Last week, Tuesday the 27th, I woke up and immediately knew I was pregnant. It was too early to take a test, but I didn't need it. I had a tell-tale sign; something was different, and it was a clear sign to me. BUT we had to wait until Friday to actually take a test. That week was a long, long week, let me tell you! That is a hard waiting game to play! But Friday morning FINALLY came....the results were light but obvious to us. :) Of course, like I said, I already knew it was true. I did not need a test to tell me this, but it is always nice to have that confirmation.
We were both just thrilled - but that soon turned to frustration. Ryan spent all afternoon trying to track down a doctor.... We had already decided we were delivering at Duke, after visiting Duke, Durham Regional, and Wake Med (yes, we did this very early on - planning ahead!). So, it now appeared we had a small pool of doctors to choose from. And the place recommended by my doctor (who just had her own baby!) is no longer accepting new patients. Great............. And the Duke Clinic, which is really for high risk pregnancies but also for others with private insurance, apparently gets very, very busy, and we're told there can be up to a two hour wait sometimes. Another Great......... We finally decide to try out the clinic - at least to get the first test done. (Do we actually have a choice right now?) We decide to keep trying Duke Women's Health, though. Maybe if we bug them enough, they'll get so annoyed that they'll take us, huh? ;)
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So....today was the day for the test at the clinic. There were all kinds of emotions going through me today - and all kinds of things coming out of my mouth!!! (Poor Ryan... I told him that eventually the pregnancy could cause "irritability" - not sure when that will kick in, though...hmmmm)
First, the parking is not great, but I could live with it, I suppose. We have to walk forever once in the building to find the clinic, wait in line forever to register, and then the lady gives us directions for what to do next: go down this hall, take a left, find the bathroom and the cups and (you know this part), then come back this way, take your sample to the lab which is down this other hall and to the left, then come back, go back down the hall you went to first, keep going, though, and make a right, then another right into the waiting room..... Are any of YOU lost by now? Because I was lost with the first sentence that came out of her mouth! I can't remember that many lefts and rights, no way! And I have to carry my sample out into this hallway full of people? Oooookkkkkk....
I've already complained to Ryan how ridiculous most of this is. I mean, first of all, when I had Camden, the choices were between two OB's - both were right next to the hospital in town. That choice was easy. And I got to park right in their small lot and walk right into the waiting room. All very simple. And the bathroom had a tiny door where I passed the sample into. THIS was all starting to annoy me. It doesn't help that we wait for over 30 minutes, in which time three different nurses come to ask if someone has taken my sheet yet (the first one did). I complain majorly to Ryan about the organization of this place! Then comes the best part.....and yes, I am being sarcastic. What was supposed to be THE BEST PART...
A nurse indicates to us with her finger to come over to her at the doorway of the waiting room where she - get this - holds up a business card that has a note written on it.
"Your pregnancy result is: _____ Pregnant _____ Not Pregnant"
There is an X beside "Pregnant"
WOW - that is IT??? You tell me by showing me a card in the HALLWAY? Fine for our situation, but I kept asking Ryan, what about those women who are very upset that they are, in fact, pregnant or the women who have been trying and trying and think maybe this time - to find out with an X that they are NOT pregnant??? This could be a major, major event for someone, and you're going to do it in a hallway? I could not get over this. Is this just my hormones or am I right to think this is wrong? Do we not deserve to find out in a private room where strangers are not around to watch our reaction, whether it is joy or sadness? Maybe it is just my hormones, maybe it's the social worker in me, but I thought it was terrible.
And does it get better from there? Not really. We are told there are three places that deliver at Duke (the clinic being one). BOTH are not accepting new patients!!! One is the one we called last week. Ryan makes an attempt to get them to feel sorry for us and take us on.... But they're getting ready to go to lunch and ask us to call the OB nurse in an hour. What a day this has been so far! This is supposed to be a wonderful, wonderful afternoon, and I am about in tears! I do NOT want to have to go to the clinic for my OB appts! I've been told yet again about the two hour waits that are possible and how busy they are, even with 15 doctors! No, no, no... I want a doctor's office! This is supposed to be the best hospital around, we have great insurance through Duke, and this is not supposed to be so difficult.
OK - long story short - like it's been short up till now, right? (Thanks for following this so far, by the way!) Ryan is my HERO by the end of the day. He convinces this lady to make an exception for us. :) She remembered us from last week, and perhaps it helps that Ryan works for Duke - who knows, but whatever it was, it worked. And this place is supposed to be great, and they have an office in Chapel Hill and one near my other doctor in Durham (close to home - and to Southpoint Mall).
So now, all is right and we are joyful, joyful, joyful. Not that we weren't happy about other things, but we needed a doctor! We don't have to worry about that now. We have a doctor and can deliver at Duke - one of our requirements. :) It may have limited us, but there are some things we were not willing to settle for, even if it meant going to that stinking clinic...
It was a crazy day, but we have even more confirmation (we have the card to prove it!), and we seem more settled with being able to handle this. So far, everything is actually working out EXACTLY like we wanted. We were very, very fortunate that we got pregnant exactly when we wanted to, we have the doctors we wanted from the beginning, we will be at the hospital we wanted, and we are having a BABY!!!
Now, I just have to wait for that morning sickness to kick in. I know it will start any day! I wonder every morning if this will be the day. After five months of all-day-sickness with Camden, I am treasuring every day I have had without it, and I am prepared for it when it comes (we'll see if I say that when it does happen, but for now...). I am thoroughly enjoying everything I get to eat and drink and enjoy. ;)
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