The Second Cardio Appointment

Mom picked me up by school and we went all the way into Minneapolis to Abbott Northwestern for the fetal echo and growth appointment. We had two techs this time, because one of them had just started and was on her second day working with them. I can't remember the new one's name, but the one she was following's name was Paula, and she was from the East coast (which was totally obvious when she said aorta and atria!). They were both very nice, and Paula got a few good pictures of baby.

Baby's profile
You can see her little heart in her chest!

The cardiologist came in and looked at several of the pictures that Paula had taken, and then looked at it "live" with her. We found out that she actually has two different heart rates. I can't remember which was one higher or lower, but the ventricle (on the bottom) and the two atria (on the top) had different heart rates (one was 28 bmp and the other was 128 bmp, if I remember correctly, and I think the bottom ventricle was higher). The cardiologist seemed somewhat concerned, but he said if she can make it to 30 weeks without any more complications, that they would be able to deliver her, if a complication did arise, and still do the surgeries (the shunt to get more blood to her body instead of her lungs, and the pacemaker to fix the irregular heartbeat/rate). However, if more complications arose before that 30 week mark, they wouldn't be able to do anything, but let her, hopefully keep developing inside me. He said that delivering her and doing the surgeries before that 30-week marker, gave her pretty much zero-chance of survival. But after that 30-week mark, her odds were much better. So right now we're praying for no more complications (hopefully for the rest of the pregnancy... and her life... but for sure until that 30-week mark).

After a couple minutes, Dr. Gaziano, as mom described him, a grandfatherly fellow, came in to look at her growth. He said she was just slightly above the 10th percentile, for 24 weeks- 5 days, and called her petite. Mom and I commented, "Well, look at her mother!" And mom explained that pretty much my entire life, I have been in the lower percentiles for height & weight. I also mentioned that according to my charts, I calculated my due date to be June 1, not May 22, and asked if that might have something to do with it. He didn't quite seem to have an answer, but just acknowledged what we said. Then he started telling us that we needed to get my care switched over to their system. I told him that I had already, but I try to schedule my appointments in Woodbury, or United if I have to, and try to avoid venturing into Minneapolis. He was a very nice doctor, but I don't think I would like to see him again for this pregnancy. With all of the complications, I would like to stick with someone a little more sharp. But for any "normal" pregnancy, I think he would be a fine doctor to have.

Once he left, I laid on the ultrasound bed with jelly still on my tummy, and towels covering my tummy, waiting. We thought we were finished, but no one had said anything. They just kind of left us hanging. After about a half-hour or so, mom went out into the hall to find Paula, the ultrasound tech again, to ask if we could leave or if someone else was coming in to see us. She didn't realize that Dr. Gaziano had come and gone, but once we explained that to her, she said we could go. This is the second time that we have been "forgotten about" with Minnesota Perinatal. (The first time the actually forgot we were supposed to see someone else and tried to send us on our way). I know miscommunication happen once in a while, but twice is too much for me!