Saturday, June 28, 2014

Medical Jargon

There are a number of statistics the professionals are watching very closely because of my medical history and status. I am considered a red-hot high risk pregnancy.
However, after all the drama and hysteria with the trying and the nothing and the getting here, it's been kind of anticlimactic now that it's happened.
The biggest thing the doctors worry about - and there are a lot of doctor that want a piece of me - is my age. At the top of all my medical files are the words "Elder primigravida" which sounds serious but just means I am having my first baby over the age of 35. My obstetrician actually apologized for having to put it down.
It does mean I have get to take a lot of tests. Mostly genetic tests, to check chromosomes for defects and assess viability of the pregnancy. It was through a chromosome test that we found out we were having a boy, long before the ultrasound could tell anything. Which is handy, because we registered for a lot of blue stuff. All the chromosome tests have come back normal and though it's not 100% guaranteed, the geneticist says, "what pregnancy is?"
There will be more tests, every four weeks, and should something come out weird, they get to invade some more, but thus far, all is good and normal. 
In addition to all the testing - which has come a long way from our mothers' generation, I get mostly blood tests and none of the needles sticking weird places gathering strange fluids - I get bumped up from random ultrasound tech guy to perinatologist. He does a very thorough ultrasound, with better resolution, and according to his own statement, he's smarter than all the other people in the department, so he's the best one to see. I've been to see him twice and he also says all is normal and looks good. Cheeta grows consistently, is on target for the due date - which means he's getting enough food - all his bones are in the right place and at the first appointment with Dr. Smarty-pants I was told, with all sincerity, "your baby has a head."
I consider that a plus.
He's actually a pretty fun doctor for being the high-risk pregnancy specialist and I don't think all the women he sees get the all-clear, or get it as early as I have. Because the other reason I am on the high-risk list is a function of my being a type-I diabetic. Because I am, and because I have been for a long time, I know about sugar monitoring, exercise and eating right and thusly my sugars have been in good control since long before this baby was a consideration. The nurses check in regularly, get lists of my sugars weekly, adjust my insulin, test the HbA1c (it's a history of sugar control thing) and make sure I exercise regularly. (Thank you Stingy's dog.)
Not all people know, or care, or monitor apparently and I guess he has to give some bad news quite often.
Another concern because of being diabetic is preeclampsia, but my blood pressure is awesome and thus we need not fear that condition at this point in time.
My proteins are also good, not showing up places they shouldn't AND because of being diabetic, I get to skip the nasty orange drink thing as we already know: I couldn't take it.
Interestingly, the infertility history doesn't mean much to the white coats, especially as it was a spontaneous fertilization.
Weight in general is monitored and because I have never been a slender person, my OB would like less weight gain than the usual for a pregnancy. Thus far it's been only 2lbs so I'm okay there too.
I do have to watch my potassium - not a usual pregnancy concern I understand - but it means a lot of bananas (ick), pistachios, apricots and one more tube every time they take blood.
I know, it's all going to change later and the third trimester is hardest of all, but if the potassium is the worst thing I deal with, it's going to be okay.

This is me and how's that for potentially, but in the end totally, but completely not at all complicated?

3 comments:

Cath said...

I got the special ultrasound at the geneticist's, too! Mine was on account of the cysts. They offered a bunch of other tests, but I decided that since I was going to carry to term either way, I didn't want the risk of the amniocentesis. You can always say no to the chromosome tests. Not so much the blood sugar and stuff (you're not missing much on the sugar drink; mine was like slimy Hi-C), but a lot of them are optional.

Master P said...

%$#@&*!!!!! I kept thinking, MAN, Jane sure has dropped the blogging ball, I sure wish she'd update! Turns out I can't trust my blogfeedreader thing. Oh, Goole Reader, why did you have to goooo????? So dagnabit, prepare to be spammed with comments. I have 3 %%%$@ months to cover. And this stuff looks good :)

Master P said...

I'm adding "He does a very thorough ultrasound, with better resolution, and according to his own statement, he's smarter than all the other people in the department, so he's the best one to see." to my favorite Jane-isms. You are dry like the Sahara, m'dear, and I love it!

From Whence You Cometh