First OB appointment
Well, I am back from my first OB appointment. She seemed nice enough and the appointment itself probably only took about 15-20 minutes. She told me I was a "very high risk" pregnancy (I already knew that...though I don't think I am as high risk as she is making me out to be...). In light of this, she has referred me to see the perinatalogist there at the clinic. I don't know when that appointment will be, hopefully soon. She has also referred me to a diabetic clinic which I think is just another nutritionist...last time was not too helpful so I hope this one is better.
She said that around 20 weeks (maybe a bit later) or so, she might want me to come in once (or twice!!!!) a week for fetal monitoring...yeah for the monitoring, boo on the extra appointments.
She is taking me off my Metformin (gasp!!) at 12 weeks and switching to some other medicine I have never heard of...glyderide or something like that. Hopefully I can keep my sugars controlled enough (under 140 one hour after eating, under 120 two hours after eating, and under 90 fasting...I feel sick under 90 so that freaks me out a bit...), if not, I will move to insulin.
The perinatalogist may put me on Heparin because of my previous blood clot issues..but I doubt it. I think she (my OB) was just being overly cautious. It was so very long ago and there were so many confounding variables that noone really knows why I had the clots, but I have done the tests since then and do not have a clotting disorder.
Finally, she said that I may have to deliver in Seattle at the university because while they do have an excellent neonatal unit here, they do not have a good ICU or anything for women. There is a unit like that in my town, but in the other part of the hospital and she thought it might be best to do it all in the same place. Again, I really don't think I am nearly as high risk as she is making me out to be...but I guess we will see. Better safe than sorry, I suppose.
After meeting with her, I went to make all my appointments (a follow up with her in 2 weeks, the perinatalogist consult and the diabetic consult). The peri and diabetic consults require my documents to be sent there before they can schedule them...sounded iffy whether I would get a time outside of teaching...But the worst was making an appointment with her. Two weeks from today she was booked solid pretty much for the entire week. The only appointment available during that week (2weeks from today to 3 weeks from today) was a morning appointment on Friday. Luckily, that day is not a teacher contract day (oddly our days are Tues-Thurs that week). However, it has me very worried for future appointments. I can not afford to take off a sick day every time I have an appointment...I live in the States and the only way I can get ANY pay for my maternity leave is to use my sick leave while I am out...and I only have 7 weeks of sick leave, none if I use a day everytime for an appointment. So, I am seriously considering just switching back to my old OB, or one in his clinic, which is in Seattle. I have always been able to make afternoon appointments there...
She said that around 20 weeks (maybe a bit later) or so, she might want me to come in once (or twice!!!!) a week for fetal monitoring...yeah for the monitoring, boo on the extra appointments.
She is taking me off my Metformin (gasp!!) at 12 weeks and switching to some other medicine I have never heard of...glyderide or something like that. Hopefully I can keep my sugars controlled enough (under 140 one hour after eating, under 120 two hours after eating, and under 90 fasting...I feel sick under 90 so that freaks me out a bit...), if not, I will move to insulin.
The perinatalogist may put me on Heparin because of my previous blood clot issues..but I doubt it. I think she (my OB) was just being overly cautious. It was so very long ago and there were so many confounding variables that noone really knows why I had the clots, but I have done the tests since then and do not have a clotting disorder.
Finally, she said that I may have to deliver in Seattle at the university because while they do have an excellent neonatal unit here, they do not have a good ICU or anything for women. There is a unit like that in my town, but in the other part of the hospital and she thought it might be best to do it all in the same place. Again, I really don't think I am nearly as high risk as she is making me out to be...but I guess we will see. Better safe than sorry, I suppose.
