An Eventful Morning

On Tuesday morning I had an appointment with maternal and fetal medicine for another ultrasound. My amniotic fluid has been a little high (it was 24 at weeks 30 and 31 and it is supposed to be less than 25) so my doctors wanted another ultrasound.

On the way to the appointment I was rear-ended right in front of the hospital. I got out and looked at the back of my car and thought it would just take a few minutes to exchange all the information and I would just be a little late for the appointment. I called and let the office know what had happened and said I hoped to be there soon. There was already a police officer stopped behind the other car. She asked if I wanted a paramedic since I am pregnant and I said no because I felt fine.

See, my car doesn't look too bad if you can't see underneath it. That is my spare tire in the road.

Then another officer showed up and asked me the same thing. I just sat in my car with it running since it was already in the 80s at 8:00. Then the fire department showed up to put down some sand like stuff on the fluids that were leaking on the road. I was surprised to learn that my car was also leaking something and that the exhaust system was badly damaged and that I “shouldn’t be running the car and should turn it off.” So I did.

Then a third police officer asked me a couple of questions (the first two had left) and told me that my car would have to be towed. This surprised me. He said the car did what it was supposed to do and crumbled where it should have but that I couldn’t drive it with the exhaust system like that.

I called Chris again and let him know that he would have to come to get me. Right before he got there I called to reschedule my ultrasound and they asked the doctor when she could fit me in. Her response? “Tell her she has to talk with her OB and be admitted to labor and delivery for monitoring to make sure everything is okay and we will fit her in later today.” What?

I have to admit at this point I lost it a little bit. I really didn’t think anything was wrong because I didn’t really feel any impact and the baby was moving around as normal but now I was worried. I was also concerned about work. I had to cancel three kids, one of whom had been on the waitlist for physical therapy for over a month and whose mom was anxious to find out some ways to help her son. So, I had a minor break down as we drove into the parking garage at the hospital.

My OB’s office wasn’t answering their phones yet even though it was a few minutes after 9:00. Since we were right there at the office, I just walked in and told the receptionist what happened. She went and told my OB who walked me to labor and delivery and admitted me and wrote the orders. She was in complete agreement that I needed to be monitored for four hours to make sure the baby and I were okay.

After being hooked up to the monitor, I called and canceled my appointments and by this time I had recovered emotionally and was no longer crying.

I was 35 weeks and 4 days. If I had been 36 ½ weeks or 37 weeks I would have just begged my doctor to do the induction right then and there. It was weird to be in labor and delivery but not have the excitement of getting ready to have a baby.

I was surprised to learn that I was having some contractions. I could not feel them at all. (No one was concerned that I was having some contractions. My doctor told me that maybe things will go really quickly when I am induced.) The baby was doing fine and moving all around as usual. After about an hour, the nurse came back and said they could do the ultrasound now and someone would be there soon to transport me downstairs to maternal and fetal medicine.

I asked if I could change back into my clothes and she said no. I was very embarrassed to be transported through the hospital in a wheelchair in a hospital gown. Of course, I never considered that my patients might feel that way when I did my clinical internship at another local hospital twelve years ago.

We did see a new mom being transported out of labor and delivery and her husband pushing their new baby in the little bassinet. The brand new baby was wrapped up like a little burrito. So cute!!!

Once downstairs I had the ultrasound. The technician said the baby looked perfect but that he probably weighs 7 pounds 1 ounce and that his legs are long. She asked again about gestational diabetes and then asked Chris how tall he is and then asked about the birth weight of our other two kids. The doctor came in a few minutes later and did another ultrasound and confirmed that everything looks great but that he is a big baby. She is happy my doctor is inducing me a little early.

I was wheeled back up stairs for more monitoring. All the blood work came back fine and after a total of four hours at the hospital, I was released. Chris had left about an hour earlier to go pick up our kids at home (it was time for the babysitter to leave). As I waited for them, I saw two new babies going home with their families. It made three weeks seem like a long time.

The next night, the woman who rear ended me called. She apologized for causing the accident and started crying as she said, “you must have been so worried about the baby.” She made me cry with her heartfelt apology and concern. I reassured her that the doctors told me everything was okay with the baby.

Today I saw my OB for a regular scheduled appointment and she is making me go back for another ultrasound on Monday.