure and everything seemed normal. She said you're 21 weeks, then said, you must have one big baby in there (eyes began to roll)... I said there are three in there, I'm having triplets. She said you'd think they have that marked somewhere on your chart. This is exactly why I ask the same damn questions every week, to see if I get the same answers.
I was told eight weeks ago, I'd get a ultra sound every time I came there because using the doppler machine might isn't accurate. This nurse asks me if I knew where the babies were and proceeded to listen to the heartbeats. Later, I could hear the nurse tell the doctor, outside the room, that I have triplets and that she heard their heartbeats.
I honestly feel like there's a little bit of me educating or at least bringing these doctors up to speed so I try not to get frustrated during the process. This doctor I liked, she has fraternal twins. She listened and answered a few of my questions. I dozed off waiting for her, but tried to perk up once she came in. I wondered if there was a social worker or some person that can go over any of the programs that are offered to mothers taking maternity leave, FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act etc.). This conversation began with me talking about bed rest. I'm not sure if she felt I was fishing to maybe stop working, but my point was that I wanted her to know that I didn't want to be on bed rest or more importantly wanted to see how I was progressing before any discussions of bed rest were made. I did find out that after 26 weeks, I'll be going for a check up every week for them to keep a closer eye on me.
I asked a few more questions about the C section, date and when it was going to be scheduled. She put me on the list to talk to the other doctors at their weekly meeting. Boy, I'd love to be a fly on that wall. It appeared as if the doctor was preparing to leave, but I still wanted to see the babies and get an ultrasound. I don't know if she was more curious her self or just obliging me, but either way I appreciate it. Seeing their little heart beats always make it real and eases some worry for me.
It's always a constant struggle with worrying and with somethings I have accepted. When I returned to work, a coworker said to me that I was going to go "early". Well yeah, 32 weeks is early, duh.. to which then coworker replies, "no earlier than that". Pregnant Pause..pun intended!!...That really took me back, how this person a man, with his projecting tone would inform me was going to go into labor even earlier than 32 weeks. Meanwhile, I've been moving around the office with no complications thus far, handling my job and being I thought very competent. To my knowledge, he has no experience with multiples, let alone, preemies. Maybe he said this out of fear? I really have no idea, it didn't seem like an attempt to ease any worry I had. It probably did the opposite and he probably didn't know what he said was going affect me the way it did. It just caught me off guard, anyway, I did reply that we are not going to put that thought in the universe. My plan, and I'm a planner, is to go to 32 weeks, longer if the doctors allow me to. I'll continue to perform all my duties at work, be a mom to my 4 year old and wife to my husband. I plan to continue to do the best I can and stay positive. I'd just like the same from the folks around me.
~Truly Karae
