Here's the latest pictures at 34.5 weeks:
We had our 34 week appointment on Monday...and it went OK. I say "OK" rather than great--because it was just a really annoying appointment in general....
First of all we saw a nurse that we hadn't seen before--and we weren't really fond of her. I got weighed and actually lost a pound from our 32 week appointment (total gain is 25 pounds now). I'm feeling good about the weight gain and hope not to gain TOO much more over the next 6 weeks. However, Thanksgiving is totally going to blow that for me....
We then went into the exam room and then nurse proceeded to say I was 33 weeks and 5 days. I told her no--I was 34 weeks exactly. She tried telling me I was due on December 29th and that was news to me! We had been told since the very beginning that our due date was December 27th. She wouldn't let it go--and I wouldn't let it go either....and eventually I proved her wrong. Apparently someone at a prior appointment had input my due date incorrectly...and I am in fact due on December 27th as I thought. I know a couple days doesn't make THAT big of a difference--but come on...who wants to be told that they have an extra 2 days to go!? :)
So then as the nurse is going to take my blood pressure she says "so, your blood pressure is usually really high here...." and then begins to pump the cuff. Hmmm...if my blood pressure wasn't high before that comment, it certainly would be after! My heart started racing and I felt myself holding my breath and concentrating on it waaay too much. My blood pressure before I left home that day was 91/56....and when she was finished taking it at the office she proceeded to tell me it was 140/100!
She said she wanted me to do another urine sample, like they did at the last appointment--to check for protein, which is a sign of preeclampsia and/or hypertension.
She took the sample and then said the doctor would be in shortly. I wasn't too concerned because my last sample was fine, I haven't had any significant weight gain or swelling, and I was feeling great.
The doctor came in eventually and she was the one who couldn't find the heartbeat back at one of our early appointments. I already had a bad feeling about the appointment just because of that! She walked in, said in a very somber tone "well...we'll talk about your blood pressure at the very end of the appointment."
I looked at Casey and we both KNEW it wasn't good news. My mind started bouncing from one thought to the next....I have preeclampsia, I will probably be put on bed rest, I will have to begin maternity leave early, I am going to be induced early, etc...etc...
I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the appointment. We heard the heartbeat which was perfect....my belly measured exactly 34 weeks, my weight gain was fine, she could feel that the baby moved to the head down position....everything was fine. But my mind was too wrapped up in the fact that she wanted to "discuss" my blood pressure at the end of the appointment.
The end of the appointment arrived and she began by saying "I'm concerned that your blood pressure is so high here at the office." I explained that it's always very low at home...but she didn't really seem to care. She kept sighing and thinking, and looking up at the ceiling, pondering, contemplating....drawing our 15 minute appointment into an hour (not joking). FINALLY, she said "well...your urine sample today was clear....no protein."
I could have leapt off the examining table and strangled her! I said "wait--WHAT? There was NO protein in the sample--so I'm FINE???"
She responded, "well, technically, yes."
I had just spent the last 45 minutes so upset, on the verge of tears--believing that I had preeclampsia and the remainder of my pregnancy would be one big ball of stress. But no.....I was fine.....
She said she wanted to check my blood pressure again--and that she was going to go get a stethoscope. She left the room and didnt come back for 5-10 minutes--and when she did come back--she was empty handed. She explained that she had spoken with another doctor and apparently had missed the last chart review and the general consensus was that I should have extra blood labs done to check my kidney and liver levels (those give insight into hypertension/preeclampsia as well) and that they wanted me to do a 24 hour urine collection at home.
So yes--it was an annoying appointment--one I was glad to get over with!
To make a very long story short--they drew my blood, my labs came back VERY normal, and today I am spending the day collecting my urine in a sterile jug EVERY SINGLE TIME I pee--and keep it refrigerated! A big ugly orange urine collection container is now sitting in the door of our fridge....appetizing! I'll drop it off at the hospital lab tomorrow morning, when the 24 hours is complete. I'm fully expecting (and hoping) the sample comes back clear and it will be proven that I simply have white coat syndrome at the doctors office and not hypertension or preeclampsia.
Our next appointment is 11/28 where we will have a quick ultrasound to check the weight estimate of the baby, the position, etc! Very exciting! At that point I will have 4 weeks left! I honestly can't believe how fast time has flown by....
Besides that--not much else is new. Casey is back from Ohio and I am very happy about that! It was a long 12 days...
I also noticed that Casey and I don't have a single picture together during the time I've been pregnant--so we set up a maternity photo session on Sunday 11/27! I am so excited and looking forward to having some beautiful pictures of the 2 of us!
That's it for now--looking forward to another quick week...especially with Thanksgiving thrown in there! :)
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