I finally heard from the nurse at my OB's office this morning. (You know, after I had left 3 voicemails since last Friday with no call back until today?) The nurse pulled up my ultrasound records as she talked to me. While she was doing this, I expressed to her my feelings of anxiety concerning this particular week, Week 7. I really need to have an ultrasound this week or next. I need to see the heartbeat again and know that Bean is okay.
She informed me that the baby's heart rate was 105 bpm at last week's ultrasound. While she said that is normal for a baby of 6 weeks gestation (and I confirmed this through checking multiple credible sources online), they always order a second ultrasound within 7-10 days of the last one if the heart rate was not at least 120. I was assured this was just standard procedure for my OB's office.
At this point in the conversation, I was literally baffled. Why has someone from their office not called me yet?? Today is 7 days since our last ultrasound! When were they going to inform me of this mandatory second ultrasound anyhow??
She then preceded to tell me that she wants me to schedule an ultrasound for a follow-up viability tomorrow. Okay, I even hate the sound of that... follow-up viability. Blech.
I am scheduled for this follow-up viability tomorrow afternoon at 3:00. I feel like myself and this pregnancy are standing at the edge of our first major precipice. I will have a better idea of the outcome of this pregnancy in almost 24 hours. If the heart rate has gone up, I will be able to breathe and relax a little. We would have made it through my scary week with a still growing and very much alive baby inside of me. I hate to think of the other alternative...
So, for now I sit and I wait. And I try not to let the anxiety and worry make me crazy...
