Confirmation
The day had finally arrived. After 6 LONG weeks of waiting, yesterday we had our appointment with our gynae, Dr Christine van Heerden for our 20 week scan. The day started out great, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, the drive to work was ok-ish and of course, the drive to Milnerton Medi-clinic was par for the course.
While I was driving along, minding my own business, Bridgitte was fighting with ants in the sugar bowl at home and dordling, but at 9:45, she finally arrived .. phew! Apparently, it is a bit weird that the guy arrives at the gynae’s office on his own, without his wife – considering that gynaes are female zones. Zones where the man’s only job is to pay the bill – that’s it! But from the man’s side, well, should I rather say, my side, a supportive, dying-to-see-the-baby, enthusiastic, over-excited, and the list goes on role. Gosh, I even had my purple gadget bag with me, ready to record the audio during the ultrasound.
This visit was farely short. I mean, from 13 to 20 weeks, I thought this visit was going to be at least 30 min or even longer. We sat down and she asked if we had any questions. Now one thing we made sure and going to make sure before we visit our gynae, is to sidestep Google and put down some questions for her to answer. If that doesn’t happen, she’ll simply whisk Bridgitte into the ultrasound room and get down to business of checking out the featus. I guess I expect more from a visit – especially when the time between the visits is 6 weeks.
But we were prepared and had a good deal of questions for her to answer and one thing that I can say is, no matter how much research we do on the internet, it is always great to get her to answer the questions first-hand partaining to our situation. Whether it is a pain here or a possible stretch mark there or whatever, that one-on-one personal touch is always good. But hey, the internet has been a fantastic resource – as well as the other preggy books and magazines that Bridgitte reads from time to time.
Finally, the moment we have been waiting for – the ultrasound scan. I handed her the video tape and since I wanted to record the audio of our conversation during the scan, I asked her first if I can record it. She found it a bit strainge, but I can imagine that – intimidated perhaps? I think that she doesn’t realise is that many people do find it difficult, myself included, to read ultrasound images and video without somebody telling you what is going on and if you have the audio together with the video, it makes the process of decoding the alian code just so much easier.
But I had the mic on, and was ready to go. Then it appeared, bigger than last time of course and it was like the sight of a fireworks display and the awe it entrenches on your eyes, in your mind. There is our baby – and everything is looking fine! It was confirmed, it is definately a boy! Bridgitte was very overwhelmed and very eomtional. It was so beautiful to see her lying there with happy tears in her eyes and she witnessed her baby moving inside her. It surely is something really beautiful and such a miracle. Again, this is something that really, again and again, makes me appreciate the miracle of creating life.
Here is the ultrasound scan picture. It isn’t the greatest in quality, but it is something to ponder on. The video will follow, most probably on the weekend.
We both left with such enthsiasm and new zest. Our baby was fine. There is no missing limbs, nothing funny at all. Bridgitte had really horriable dreams the night before and after this scan, all those fears were gone. Besides the fact that she had a terrible drive home in bumper-to-bumper traffic, she indulged and bought our baby his first pair of PJs. She can finally continue and start getting the nursary going knowing that first of all, it is definately a boy and secondly, that everything is fine.
In 2 weeks time, we are going back to the Featal Assessment Centre in Kingsbusy Hospital in Claremonet for the detail scan. Now this is going to be a great video to watch since the organs are going to be looked at as well as many more.
