The Infamous Phone Call

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 was a ROUGH day. 

The day began just like the any other day.  I got up, got ready, took the boys to the sitter, and went to work.  Around 9 that morning, I started having some minor contractions.  I began drinking water and tried to stay off my feet.  I had contractions around the same time frame in Hunter's pregnancy as well.  I knew it wasn't anything too concerning ... just my body's way of saying slow down, put your feet up, and drink some water.  Luckily, I have a fabulous team who helped take my kids to their specials and did my lunch duty so I could try to stay off of my feet as much as possible.  Although I knew nothing was terribly wrong, and as weird as it sounds, it was exhausting trying to stay off of my feet with 29 students in a classroom and trying to drink water. 

Around 1:00, my OB called to discuss the 17 P injections.  I stepped out of my classroom so I could have a private conversation without too many distractions and little ears listening ... this turned out to be a great decision on my part.  I told Dr. Branaman that I was reading some confusing information on the Internet and just wanted some accurate information about the possible side effects to me and the baby, as well as why she thought it would be a good idea for me.  By the end of the conversation, I decided I would give it a try.  It couldn't hurt to try to help our little one "cook" a little longer.

Just as I thought we were about to get off the phone, Dr. Branaman told me that the quad screen results had come back from last week.  I heard something I never thought I'd hear: "abnormal" results and "possible spina bifida."  As I was trying to process the news, she did her best to reassure me that this test can give false positives for a number of reasons and it is definitely not conclusive.  She asked when I had my anatomy ultrasound scheduled.  Since my ultrasound wasn't scheudled for another week, on October 31st, she said that she didn't want us to have to wait that long to find out about the spina bifida.  She found out our availability, was going to have one of her nurses see if she could get us in sooner, and then we got off the phone. 

So, now I wait ... with a classroom of students ... as a try to process some news that no parent wants to hear.  I tried to go about my afternoon and act as if everything was fine, but probably not too convincingly.  I called Aaron and gave him a heads up as to what I had just heard.  As to be expected, he was also in shock.  The nurse called back and we had our ultrasound appointment first thing the next morning, Wednesday, October 26th.  It's amazing how quickly a doctor can get an appointment scheduled!

My teammates could tell something wasn't quite right and became concerned.  (Have I mentioned that I have the BEST, most SUPPORTIVE team?)  They helped me get through the afternoon, as I planned for a sub and lived in my shock.

Of course, in the age of the Internet, Aaron and I both went online and looked up spina bifida and what that could mean for our precious baby.  Spina bifida could be as severe as partial paralysis and other side effects, to as moderate as no one really even noticing that something is wrong.   Through many prayers throughout the afternoon and evening, we tried to enjoy our healthy boys at home and tried not to think about what was really in the back of both of our minds.