Doctor's Visit

Item #1: We are expecting again! I think the people who read this already know that but just in case...

Item#2:
I had an experience this week that has been frustrating and scary and left me with some questions about  our healthcare system. Last friday my Dr called and said I needed to get a blood draw and a CBC ASAP because they forgot to take an extra vial at my appointment on thursday. I went to my hospital and even though my boss said I could just have my nurse friend draw it, they still made me register and pay $50+ for an "out-patient procedure." Then on Monday I got a phone message from the O.B. Drs. office saying that there was something wrong with my blood and that they had made an appointment for me at the Cancer Research Institute in Roanoke for 2:30 on friday. My platelet count is off, that's all it said! So of course, I began to worry some and wonder what was wrong. I looked it up on the internet which is not always wise. The only connection between low platelet count and pregnancy was something called HELLP syndrome which is potentially fatal and the only cure is immediate delivery of fetus which at 16 weeks would not survive.

I wasn't necessarily stressing out because I figured they were just being safe but as the appointment got closer and I thought "cancer center" I began to think of my cousin who was diagnosed with cancer while she was pregnant. I decided it would be better to have Adam with me for support so we arranged to have a babysitter come over and we drove up together. After a $60 copay and a bunch of paperwork, we sat in the office for 2 hours waiting to see the Dr. As I looked around the room at all the people undergoing chemo, with hair loss and the like, I began to become more anxious. Then all that was showing on the television was the View having a special episode about Breast Cancer. When we finally went in to see the Dr. I was somewhat prepared for the worst. He started interviewing me and asking every question in the book. After an hour of questions, he finally reviewed the bloodwork with me and began asking his Intern,  "Could it be this? Could it be that? What do you think about this?" they covered everything form Lupus to Guillan Barre to Rheumatoid arthritis to bone cancer. Finally he said that the numbers weren't severely low and especially considering when I had my last blood test right before Lilly was born, the platelet count was low then. Also the white blood count was low and that's what they couldn't figure out. So they said that the best thing would be to just watch and see if they get worse.  He ran a bunch more tests and said I might want to get an ultrasound of my spleen (which would cost me several hundred dollars and probably show that everything was normal).

I am extremely grateful and relieved that everything came back fine and that we didn't hear any awful news. I just wonder if it even occurs to the Drs. what it does to a person to hear a voice message that they need to go to a cancer center. (Which consequently is the same facility as the hematology lab- they just call it the cancer center). Do they realize how much that freaks a person out? Why do the Drs. have to keep you waiting so long. My patients are always complaining about long Drs. waits. But if I have a 2:30 appointment and I arrive 30 mins. early, I expect to be seen before 4:00. And what about cost? Do Drs. even consider that all these tests they want to run cost me money? I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry and if there was something wrong I would want to know about it but it just seems like such a waste for them to brainstorm tests that will "all probably be negative but we just want to cover ourselves."

He asked me to come back in a month but I don't know if I will because my OBGYN can check my blood counts. I also refused the spleen ultrasound and I figure I'll just ask them to check it when I have my baby ultrasound. They'll probably say no because it's not their specialty but I figure it's worth a try.

Again, I am so grateful that things seem to be progressing well and I have been feeling pretty good- comparitively. I have many friends who are struggling with infertility and other who have had miscarriages. Adam and I have not had to deal with either and that scares me because I feel like it is probably our turn or our due.  I thank my Heavenly Father for the opportunity I have to be a mother and for my 3 1/2 wonderful children.  Our ultrasound is in 3 weeks and then we should find out gender :) yay!