Softball to peanut

So, Tuesday morning I had my first visit to my new OB/GYN. Having previously had a couple of 'first appointments' like this, I thought I knew what to expect. I thought it would probably take a couple of hours and be both painful and boring; boring being the whole medical history, insurance, etc. part and the painful being the actual exam and tests part.

Well, it started out about like I expected, we got there, filled out tons of papers, said no to lots of questions (everything from number of partners to drug and alcohol use to genetic disorders-if you haven't been through it, it's really an experience....). Then I got the nasty hospital gown and sheet and was told to 'sit, stay' until the Dr. would come and do the exam part. So, I'm waiting and waiting...and eventually a lady comes in, but it's not the doctor. It's some woman who works with some part of social services with some program for mom's and new babies...kinda a waste of time, but you get some free stuff, so I talked to her. It turns out she's actually a member of the church! I wasn't expecting that (neither was she), but it was a pleasant surprise. So the lady's in there talking to me about everything from the hospital to her son who's about to turn in his mission papers. This would be fine, except that I'm still sitting there in the nasty hospital gown and sheet. So, she talks and talks and talks, and the doctor doesn't come in. Finally, I've about had enough of all this and the doctor walks in, does the exam and all that. Then she drops the bomb "I don't think you're as far along as you think you are in your pregnancy."

Everything stops. What? How could I not be 4 1/2 months along? That's when my last period was! What was this woman saying to me? She wanted to do a quick ultrasound to make sure. At this point Joe and Karen finally got to come back with me (they'd been in the waiting room the whole time!) and I found out that it was now after 11am (we'd come in at 9). So, the doctor did the ultrasound, and Karen was so cute when she put the heartbeat on. She kept saying "what's that? What's that?" all excited and everything. However, I was not very pleased with the result of the ultrasound. My baby, instead of being the size of a softball, was the size of a peanut shell. It was small, it still had a tail, and we were lucky to be able to hear the heartbeat. It turns out that I'm only now 11 weeks along! Instead of being due the end of December, I'm now due the beginning of February! Talk about a heart stopper. As many of you (especially Nancy right now I'm sure) can attest, the worst nightmare you have when you're pregnant is that it will never end, and you'll be stuck like this forever. The extra 6 weeks on the end of my 'sentence' makes it seem very much like this.

Anyway, back to the doctor office... So the doctor says, okay, now that we have your real due date, we'll draw your blood for the tests. (It's now 11:30 or a bit after.) I go out, followed by Joe and Karen, to the lab place and sit in the 'blood drawing' chair. The nurse person tries to get the blood from my left arm, but misses the vein. Then she tries the right arm; missed again. Then she gets another nurse person to try it-like I have some wierd veins or something. This lady was just evil to me. Since they'd tried both arms with no success, she decides to try a vein in my hand next. (note-I have really poor circulation in hands and feet at the best of times, even worse during pregnancy) Well, of the 5 (yes, five) vials they were trying to fill, they ended up getting one. The vein in my hand exploded. Then they ask if I'd had anything to eat that day (I'd had breakfast before we came-almost 4 hours now) or if I'd had anything to drink. I think they'd forgotten that I'd been there for over 3 hours by this time. I don't remember much of what else they were saying to me, because I passed out. This was my first such experience, and if you haven't done it before, I don't recommend it. I was sitting there with a vein in my hand exploded (even now there's a huge knot and bruise on it) and then I was having a very strange dream which I was rudely awakened from by the most nasty smelling salts ever. They made me lay down, have some water and a plum, and finally we got to leave. While I liked the office and the doctor and the hospital, I'm kinda afraid to go back for my next appointment; they still have at least 4 vials of blood to take.

So, if anyone else has a better story for their first dr. visit I'd love to hear it. I came home and went to bed for a few hours, trying to forget the horror of the morning, but obviously it didn't work. Next time I write it will be something much better and hopefully less horrifying. (Our vacation wasn't THAT bad! ;D )