We're Okay!!

Yesterday was a long process but I have to say well worth it. I was registered with the hospital around 11 and 15 minutes later was taken back for an extensive sonogram. They had all the best equipment at the perionatologist office so I was able to see everything so clearly on the screen.

Because I had never been seen at that office before we had to repeat the 20 week fetal anatomy screen. This sonographer got great pictures!! She was able to show us both bones in both legs and arms. We saw the two hemispheres of the brain and the four chambers of the heart very clearly. The only thing he was a little shy about was his face. Although we did get to see the notrils this time which was really cool. One of the causes of Oligohydrinos could be malfunctioning kidneys so the sonographer got lots of pictures of the kidneys for the doctor to view. She had me move all around to make sure that she was able to get everything she needed and she was able to zoom in and adjust the light as needed. She left us in the room for a while so the doctor could look over all over the pictures and get back with us.

So about 20 minutes later the doctor comes in and says that the kidneys look great and then the sonographer shows her where the fluid is on the screen. They looked all around the baby (which is something my OB sonographer did not do) and saw pockets of water all around the baby. In some places the water level looked a little low but there was water in other areas that looked fine. The perionatlogist then explained to Stan and I that the way they assess water levels is different then what the OB does. When the baby reaches the belly button they divide the stomach into four quadrants. They measure the fluid in each quadrant and take the total divided by four to get an average amount of water in the sack. At this point the baby is still under the belly button so it is still too early to get a fluid measurement but as long as there is enough fluid for the baby to move around in etc. then the baby is not in any harm. She explained that when the baby's movements or growth become restricted that is when they have to intervene medically.
Since we are too early to tell the fluid volume we don't have a measurement for anyone however we do know that there was plenty of fluid for the baby to move around in and the doctor did not seem in the least bit worried. She wants to be able to measure the fluid though in a couple of weeks so Stan and I made another appointment for August 20th.

Then I was off to my final test. The doctor wanted to make sure I was not leaking any fluid so I was checked into the Labor and Delivery department to be checked out by one of my phyicians from Capital Women's Care. It was nuts, we had a nurse who was being trained for the Labor and Delivery department so regardless of the fact that I was only there for a quick check she went through her usual labor stuff. She even showed me where the shower was! I had to answer a million questions about my medical history and what level of pain I was in (after answering all those questions I was prob. about a 10 but I said 0 ) There was this other nurse who was in there training my nurse and she kept bringing up all this private information that she read in my file. I was like ok any minute now you can stop talking about my business. After a good 20-30 minutes the doctor came in and took a swab, put it on a slide, and then left to evaluate. She saw no traces of fluid so there was no rupture in the sac--yeah great news!! Then everyone left and I was able to get dressed and (finally) leave.
Stan and I were shocked we didn't leave the hospital until about 2:30-3 o'clock. I did not think that appointment was going to be that long. It was the longest time where I wasn't getting surgery I had ever spent in the hospital. I kept telling the nurses I was being really nice to them now because when I come back in December I can't make any guarentees.

In the end it was such a happy day and getting all these tests has lifted a load off. I think Stan and I are feeling so relieved to see the little guy in there moving around just fine and growing big stong and healthy. These past few days have been so hard (all the waiting and the ups and downs associated with that) but one thing that situations like this brings out is all those people who really care about you. It tests your will and I think gave Stan and I the realization of what being a parent is all about. We have had our strong moments and our weak ones over the last few days but what never changed was the strong community that came together for us and will one day come together for the baby too.