So I didn't post anything last week. Not sure why -- I think I was busy and there were snow days and I was adjusting to my part-time schedule and there were OB appointments and other stuff that filled in all of the cracks of the week like the snow that crept under my kitchen door and climbed into a little pyramid next to my dishwasher during last week's blizzard.
But I had a 27 week appointment for the twinlets! It consisted of me gulping the orange glucose drink, having an ultrasound, heading upstairs for an OB appointment, and back down for a blood draw.
And I was followed by a TV camera for most of it.
What?
Yeah, you read that right. The hospital where I give birth buys local TV time a couple of times a year and airs a special devoted to one of their departments. The next one is going to be aired in May or June and will feature the Birth Care Center. And, as a loyal and respected employee at the Birth Care Center, my mother-in-law asked if they would be interested in following a family expecting twins for the special. And then suggested they contact us. After talking through the expectations of the piece, we agreed to do it, mostly as a fun keepsake for all of our kids. We'll be one of three families featured in the half-hour special.
So, anyway, I check into my appointment as per normal. Then I paused and said, "Umm... So X from the hospital and a cameraman are going to be showing up here any minute. They're here to film my ultrasound."
I have to admit that I felt a little goofy saying this, because I'm not a terribly important person in the grand scheme of all the things in the world, except maybe to my family. But even then, once I give the kids whatever they're asking for, my relative importance drops pretty fast.
I gestured over my shoulder to Scott, "Yeah, he's really Tom Cruise. We're just ducking in here to avoid the paparazzi."
The receptionist laughed and we headed to the waiting room, keeping a watchful eye on the door for our guests. I drank the orange stuff. It's not that bad -- personally, I'd do whatever I could to avoid throwing it up, because then you have to do the test all over again. Why do it twice if you don't have to?
Anyway, the crew shows up with a large cart of equipment. I notice them and guide them back to the ultrasound area, where our tech is pleasantly waiting. The other patients looked at me like I was an alien. Heck, who knows? Maybe I am.
They were filming documentary style, so all we did was have a normal ultrasound with a camera in the room for most of it. Thankfully, they stepped out shortly before the tech did the trans-vaginal portion to check my cervical length.
The results: Baby A was measuring 1 day behind, weighing 1lb 15oz. Baby B was measuring 4 days ahead, weighing 2lbs 4oz. My cervix is long (4cm) and showing no sign of funneling, which means that my physical structure is supporting the weight of my belly and the babies very well.
Upstairs for the OB appointment! My blood pressure was, once again, great. Even with the excitement of the camera crew and ultrasound, it was 122/76. Urine dip just fine, too. I lost a pound after the sinus infection, so my weight gain has been very modest -- 6-7 pounds. Considering that there's already 4 pounds of baby in there, plus two placentas and two amniotic sacs, I think I've lost weight. D'oh! It's not cause for worry unless the babies aren't growing, but that's so not the case, so no worries yet.
My doctor went over the ultrasound results and my physical results. Everything is currently perfect, so it was a typically fast and pleasant appointment.
This is where the film crew bid adieu, though they asked us to get in touch with them soon so they could do some filming in our nursery. Yeah, the one that isn't a nursery yet? There. This led us to a whirlwind of baby shopping and painting, with still more painting, sewing, and picture hanging to come.
I headed back down to the lab for my blood test. The poor phlebotomist couldn't get a vein in my left arm, so she drew from my right. Unfortunately, I did not pass the one-hour glucose tolerance test. So, on to the three-hour! Did that this morning and will let you know how it went down soon... Stop back for more!
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