Good News!

Well, we went for my 24 week checkup today and they said that the ultrasound showed that everything was fine and that my fluid levels were normal. They WERE low last time, but not obnoxiously so, and they said it was probably from dehydration more than anything (My first ultrasound was at 930 am so since you have to have a full bladder, I just didn't potty that morning nor did I really drink anything). It's such a relief!

So I go back on January 2nd for my glucose test and that will be the last time I go for a 4-week visit. From then on it'll be every 2 weeks, can you believe it?! This pregnancy has just flown by!

On the downside, I've already started with the fainting. I passed out cold at Wal-Mart yesterday. Gotta love those blood pressure fluctuations that come with baby makin'! It's okay though, Dr. N gave me some easy exercises to do that he said should REALLY help :)

AND! I've only gained 4 pounds!!! That's MUCH better than I thought I'd done!

Thanks for reading!

Oops! Forgot to update!

So we had our ultrasound last week :) Everything looked great, but they couldn't see Sprout's belly because of how s/he was laying, so they want to do another one. We only got one or two pictures, and they're all of the face so of course Sprout looks like an alien in them. When I get off my bum and scan them I'll add one here lol

My doctor's office is driving me nuts again. I have signed a form that says they can leave a detailed message on my answering machine (well, voice mail), and they NEVER FREAKING DO IT. It's always "This is B*** from D*OBGYN, please call me back at (xxx) xxx-xxxx)".. I even asked them if they could make a note on my chart to leave detailed messages when they call because I'm the only one who checks my voicemail and with my schedule, I'm never going to answer when they call (since they call around 8am. Hello people we're on third shift so I go to bed at 5 or 6). And yet Friday they call me back, I'm assuming to tell me when they want to do my repeat ultrasound, and it was the same message, ""This is B*** from D*OBGYN, please call me back at (xxx) xxx-xxxx)". I swear that she reads from a script lol

I'm seriously considering changing my voicemail greeting to say "You've reached Jessica's cell phone, if this is D*OBGYN please leave a detailed message as I'm unable to call you back during your business hours, otherwise, please leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as possible". Think that would work? lol!

17 week checkup

Our seventeen week checkup went just fine :) Heart rate was around 150 and s/he was wiggling all over the place.

I had to get some antibiotics for a UTI but other than that, everything went great. Except of course for the fact I've gained like 7 lbs since last month :-o So starting this week I'm going on Phase 2 of South Beach again. I refuse to gain all my weight back dangit! lol

But we go back in about three weeks so that I can see a different doctor. I just hope they're understanding when they don't get their full payment in three weeks since we'll only have one paycheck under our belt instead of the two that we're used to. I may call ahead and let them know that before I go.

I did get a message from them on my voicemail to call them on Friday though. I really wish they'd just leave a freaking detailed message instead of playing phone tag. I even signed a form telling them that they could do so, but alas, they don't listen. I'm assuming that they were calling me to schedule my 20 week ultrasound, but there's no big rush on that.

So anyway, there you have it. 17 weeks and counting!

Jess

Update

Doc said not to worry but to take it easy and call him if anything changed (especially if I started bleeding or spotting at ALL)..

So I'm on "modified bedrest". That means no long walks, no lifting, basically nothing that could get my heart rate up, AND I'm on pelvic rest too. Blah. But, if it keeps Sprout safe then it's definately worth it :)

BUT! Good news! I've been feeling Sprout kick all day long!!! Yea!! I'm so happy! I've been feeling him or her for a while, but it's been off and one.. Today it's been regular enough to really make me smile :)

So that's of course reasurring!

Jess

Worrying of course

So I'm only 15 weeks along now and I've been having Braxton Hicks for a week or two. Nothing major, nothing painful, just random tightness in my belly.

Well today I've had a lot more. I even timed three as about 20 minutes apart today. I'm doing the whole "drink lots of water and lay on your left side" (and I tell ya, I'm about to pee myself to death here).

I think I'm going to call the doc in the morning and let them know, just in case it's reason to be concerned.

I love being pregnant but I hate worrying :(

Jess

I guess I can quit badmouthing them now...

I just got a call from my doctor's office today in regards to the CF testing. They said that when I get the bill, just bring it in and they'll take care of that part, in full!

Turns out, Dr. B DOES do CF testing for everyone as a standard test. The other doctors, however, do not, and since many insurance companies don't cover it, the nurses have been presenting it as optional.

Sounds to me like someone needs to have an office meeting huh? lol

But anyway, it's resolved to our satisfaction so we don't have to switch doctors over principal lol

Jess

Still playing phone tag with the doctor's office

They left me a message yesterday and another one this morning that they had an answer about the CF testing and to call them back. So, I call them back and, you guessed it, had to leave a message.

