Wednesday 30 January 2008

Morning at the hospital

Today has been.... arduous. I had to go to the hospital in the morning for the Down Syndrome scan and I also had to give a blood sample to check for gestational diabetes. The first required me to have a full bladder and the second required me to fast for 10 hours beforehand. With morning sickness and a hacking cough thrown into the mix for good measure, you might have some understanding of why I used the word arduous.

Phil and Michael came along with me. Unfortunately we had a long wait everywhere we went. Most importantly, the scan went well. The sonographer took a very long time examining the baby in silence. I tremulously asked if there was anything wrong after watching her face for a time, and she told me that she was just concentrating on capturing the perfect image to measure the neck fold. The baby was looking wonderful. We saw the spine, which always astounds me with its perfection, and we heard the heartbeat for the first time. I won't find out my risk for having a baby with Down Syndrome until the results of the scan are combined with the blood test results and the average risk of someone my age. After the scan was over - and, incidentally, ow! Being jabbed in the belly for 15 minutes is not fun! - I dashed to the toilet. I completely forgot that Michael can get upset when I disappear from view and I could hear him crying for me. He is such a happy little guy that I forget how much he still needs me. The sonographer told me that he is my little satellite, orbiting my world and the reason he has confidence is because of my presence.

Michael was pretty unhappy after we left the sonographer's room. He didn't want to go into the waiting room when I went to get blood drawn. He kept taking my hand and trying to lead me away. Eventually I got seen and managed to get away with a finger prick test rather than having to give yet another vial of blood. We were all very happy to leave the hospital, although I haven't felt all that well since. I didn't get anywhere near enough sleep last night and I don't think the fasting helped much. Eating little and often is the thing that keeps the morning sickness at bay. I had been putting off having the gestational diabetes test for weeks because I didn't want to have to fast. Ah well, all done now.

I wanted to write an entry devoted to Michael but I feel so drained that I don't know that I'd do it justice. If I write when I'm tired, then when I read it back it seems passionless and I want to do Michael justice. If I get a good sleep tonight I promise to post in lavish detail about my wonderful son. I'll also force Phil to upload some new pictures to the gallery so I can show you what he looks like now (cute as a button, but in serious need of a haircut!)

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