April 6, 2006

*Note: As of this morning, the photo of me pregnant with Devin has not been scanned and blogger.com is having some problems with photo uploads this morning, so you'll have to read below and get the visual tomorrow. I'm sorry. :)

You asked for it, you got it. Here are comparative photos of me during my pregnancy with Devin and this current pregnancy with the twins. I have even worn the same shirt so that no illusions are created and posed in the same position I did three years ago.

Side note: Yes, I am aware that the shirt makes me look like a gigantic peppermint, but it's one of the only things that still fits! Some might say that I look like a candy cane, but you have to be tall and thin to be a candy cane and I definitely don't qualify in that department. I'm much more of a peppermint -- short and round.

The photo of me wearing glasses is me yesterday, April 5, 2006, at 25 weeks and 3 days. The photos of me without glasses is me on July 10, 2003 at 37 weeks and 6 days.

Go ahead. Laugh. It's okay.

I saw Dr. Harden yesterday and what a mess it was! My first appointment in January had Todd and me sitting in the waiting room for over an hour waiting to see her. When we finally got in, she totally disarmed us by telling us that she does 80% of her own deliveries and that she tries not to keep patients waiting, but that the inevitable sometimes happens.

I'm glad she said that because yesterday was a lesson in patience.

My appointment was two-fold: To see the doctor as well as to have my gestational diabetes test (a test every pregnant woman gets between 25 and 28 weeks). The plan was simple and easy -- I was to go immediately to the lab, drink the wonderful beverage they provide (more later on that) and then head up to Dr. Harden's office for my appointment. At precisely one hour after I finished my drink, I was to return to the lab to have my blood drawn. Once all of that happened, I was free to go. Sounds easy...

So I get to the lab and they give me the drink. Imagine Orange Crush soda on steroids. This stuff is like the Jolt Cola of Orange drinks. Very sugary, very carbonated. You have to drink all eight ounces of it in less than five minutes (not easy) and within the hour, blood samples should indicate your tolerance or intolerance to sugar and decide if you could have gestational diabetes. If it comes back positive, there is another three-hour test that needs to be done.

So I chugged my drink (college was good for something...) and went down to Dr. H's office. I should have known there was a problem when there were like 15 women waiting in her waiting room.

I signed in and told the receptionist that I was due back at the lab at 11:14 (seriously -- they're that precise). She made a note and I had a seat.

And there I sat. And so did the rest of us. No one moved. No one was called back to the office, no one came out. No one.

A lady sitting near me got up to inquire about Dr. Harden's whereabouts and came back to report to the friend who was with her that Dr. Harden was on call the entire night before and was running late.

The woman seemed pretty irritated, but I just tried to put myself in Dr. H's shoes: Here is a professional who works very, very hard to be there personally for all of her patients. Because she works in a group (which I think is an enormous benefit), she's going to have "on call" times and some of those times will be very hectic. Yesterday was no exception and I just tried to be patient.

Around 11:10, I told the receptionist that I was due back at the lab and she said to just let her know when I would return. I went up, visited the vampire (ie - got my blood drawn) and was back down in Dr. Harden's office in less than five minutes. I let the receptionist know that I was back and sat down again. I called Todd to let him know how late I was running and asked if he could please pick up Devin (note: Todd had a 1/2 day off and Devin has to be picked up by noon).

This time, luckily, I only sat for ten or 15 minutes before I was called back. The usual stuff ensued: weight, blood pressure, battery of questions, etc.

I got into the room, answered a few more questions and then got undressed for my now-weekly cervix check. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Harden appeared and boy did she look tired. We spent some time talking about the babies and the hospitalization and she did the sonogram. All looked well with both babies, although they were moving so much it was hard to keep up with them. I told her that it's a no-win situation: I worry when they move and I worry when they don't move.

She checked my cervix (which is in great shape, apparently) and apologized again for being so late. I asked when she slept last and she said she'd been awake for nearly 36 hours. I told her that I couldn't believe that they would allow that to happen and she said, "Well, I won't be doing any delicate procedures today. I know my limits!"

With that, I was on my way. My original appointment was at 10:20, but I arrived at the lab at 10:05. By the time I got out of there, it was about 12:05. It was late, but like I said, I was trying to be patient.

As I checked out and pulled out my trusty calendar to book my next appointment, I looked down with horror: My appointment wasn't for April 5 at 10:20, it was for April 6 at 10:20!

I asked the receptionist and sure enough, it was there on her computer too: I had come on the wrong date. Through all of the overbooking and running late, they still worked me in and never said a word about my being there 24 hours early.

Go ahead. Laugh. It's okay.