This is really starting to get on my nerves.

I'll update when I hear something.

So I talked to the doctor's office...

I called the doctor's office yesterday and left a message (you have to leave a message now to speak to anyone and they call you back). They called me this morning and I spoke to someone in billing who said I had to speak to a nurse. So the nurse called me back about 20 minutes later (which was a lot quicker than I'd been expecting), and I explained the situation from how the nurse listed all the things they tested for EXCEPT for the CF, how Dr. B was suppose to talk to me about the testing and when he didn't I just assumed that they'd talk to me about it when they talked to me about the AFP testing, about how my insurance put the entire claim on hold, everything.

So the nurse apologized, and said she'd have to talk to Dr. B because she couldn't understand why he'd ordered the test either since it's an optional test that can be done at any point during the pregnancy (which is why they typically do it at the time of the AFP if you choose to do that test too).

So as of now, she's got to talk to Dr. B and find out why he ordered it, if he can write a letter to the insurance company to get it approved, and then she's going to contact the insurance company to see if they can get it straightened out.

It does turn out though that you don't have to sign a consent form to get the CF test like you used to. Now the only one you have to sign for is the AFP.

Mike and I have agreed that even if they do get insurance to cover it, we want the charge removed because it was an optional test that we were not given the option for.

Mike wants me to change doctors but I really like Dr. E (another doctor at the same practice). I just really can't stand Dr. B and to be perfectly honest, I wonder if this wasn't Dr. B's way of getting back at me for refusing the breast exam, since that happened at the same time they drew blood and ordered the other tests.

Anyway, I'll keep y'all updated as I know more. The nurse I spoke to said that it would probably take several days before she would be able to tell me something, so Mike and I agreed that if we haven't heard anything by Monday, we'll call back.

I just can't handle the stress of this any more.

FURIOUS!

I just found out that my doctor did CF (Cystic Fibrosis) screening on my bloodwork without my consent! I'm FURIOUS! That test is around $1000 and is NOT covered by my insurance!! I am so angry that I could SPIT! My insurance company went ahead and put in for a review at my request so that the doctor has a chance to explain why it was needed, but I know that they're still going to deny it in the end because, well, IT'S NOT A NECESSARY TEST!

You have no idea how angry I am. I specifically asked the nurse when she drew my blood what they were going to be testing for, and she listed several STD's, blood type, hormone levels, and immunity to german measles. NOT ONCE did she say CF, or I would have spoken up right then and said I didn't want it!

I AM SO FRUSTRATED! I don't know why on earth they would order such an expensive test knowing that many insurance companies do not cover it! I've already cried many times over this, and I'm so stressed out that I can't eat. I just can't catch a break it seems. We're already paying $308/month just for the doctor to even see us! That's on top of any blood work, pap smear, ultrasounds, or anything else, and that's not even covering my hospital charges for when I have the baby!

I'm so angry and I don't know what to do. Of course, I found all of this out on a Friday afternoon so it was too late to call my doctor, but I will be calling them Monday morning and asking if there's a paper I need to sign to get the CF test, because if there is, I know for a fact I didn't sign it. If they require a signature and did the testing without it, I'll get a lawyer, or at the very least go to the news stations about it. This is so effing rediculous!

Meet Sprout!

Everything went well with our appointment. We were in an out quickly (unlike the last visit which took forbloodyever for them to even call me to the back lol), and best of all, we saw our Sprout!!

Here's a profile:




And here's Sprout giving us a "thumbs up" as the doctor called it :D



I tried not to look, but I think I might have seen a little weiner in there. I can't be sure though, and it could have easily been the umbilical cord. Ugh. I shouldn't even have looked lol I've been getting a "girl" vibe, but that could be wishful thinking lol

I don't know if I want a girl or a boy more. There are pros and cons to both, and at least if Sprout is a boy, we already have a name picked out :)

Anyway, Sprout's heartbeat was 169, and my "official" EDD is March 27th, which is what we'd figured up anyway

Jess

Not much longer

And then I get to meat my Sprout! My mother-in-law is going to watch James because he's too young to really enjoy seeing Sprout (and to be trusted not to break the ultrasound machine lol)

Ack! I'm so nervous!!

Jess

Introduction

Hi there! My name is Jess, my husband's name is Mike, and we're currently awaiting the birth of our second child, whom we currently refer to as Sprout.

I'm currently 12w5d pregnant, and we go to the doctor tomorrow for our first ultrasound! We're intending to not find out the sex of Sprout until s/he is born, but I can't promise we'll stay strong during our 20 week ultrasound if they ask us at that time! lol! They're not doing a sex check in the morning though, so I think we're pretty safe.

Anyway, I just wanted to do a quick introduction to get things started, and I'll hopefully remember to update soon!

Jess