16 Weeks + Dr.'s Apointment #3 + Ultrasound Results

Once again, sorry for the delay in posting. I wanted to wait to do the '16 week' post until after my doctor's appointment yesterday.

I had to wait over an hour in the waiting room for my appointment, which the receptionist said was not normal when I asked about it. I had read on the internet that Dr. Wagner is known to be behind schedule because she gives her patients as much time as they need, so I wasn't upset or anything.

I had a full physical, which I ended up not being nervous for at all. It helps that she's a very comfortable person to be around. It also helps that I'm getting used to doctors.

We discussed the results from my ultrasound last week, and so far everything is looking good.

DATA	BABY A	BABY B
Head Circ.	113 mm	112 mm
BPD	30 mm	29 mm
Abdominal Circ.	90 mm	93 mm
Femur	14 mm	15 mm
Gestational Age	14 weeks + 4 days	14 weeks + 5 days

Based on the above measurements, my due date would be April 1 and April 2, but they won't let me go longer than 2 weeks before that, which is March 18. Jon's last day of school before spring break is March 18! Hopefully I can last to the very end because it would be perfect! Jon would have a whole week off to help out...couldn't ask for better! Fingers crossed!

I got to hear the babies' heart beats yesterday as well: Baby 1 (on my left) had a heart rate of 154 bpm, and Baby 2 (on my right) had a heart rate of 163. Pretty much the same as last time. The longer Dr. Wagner listened to them, the closer in rate they got, around 157 bpm.

They also had some of the results from my blood work back (I had gone on Tuesday). My 'blood count' (?) was measuring low at 113 (don't know what that's a measure of), so I have to go on vitamins in addition to my prenatal vitamins. She said it was pretty normal for people having twins because you have to provide twice as many vitamins to the babies. No big deal.

I haven't taken my 16 week picture yet, so I promise I'll post an 18 week picture.

Other than that, nothing else is new. Jon and I are both still fighting our colds...Jon's had his for 9 days and me for a week. It's so unusual for me to have this hard of a time fighting a cold (thanks a lot babies!). It's really taken a toll on me. I think I'll be missing church AGAIN tomorrow. I had a 2.5 hour nap this afternoon, and hopefully I'll have a good sleep tonight so that might help fight it. I'd rather go to work feeling 100% this week. Last week dragged on and it was only a short week.

Anyways, my family is waiting for me to watch a movie with them and they've told me to stop typing so much.

'Til next time!

Ultrasound #3

Yesterday we had our 3rd ultrasound appointment, at 2:00pm by Oakridge Mall. Jon had classes at UBC that morning so he bussed there from UBC and my Mom and I drove. Parking is A PAIN in Vancouver. So glad I don't have to go there more often. I was a little rebelious and didn't drink the full 1 L...I drank about 500-750 mL.

When we got there, the receptionist freaked out when she saw that my requisition form said I was having twins because I was only booked for one time slot (if you recall in my prior entry, the receptionist at SMH Prenatal Clinic booked me for the first available ultrasound and knew that I needed two time slots rather than just the one that she had me booked for...and asked that I play dumb) but I needed two slots. She said she might not be able to see me. I complained and said that it was not my fault that the doctor's office didn't schedule me in for the correct number of time slots, and she said that I should have called to double-check. I played dumb and said that I didn't know I needed two time slots and assumed that the doctor's office had done it correctly. She ended up saying I was lucky that I had shown up a little early so hopefully the technician would finish the appointment before mine early so that there would be extra time for me. Luckily, it worked out. I ended up going in the room at 1:50pm and quickly learned that I was not going to get the same "ask all of the questions you want" treatment as I had received during my first two ultrasounds with Genesis Fertility Clinic. I asked the technician when I first saw the screen "oh, is that the two of them?" and she responded with a frown on her face so I told her I wouldn't ask anymore questions. She took measurements for about 40 minutes. During that time I could barely see the screen. I started getting really warm from lying in one position the whole time, and I started getting clausterphobic because we were in a tiny room in the basement of a building. Thank goodness she finished shortly after that because I thought I was going to pass out! She then called my Mom and Jon in and very quickly showed us the monitor, took a few quick pictures and sent us on our way. Oh well, at least I got to see two heads, four arms, four legs, and two heart beats...a few waves of arms/hands and a couple kicks! Oh, she also said that they are both laying breech right now, and I think they are both facing my stomach because of the angle of the pictures. I'm assuming the doctor will discuss the results with me when I go for my next appointment next friday afternoon.

Here are the pictures...

