Phew

So I did a little research after my last post and I learned all about ectopic pregnancies.

It turns out that ectopic pregnancies (when the fetus grows inside the fallopian tube instead of inside the uterus) usually become apparent at about 6 or 7 weeks. That raised my eyebrow, seeing as how I am 7 weeks pregnant.

Then I learned that they are life threatening for the mother and emergency surgery has to be performed to remove the fetus. That scared the hell out of me.

Then I read that ectopic pregnancies start with dull, rhythmic pain in the lower abdomen but only on one side (my exact symptoms). That got me into the car, headed towards the ER.

Once I got to the ER, the triage nurse thought that I did have an ectopic pregnancy, based on my symptoms. Yikes. But then she said that since my pain wasn't severe, that I would have to wait like everybody else. Fine. I asked how long the wait was and she said "about an hour."

Over FOUR hours later (with one very nervous husband by my side), I finally got seen. I started crying as soon as the doctor introduced herself (which made me feel like an idiot). She was a first year resident and totally understanding and wonderful. She told me that Brian would be allowed back in a minute but they needed to do a couple of tests on me first.

After a quick pelvic exam, the doctor decided that she needed to do an ultrasound. After five or so very tense minutes of her searching around my belly with the ultrasound wand, looking for the fetus, she decided to go get her boss so he could take a look. He was not nearly as nice and I don't think he ever looked at me, just went right to the ultrasound machine, with his back to me, and started moving the wand around my stomach looking for the baby.

That didn't work (and by now I was terrified), so they did what's called a "Transvaginal ultrasound." Basically, that's just a smaller wand that they insert into you and it makes it easier to find really small fetuses (like mine). All of a sudden, a little peanut came into view with an undeniable heartbeat that I could see right there on the monitor. The whole thing was indescribable...to know that what I saw on the monitor was actually inside of me.

And just like that, I knew that everything was okay. It turns out the pain I'd been having is a result of my uterus expanding and pushing on my round ligaments where my obliques meet my hip. Totally normal and nothing to worry about.

And I got to see my little peanut!!

Now I can't wait until January 4, when I get to see more of him/her with a much more sophisticated ultrasound machine. They'll be able to print out pictures for me and I will scan them and post 'em up here. Woo hoo!

Have I mentioned that I love being pregnant??