Today was my "28 week" OB appointment. Although, if we are being technical (which I always am), I am really 28 weeks and 5 days along.
This appointment was a really "fun" one. It started out with me visiting the lab and the friendly neighborhood phlebotomist. I had 3 vials of blood drawn (for a HIV test, an anemia test, and for something else that is so important that I totally forgot what it was). The phlebotomist had me squeezing a squishy baseball, and she told me that I had "great veins and 'workout arms'". Well, I could have just kissed her! She, while drawing my blood, actually started asking ME for weight lifting and workout advice. Imagine that! I was quite happy to oblige, after being fed those wonderful compliments...a pregnant woman's food for everything good!
After getting bandaged up, I was given my orange "glu-cola" to drink for my mandatory one hour glucose test. It tasted like semi-cold, flat, overly-sweetened Fanta orange soda. I mean REALLY HORRENDOUSLY overly-sweetened flat Fanta orange soda. Now, I hate drinking sweet things to begin with, so this was not a good time for me. However, it really wasn't too awful considering the amount of liquid I had to consume probably equated to about 8 ounces. I think it took me less than two minutes to force it down. In my humble opinion, I sucked it up like a champ!
The glu-cola binging was followed by my acutal OB appointment. I continued on my "rounds" of doctors...this is the 3rd OB I have seen, outside of also seeing 2 of the nurse / midwives. Hopefully by doing this rotation I WILL actually recognize the face that delivers me!
Anyway...the nurse took me back and weighed me first. Ummm...I was utterly shocked to find out that I had only gained 1.5 pounds over the last four weeks. WHAT???? There were times that I weighed myself in the most recent weeks that showed that I was up (gulp!) 4 pounds. I figured that today I would be up about 5 or 6, for sure. So, not sure if it was about water retention, or lighter-weight summery clothing, or what...but, whatever!!! I will take it. That puts my weight gain at a grand total of 16.5 pounds for the pregnancy to date. I am measuring (or my uterus is measuring) exactly right on track for this point in the pregnancy, so there are no issues or concerns there. Blood pressure was a wonderul 112 / 66. (Kudos to me. Pat on the back. I rock!) Heartbeat for the baby was great. All is still right with the world.
Lastly, for this portion of my appointment, I had to receive an intramuscular injection of RhoGAM...given my status of being Rh-. It was not a fun shot, and it was a full 3 CCs...so, it did hurt going in. I survived (sniff, sniff) and then afterward managed to completely bleed through my band-aid. Luckily I am wearing all black on the bottom today, so no one else was wise to that fact.
Following the OB face time, I had to sit myself back in the waiting room with my little timer to wait out the rest of my one hour "sentence". I took a book along, so that really wasn't too tough a task. After the "ding", I was able to go back and see my new best friend the phlebotomist. She had to use my other arm to draw one more vial of blood for the glucose test. During that time she asked for more weight lifting advice (how many reps...how many sets...etc.). Quite funny, I must admit. After that, she sent me on my merry way! She told me that they will only call if I failed the test, so no news is good news. Let's hope for no calls from them on Wednesday or Thursday this week!
I am scheduled to go back on July 6th for my 32 week ultrasound and OB appointment. Yay, another ultrasound! And, yay, no needles at that visit!!! At that point in time I will have to start going back every TWO weeks instead of every FOUR. I think I will feel like I am "close" when I get to that next step. Looking forward to it!