After meeting with her, I went to make all my appointments (a follow up with her in 2 weeks, the perinatalogist consult and the diabetic consult). The peri and diabetic consults require my documents to be sent there before they can schedule them...sounded iffy whether I would get a time outside of teaching...But the worst was making an appointment with her. Two weeks from today she was booked solid pretty much for the entire week. The only appointment available during that week (2weeks from today to 3 weeks from today) was a morning appointment on Friday. Luckily, that day is not a teacher contract day (oddly our days are Tues-Thurs that week). However, it has me very worried for future appointments. I can not afford to take off a sick day every time I have an appointment...I live in the States and the only way I can get ANY pay for my maternity leave is to use my sick leave while I am out...and I only have 7 weeks of sick leave, none if I use a day everytime for an appointment. So, I am seriously considering just switching back to my old OB, or one in his clinic, which is in Seattle. I have always been able to make afternoon appointments there...
posted by Katrina | 8/18/2005 10:12:00 AM
5 Comments:
Can you break up sick pay and use it in half-days or smaller increments? That's one nice thing my company allows, to use sick pay in 30 minute increments for doctor appointments.
Only having 7 weeks of paid time is yucky. Can you take some of your doctor appointment time as unpaid to save the sick pay?
I'm going through a bit of this myself since my doctor cut my hours back to 30/week, but those extra 10 hours a week aren't automatically paid under extended leave since the reasons my doctor gave were classified as "normal pregnancy symptoms." And our HR department won't let me go unpaid, so I'm burning through all my sick pay and vacation time. So after I get back from my maternity leave I'll have all of November and December without any vacation time or sick time available.
Good luck with everything!
Carrie - I don't think that is an option, but it would be nice. I can take 1/2 days or full days for appointments. That's it. The problem with my schedule is that most appointments end up being a full day because the first half of my day is 7-10:45. Can't really do morning appointments and be assured you can get back in time with that half...Plus it is just plain hard to get a sub for a half day so then other teachers have to fill in for you...and many subs and most other teachers don't speak Spanish...oh, it's a nightmare.
I talked to my mom after my appointment and she convinced me to stick with this woman and see if it gets better once I can schedule in advance. I hope so!
I'll come sub for you. I speak enough Spanish to be dangerous (when I'm not trying to mix in some French). I subbed for a year while I was in college for some extra money.
I agree with your mom. Give this new OB a chance, and if it's really not working out down the road, then look for someone else.
I had to wait hours in the waiting room each time to see my obstetrician. She was way too overbooked. I hope you don't have that problem.
Very cool ultrasound picture!
What are contract days? Can you tell me what your teaching schedule is for the week? I'm having problems visualizing your days.
I often feel high school teachers get it much easier (at least here in Ontario) than elementary teachers as they have much more prep. time and have a lot fewer demands upon their time.
Rae
Rae - a contract day is a day that there are no kids but we are still contracted to be there. Usually we have meetings of some sort and workshops. Sometimes we get individual time, but often we have to do other meetings during that time as well...I suppose that the "easiness" factor of elementary/high school is relative. In elementary you have 8 different subjects to plan for all day every day. In high school, that depends. I only teach two classes, first and second year Spanish. I have three periods of first and two of second. We get one planning period every day. However, we don't have enough space in our school so we have teachers who teach in our rooms during our planning period so it is difficult to get much done. While we have less planning, we have more marking. I usually see 150 kids a day which is pretty average. A music teacher or someone like that sees even more kids. Also, high school teachers have different extra curricular requirements...most are optional but highly recommended. Like big sports games. We don't HAVE to go, but it is definitely encouraged. Supervising dances is another thing that is encouraged. I am a class advisor which means I also have after school poster paintings, after school events like bonfires and pep rallies, planning for homecoming events and this year my class is graduating so all the planning and preparation that goes with graduation. I also don't remember my mother (who taught elementary for 35 years) being forced onto committees like we are in high schools. For example, I was forced onto the literacy committee which met twice a month for about 2 hours each. There is also the WASL committee, something to do with math, a committee about improving school environment, etc. We have department meetings (something you don't usually have in elementary) as well as staff meetings. We have a lot more parents to deal with...I think the time demands are just very different to really make a comparison.
Carrie - you can definitely be my sub, if you have a teaching certificate for the state of WA! LOL. :) Plus, I think your (by then two!) little ones will want you a lot closer. :)
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