This is a long one...
Maybe my heart is already too full of love for this little one! I have always had slight heart palpatations. There has never been a pattern as to when they come, nor have they ever shown up on an EKG. Lately I have been having them more frequently and more intensely. I mentioned this to the doctor on my last visit so she scheduled me to meet with a cardiologist....here is how the visit went:
1:45- I show up early for my 2 p.m. appointment...I fill in paperwork, but was slightly confused by some of the information that they asked me to record...I had experienced weight gain recently (pregnancy)...do I fill that in as a yes or not...do I drink...no not in the last 17 or so weeks...ect
2:30- I get called back for an EKG...they stick probes all over my chest and take two read outs while double checking some of my information...yes...I am pregnant...nothing on the EKG
2:40- The actual doctor comes in...takes one look at me and sits down at a computer...who is your doctor...Dr. Stacey Norton (not Cynthia like he wrote down)...you must drink a lot of caffiene...nope- one or two a week...you must eat a lot of chocolate...nope- once or twice a week...you must smoke...nope- besides I am pregnant...you must drink a lot...nope- even when I was drinking it was once or twice a week...have you had your cholesterol checked...yes, I just got my insurance bloodwork back, the good cholesterol was where it needed to be and the bad cholesterol was low...everyone in your family alive...what?...dad, mom, siblings...yes...all in good health...yes. At this point he finally looks at me again and listens to my heart. Unable to "find" anything, he tells me he wants my thyroid checked, a heart echo done, and a 24-hour heart monitor (which I expected).
3:00- I go in for the heart echo. I went ahead and reminded them I was pregnant, partially because I wanted everyone to remember that and partially because I was secretly hoping they would sneak a peek at the little one (alas...no). I take off my shirt and get prepared for the cold gel (my OB/GYN does not have a gel warmer). I was pleasantly surprised by a warm, smooth feeling on my chest. I figured I was all good from here...they have to poke and prod with the baby ultrasound so I thought I knew what to expect. A baby ultrasound is in a relatively gooshy place...heart echo not so much. They really ram that wand into your ribs, sternum, and any other hard place they can find. To top it off they have you hold your breath so they can get certain measurements as they dig further into your chest. It was cool to see the four chambers of my heart beating away though. I also thought it was interesting to hear how the heart sounds different in different parts of your body.
3:30- I wipe all the gel off of my chest and go in for the heart monitor. Five contact points are placed and taped on my body and they send me off with a walkman style pack that I CANNOT GET WET...too bad for me that I would not have minded a shower...
3:45- I go pay (thank goodness for Mattie's great insurance) and get the form for my thyroid bloodwork.
4:00- Once in my car I call my OB's office to see if they have done a thyroid check...they have...and in fact the Cardiologist had that information a week ago...I feel so happy the Cardiologist bothered checking, but glad that I did not go get more blood drawn because I am smarter than that (and sick of having blood drawn). Have I mentioned that I love my OB and her office...they are the nicest and most competent people...I mean that completely and entirely sincerly, I have the utmost confidence in Dr. Norton delivering this and every other child that may pass through my womb.
4:10- Call the Cardiologist to tell them (as nicely as my pregnancy hormones will allow) that they have my thyroid information...oh yes...we do says the woman on the other line...
As far as what is wrong with me...who knows...after all that as far as I know I won't hear from them again until my follow up on July 6th...