So today was the day I needed to go to the hospital for my scan. Unfortunately I started bleeding on and off yesterday, so I didn’t go with much hope, I was just wanting an answer either way, and so obviously, that would be precisely what I didn’t get 🙁
First of all, there was a 40 minute wait just to be scanned. I know that the sign said that you don’t necessarily get seen in order of arrival, but being seen in reverse order of arrival is really really annoying, especially when my experiences in Chesterfield had led me to give the whole thing a 30 minute window. And waiting is hard, especially when I’d forgotten to take a book. At least in this particular set up I wasn’t sitting with a row of obviously pregnant women, the scan dept appears to be shared across many different specialisms.
Then there was the scan, and it gave a resounding lack of detail or resolution. And even better, she couldn’t exclude ectopic pregnancy via it, which just gives one more little niggle to worry about. Then I had to trek (and I really do mean trek) right across the hospital to find the ward I should have gone to first (silly me, following signs to EPAU, obviously I should have known that really I wanted Ward 4D (well I would have done if I’d remembered to take the scrappy bit of card I wrote the details down on two weeks ago when I booked the scan, but who remembers things like that at 8 o’clock in the morning? :blush:)) so that I could spend the rest of the time waiting in a variety of rooms for a variety of ppl.
First of all there was the nurse, who was matter of fact but caring, and set off to track down a doctor to interpret the scan results. At this point I thought this was standard procedure and was quite impressed, didn’t see a doctor once during the two experiences in Chesterfield, apart from remotely when I was ‘given permission’ to go home (I’d have liked to see her try to stop me!). I was less than impressed when it took nearly 30 minutes to track down a doctor, and then just plain scared when she started explaining all the odds. Apparently, even now, there is still a 50/50 chance that this pregnancy will be successful. (Although I’d be believing that a lot more if I hadn’t been able to hear her discussing me as the probably miscarriage with the other doctor from her position somewhere up the corridor 🙁 ) But what they can’t exclude, and need to, is that it’s ectopic, and for that reason, I had to hang around for bloods, including full blood count, so that if it ruptures, as the cheery second doctor explained, they’ve got some of the right type of blood on hand for me.
Thanks. I’ll sleep well tonight. And in and amongst all this, I had my obs taken, I have blood pressure of 107/64, blood oxygen of 100% (I’m obviously not a smoker it appears) and a pulse of 55, which makes me an athlete says the nurse. Excellent obs, and she didn’t need to take my temperature after all.
They’ll ring me tomorrow if the bloods come back giving cause for concern, otherwise I need to go in again on Sunday for them to do it all again. Wonder if there will actually be a doctor about to do the blood test at that point? 4.30 on a Sunday afternoon? Or are nurses allowed to do that sort of thing?
And then, if the blood tests aren’t conclusive, I have to go back for another scan sometime either next week or the week after. Let joy be unconfined! Wonder if they do season parking tickets? Oh, and I’ve a massive bruise starting on my arm, which could be related to it stopping bleeding at vial three and him poking it to make it start again, or could be related to him being distracted by his mobile ringing part way through. Hohum.
The good news, if it can be classed as such, is that the nurse tracked down a consultant (I don’t know which one) to ask whether, if this turns out to be the third miscarriage in a row, I can be referred for further investigations. My gp in Chesterfield was rather dismissive of that option, as he thought it was age related, which in all probability it will be, but apparently Calderdale will be quite happy to refer me, and there are a couple of lovely doctors who run the service in Calderdale or Huddersfield, so I’ll get to meet one of them shortly after I’m discharged after this one. Assuming that this is a miscarriage, which despite 50/50 odds as stated previously, it feels like to me.
What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I was there nearly 3 hours. Oof.
And I have Food Safety tomorrow.
HelenHaricot says
ah, hugs. why don’t you play the my friend is… card next time, and i presume it is Martin that runs the service?? [he seems to have lost weight hair and glasses since i worked there]. but i have recently met and chatted to ben, julia and dewi.
HelenHaricot says
and it is standard prac to want to exclude ectopic and to play the less than cheery card so that ppl return for the next blood test, as otherwise they tend to not come, and it is important [if unlikely]
SallyM says
I’m fortunate enough never to have been in that situation so I have no idea what you must be going through. I will be thinking of you and hoping that Sunday brings some answers.
Sarah says
just more hugs from me, will also be thinking of you over the weekend xxx.
Merry says
Thinking of you too. Really am, wish i had something helpful to say.