Level II

I don't know exactly how to start this, so I will just jump into it... Kent and I drove up to the office from home, and Clark met us there from his job which is only a few minutes drive from where we needed to be. We got there at 12:30 and checked in. They called me to sign in and fill out paper work at 1:00, and then we sat and waited until 1:40. So this lady comes out and calls us back, I tell Clark and Kent to come on thinking that it is for the U/S, but it was to see the Genetic Counselor. She had the smallest office, and the 4 of us trying to fit in there was hard, if I had known that we had to see her first, I would have left Kent in the waiting room. So she gets into all of the facts about the screen, and tells me that our number was actually 1/84 not the 1/48 that the doc gave me... transposed, OK so now I feel a little better. Then she goes on and on about the family history, and a liver issue that my mom has, and how Clark should get tested... Blah, Blah, Blah, I finally told her that I knew a lot about the disease, and that I was a carrier, but that my gene was very low in the genome, and that the likely hood that Turtle would end up with it was next to none... but she still disagreed with me!!! She also kept pushing the amnio explaining that the Level II wasn't conclusive, but that the amnio would let us know 100% yes or no. I kept trying to tell her that I wasn't going to get it either way so there was no point pushing it on me. I hate it when people assume that you are stupid!!! Not to mention that I was very uncomfortable discussing these things in front of my 15 year old. She kinda looked at us funny when we told her that this was the first baby for both of us, so I had to inform her that Kent was adopted, and not biologically ours!! Not that it matters, but she just looked confused, and I didn't want to leave her in a state (sarc)LOL

So after that we were sent back to the waiting room, and just a few minutes later called back for the actual U/S. It was almost 2:00 by then. They were really sweet, and told me that the 2 techs had switched rooms so that Kent could come in and watch. The room that we were supposed to be in was really small, and he could not have gotten his wheelchair in it, so I thought that was awesome!! Little Miss Turtle was not in the mood for any paparazzi photo ops!!! My little peanut was tucked firmly into the right corner of my uterus, up against my hip, and didn't want to move an inch!! She was actually sleeping on her belly, curled up in a ball with her little tush up in the air!! I felt bad for the tech, but then for me as she poked and prodded my belly trying to get Turtle to look up for some measurements. Needless to say, it took almost 45 minutes to get everything they needed, along with a couple for position changes for me to try to get the best look. The doc and the tech agreed that they didn't see any of the Down's Syndrome markers with Turtle, but they did inform me that 50% of Downs babies don't show markers either. The doc then sprang a new one on me by telling me that I needed to be back in 4 weeks for a Fetal Echo cardiogram, because they have found that more and more IVF babies are being born with heart defects, and they do them now with all IVF patients as a rule. Hmmm first I had heard of it, and not even sure that my OB knew that, so I will have to tell her about that next time.

So, I guess all in all it was a good appointment, and I feel a lot better about the Turtle being a healthy little girl. At this point, she is ahead in her growth, and hopefully will stay that way!!

My mom will be here this coming weekend, and I am getting excited to finally see her again, although I am sure by the time she leaves I will be more then ready for her to go!! :o) Will let you all know how my week goes as Kent is going back to school tomorrow... ahh high school!!! Sucks to be him!! LOL :o)