Tuesday, March 8, 2011

You know what really isn't pleasant? Showing up for your first NST (Fetal assessment), and having the person administering the test exclaim that you're being seen a LOT more frequently than most people. Then, having that person look at your chart, and non-challantly say "ooh, that's why". My chart says that I'm high risk due to IUGR.
Thanks, Lady.
Little Miss did just fine on her NST, although she wasn't as reactive as they would have liked, eventually she started kicking up a storm, and they got adequate results. Apparently they don't like to do NST assesments prior to 28 weeks, but I guess they make special exceptions.

Here's my patient itinerary, for the next couple weeks:
Friday, March 11, 2011
9:30 U/S AFI Doppler - 15 minutes
10:00 Fetal NST F/UP- 45 minutes
11:00 MFM F/UP- 30 minutes
13:30 NICU Consult - 60 minutes
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
9:15 Fetal NST F/UP - 45 minutes
Friday, March 18, 2011
9:00 U/S Clinic OB Scan- 45 minutes
10:00 Fetal NST F/UP- 45 minutes
11:00 MFM F/UP- 30 minutes
I know the schedule can change at any time depending on how things go at each appointment, but it sure does amount to a lot of time spent at that hospital.
Our NICU consult is with Dr. A, a neonatologist, who happens to have a phD in ethical issues in neonatal decision-making. A lot of the reading I've done seems to indicate a high likelihood of morbidity (long term health problems) in iugr babies, and our plan of action might be different once we get a chance to talk with this Dr.
I'm glad they give us an hour, I am already planning out all the questions I can think of at the moment.
I had another look at my S/D ratios from last week, and two weeks prior. The resistance levels are definitely increasing, so I'm hoping that by some miracle they go down by Friday, or that they at least stay positive, and not absent-end, or reverse flow. From the research papers I've been glued to, she needs to make it to 28 weeks, regardless of weight, and she needs to do that before her flow goes absent. Only two more weeks.
14 days. If she can get to 31 weeks, she's golden, that's only 5 weeks away.