First picture is of Baby 1, which is laying on my left side. You can see him/her (honestly, I always call it a 'him'...or...'the alien' lol) laying on their right hand, and the left hand is up by their chin. You can tell because you can see both forearms. You an also see the baby's right thigh/knee/shin...it's laying in a fetal position.

Second picture is of Baby 2, laying on my right side. This picture isn't as clear, but you can make out the arms, stomach area, knee caps, and right leg/foot. I think at the bottom right in the the separate sac (?) you can see Baby 1.

Anyways, nothing else new to report. Jon's fighting a really bad cold right now so he didn't even go to school. He opted to sleep on the couch last night so that hopefully I don't get sick. I must admit, it was nice to have the whole bed to myself :)

Oh, I should mention that I finally caved in last weekend and bought some maternity clothes. It's definitely MUCH more comfortable wearing dress pants now...now I don't have to worry about cutting off the circulation to my lower body when I'm sitting at my desk. The pants are almost TOO comfortable to be dress pants lol. I might not ever stop wearing them :)

14 Weeks + Doctor's Appointment #1

I contemplated postponing writing this blog for another day, but I can hear my mom's voice telling me to just do it because some people are waiting for an update. So, here I am, typing this at 10:30pm when I should probably be heading to bed.

Yes, it's 10:30pm. I've definitely noticed over the last two weeks that I've gained a lot of my energy back. I still try to be in bed by 9:00/9:30pm, but when I'm up, I'm alert and actually able to get some stuff done (SIGH...it was nice not being "able" to do anything!). It's nice being the 'me' I'm used to.

I should apologize for my last post as I've received some negative reactions to it. I don't want people to think I was/am ungrateful or unhappy...I think I was just really struggling with exhaustion and learning to deal with Jon being at school for so many hours a week. After having him home and able to cook/clean it was definitely an adjustment getting used to his new schedule (Mondays 6:30am-8pm, Tuesdays 7am-8pm, Wednesdays 6:30am-6pm, Thursdays 7am-6pm, Fridays 6:30am-12:30pm). But I'm dealing. I spend a lot of time (and a few dinners) at my parents' house so I can at least have some company.

Let's see, what else is new? Nothing much, I don't think.

I received a phone call from a nurse at Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) yesterday letting me know that they hadn't received any medical records for me at all. I explained that Dr. Shah should have sent them over, and that the most informative ones about the pregnancy would be at Genesis (which should have been sent to Dr. Shah). I asked her if she knew we were having twins, and she said she didn't. She said she was going to try to get a copy of my records sent over before my appointment today (11am).

When we got to SMH this morning we met with a nurse who showed me where to weigh myself when I got there and how to test my own urine and record the results. Once that was done, we went over my (and our families') medical history because the only document they ended up receiving from Dr. Shah stated "pregnant" (strike 1 for Dr. Shah's office). She was shocked at how healthy I was and how boring my history was.

Dr. Wagner then joined us and reviewed some of the history, and then went over what was going to happen over the next month or two. Because I'm having twins, she will only see me as a patient until I'm about 20 weeks, and then I'll get referred to a multiples specialist. Apparently I should have been referred to the multiples specialist right away (strike 2 for Dr. Shah's office).

Anyways, because they don't have any records for me they scheduled me for the first available ultrasound they could, which is on October 5 at 2:00 by Oakridge Mall. They've asked me to 'play dumb' about having twins because they only could get me an appointment block that is normally for singletons. Ultrasound appointments for twins are usually twice as long because they have to do twice the number of measurements/tests.

On October 15 I have an appointment with Dr. Wagner for a complete physical. Umm...awkward? Never had a COMPLETE physical before. Guess I have to start getting used to being some-what naked in front of strangers. Awkward.

Dr. Wagner took my blood pressure and said it was perfect, 123/80. Jon was jealous. Can't get much more perfect than that.

We ended the appointment by an attempt to listen to the heart beats with two Dopplers...which was successful! They warned us that they might not be able to find/hear both because of their positioning and/or the rate. If they were both on top of each other and the rates were the same they probably couldn't hear both. They started on my right side and found the first heart beat really quickly...it measured at 163 bpm. They found the second heart beat on my left side, measuring 149 bpm. PHEW! Two good heart rates! Kinda crazy to think that there are two living babies in me.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the ultrasound pictures on Wednesday! It will have been 5.5 weeks since our last ultrasound so I'm sure they're going to look SO MUCH DIFFERENT. They'll actually look like babies. And not just blobs. Exciting.

Anyways, I should head to bed. Luckily tomorrow is Saturday and I can laze around as much as I want to.

Definitely thankful for such a smooth pregnancy so far. It almost seems too good to be true. God is good.