Wednesday Follow Up

My follow up appointment on Wednesday wasn't a good one. The ultrasound showed baby with a great heartbeat and being cute as anything. As soon as she inserted the trans-vaginal ultrasound I saw the funneling right away. My cervix shortened from 2.8cm to 2.1cm.

I rememeber saying "Oh, that's not good," while the tech replied "You still have some length left though." That doesn't help when you've already been there and done that.

The doctor came in shortly after I broke down for a second and said "So we will be considering a cerclage, is that right? I replied "Yep." The surgery was scheduled 2 days later (Friday) at 20 weeks 1 day. I quizzed him on everything I have come across, studies and what not.

I brought up what type of stitch he would be doing and if it were possible to go higher than a macdonald, a cerclage pessary combo, double cerclages, administering antibiotics, bedrest. I was shut down by their aren't any studies that have proven this or this works BUT I did get my way with a couple requests.

Surgery day I go in fill out all the paperwork and finally speak with the doctor once again. We agree in antibiotics, and he agreed to place 2 macdonald cerclages but after his "studies this and that and higher risks speel" I was on the fence. he left and came back and asked me if I wanted the two because if I did he would do it for me. I told him I was on the fence still, he then said well if you don't say ONE I will do two. He ended up doing two.

Here I am 3 days POST OP and just like before I'm terrified of everything. I have no idea what cervical length was left at placement. I never got to see baby surgery day but I did hear his heartbeat. I have no idea if there is any less funneling or more. I don't know how high he got the stitches. Maybe it's better not to know?

I will go in tomorrow for my follow up and if things look good in his words I will be released to my OB and continue about my pregnancy, no extra monitoring because they have done all they can for me and the hope is that I remain asymptomatic until delivery.

Made an INBETWEEN Appointment

On Friday, and days before I was feeling a lot of pressure, so Friday morning a made a point to call my MFM's office and see if an ultrasound could be scheduled to make sure my cervix didn't decide to act up. They fit me right in thankfully, they more than anyone knows what can happen in mere days never mind almost two weeks.

I was a nervous wreck, as usual. I went in she checked baby's heart rate abdominal, snapped a cute profile photo for me and went in vaginally to check my cervix. So took quite a few measurements and for the first time she took one with applied pressure. I haven't had that with this pregnancy until that day.

All measurements taken were within the 3cm range. I was also surprised that my largest measurement taken over 4cm with with pressure applied, I'll say it one more time...WITH PRESSURE APPLIED. Usually, from experience with my last pregnancy that is when the cervix will change such as displaying funneling and a shortened cervix, in my case that did not happen, thankfully. The ultrasound tech made a point to say "baby is right there" meaning right on my cervix which is most likely causing all the pressure. His big ole 5oz noggin!

All my measurements ranged between 3.6cm - 4cm+ which in the doctor's eyes meant NO CHANGE from last week. I left SO happy and knew that I would be able to relax over the weekend up until my Level II on Thursday, Jan 25th. Here is to hoping Thursday I will be hearing that baby is growing well and everything looks great. Just 6 weeks and a few days until I surpass my last pregnancy.