Today we met with the high-risk OB in Detroit--Dr. P. The ultimate determination of the meeting was that we need to transfer my care to her practice. I will still go to my local OB's office to do my twice-a-week non-stress tests (NSTs or antenatal testing as the doc called it), but all of my weekly visits, ultrasounds, blood sugar regulation, etc., will now be done by the Detroit practice. Personally, this seems pretty reasonable to me. If I were a doctor about to take on a high-risk patient with delivery of a newborn who needs surgery, I would want to be the one primarily responsible for her care. However, she will not necessarily--in fact is unlikely to be--my delivering doc. So, because I will have weekly visits, they will do their best to introduce me to as many of the people in the practice as possible so that hopefully I will know whomever ends up being on call when I deliver.
We reached agreement that we should schedule me for an induction for just after 39 weeks so that if I haven't delivered before then, that's when we'll get this party started. Dr. P indicated that there are almost no "wet lung" issues after 39 weeks, so that Jellybean should be sufficiently grown for the cardiologists' purposes, but that because of my gestational diabetes and the increased risk of still birth after 39 weeks for gestational diabetics on insulin, we don't want to go much beyond that.
I'm a little scared, as we are now only 6 weeks away from my scheduled induction. In fact, as I calculate things, by the time I start seeing the doctor in Detroit in two weeks, I will be only 4 weeks away. Thus, I will probably only being making 4 additional trips to Detroit in addition to the one we were already anticipating. I guess that isn't too terribly horrible. At the same time, it doesn't give us much time to meet the other docs. It also means I now have to freak out about all the things I need to accomplish in the next 6 weeks.
We also reached an agreement that if I went into labor while still at home, I should go to the local hospital and let them determine whether to medically transport me to Detroit or just deliver Jellybean locally. If I deliver there, the local hospital will transport Jellybean to Children's Hospital and I will do my best to get the heck out of there asap to follow. Although being stuck in a different city than Jellybean will be difficult, it is far better--for him especially--than ending up delivering him by the side of the road without any of the interventions we know he needs. To that end, we have started talking with friends about contingent plans so that we can have someone with Lil' Bit, someone with me at the hospital, and someone with the hubster following baby to Detroit in the event this occurs. Hopefully we won't need to use this contingency and we can just head over to Detroit for the planned induction. But, we all know babies come when they want to, so we just have to wait and see if Jellybean is willing to go along with our plans.
I'm pleased to have a plan. I'm pleased to have some answers. I'm frumpy that I have to go to Detroit weekly, but pleased I can still do my NSTs locally rather than driving 2 hours to Detroit for a 30 min test and then driving 2 hours home. I am sad I won't be seeing my regular OB. I was supposed to have two more visits with her, but both of them have been switched to other docs in the practice, so now I won't see her before the official transfer to the new practice.
I am both excited and terrified about the end of this pregnancy. It has been less than a glowing good time, but Jellybean is much easier to take care of and doesn't need surgery as long as he's inside. Labor will bring me my beautiful baby boy, but it will also bring a whole new host of challenges--and not just the usual newborn ones. It's starting to sink in and it's pretty scary stuff. Don't get me wrong. I know when the time comes, I will be up to the challenge. I will put my head down, thrust my metaphorical horns forward, and charge full-throttle into whatever is to be--that's just who I am. It doesn't make it any less scary, though, which makes me extremely thankful for the support of my friends, family, and community.
T-minus 6 weeks and counting...
Sounds great that you have some dates and plans set down - especially that you know what to do if you go into labor spontaneously. It's hard to believe you only have six weeks left with the new induction plan, wow! You can do it, praying for smooth traffic and good skilled doctors to help you along the way. It's wonderful to see you have friends to help if the need arises. Praying for you all!
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