For those who will need to recognize me at airport terminals in the very near future, I give you this. Go ahead. Click. It’s me. Larger than life.
I really wanted to wash that grey right out of my hair, but first trimester trumps vanity, so calico I remain.
But enough about me. Let’s get to the important news. Today I had my integrated screen, now called the sequential screen, and got to see my little Poppet, floating around in her* watery world. How incredible! I’ve been calmly awaiting this day for some time, but as the day drew nigh, I could feel some anxiety trying to shoulder its way in. I resisted as well as I could, and tried to maintain the most positive attitude possible**. And look! The miracle of life.
In this picture, the little wonder is waving an arm. It’s a side view of mostly head with an arm up by the left side of the face. Just like Boo, when he was in utero. It’s not much as pictures go, but the important thing, as far as I’m concerned, is that the baby is still ALIVE!!!
As far as the genetic counseling goes. Hmmm. Statistics are grim for women of my age. When I had Boo there was a triple screen, or maybe the quad screen was brand new. That gave way to the integrated screen which integrates the quad screen with a detailed ultrasound for nuchal measurements and accompanying blood test. The sequential screen takes the integrated screen and adds another detailed ultrasound for growth measurements, and maybe another blood test, and all the results are cranked through some super dee duper computer and spit out a statistic with 92% accuracy. They didn’t tell me much at this point, but I could see a squirming little peanut in there, and I could see a little heart beating, so I am relieved! And finally, the doctor did make a comment that most babies that do have Down Syndrome don’t have a bone in their nose bridge and MY baby does. So at least she gave me some encouraging news. I don’t think I much liked that office though. They were friendly enough, but intense, and not very forthcoming with information. At least not the information I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear that the baby looks healthy for this stage, or the heartbeat is right in range (I saw her mark down 140 bpm – is that good?). The dating estimated me at 12 weeks 2 days, rather than 11 weeks 1 day. But I think I’m 11 weeks 1 day. So that worries me a bit that maybe this baby is already getting too much blood sugar and growing too fatty too soon. So now I have to wait until somebody will explain the details to me.
*Yes, I say ‘her’. I just have a feeling. With nothing at all to base it upon. Time will tell and we shall see! The technician did say that it could possibly be a boy, as there was a teeny tiny nub visible, but she said it’s too soon to tell. (I still hope it’s a girl, but I will be delighted with a boy as well.)
**Case in point. This post has been floating about in my head, and I decided to preempt real time and write it before actually living it***. So how’s that for positive thinking?
***Thank GOD that the living reality panned out to the hoped for outcome!
