Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine

My little girl was conceived on Thanksgiving night (what were you doing on Thanksgiving? *wink*). When I first went to by OBGYN in December at 6 weeks preggo he informed me that he was retired from Obstetrics (does not delivery babies) and does not see pregnant mothers past 13 weeks. So, I needed a new doctor. Well, just great. (Issue #1)

5 wks 5 days
(Dec 19th, 2008 - She's the white spec at the bottom of my amniotic sac there.)

8 wks 2 days
(January 5th, 2009 - 12.3 mm CRL - head to bum length)

We had been driving a good bit to see him, he is a pro-life, do not use birth control unless you have to, type and was a very strong Christian man, who happened to be Catholic. So he understood, how religion was very important to me. Anyway... I started asking around church for an OB suggestion. Every single person I asked said to go see this one specific Nurse Midwife. So, I made an appointment, and in January she became my caregiver.

My Midwife works on a team. Four ladies, two MDs certified specialists of Obstetrics, the Nurse Midwife, and a Nurse Practitioner. Love the midwife! Really like one of the doctors. Have not met the other. And met the NP today, and like her too.

My first visit in January, (late January) the ultrasound (u/s) was inconclusive for the nuchal translucency, so they suggested I go see this Specialist to get a full opinion. Okay. (Long story short, google nuchal fold if you have more questions, but could be an indicator of a chromosomal abnormality such as Down's Syndrome).

10 wks 4 days (January 21st)

My first visit with the specialist, (later January) love the sonographer! She's great! Finger prick, sent of to lap, and u/s. Imagery suggests baby is fine. Specialist doctor is a complete jerk. (Issue #2) Wait on blood work.

10 wks 6 days
(January 23rd - see her feet!!)

Two weeks later (early February). The lab rejects the blood work and says that the baby was the wrong crown/rump length and their form had asked for an age rather than a length. Either way, I am brought back in for another u/s and finger prick. Not a big deal really, except the charge me again a specialists co-pay of $25. Ugh. (Issue #3) I tell them I do not think that is fair, and they basically say, pay it.

12 wks 4 days
(February 4th - head on left, white face)

Blood work in (mid-February). Jerk doctor calls and says my 1 in 7 chance just went to 1 in 10,000. Odds are great! But there is still a second part of the test.

Must come in to check growth. Great appointment, get a suggestion of baby's gender.

15 weeks
(February 20th - head on right, see face, spine and legs!)

(Mid-March). Go back for second part of test. U/s looks great. Confirm it's a GIRL!!!! They send me to a lab for a few tubes of blood. I tell them that I am confused since the finger pricks went to a different lab. They tell me they know what they are doing. Uh. Ok. (Issue #4) So I've been in the office for two hours (see a nice funny doctor). (Issue #5) Then head across the office complex to the lab. Wait forever at the lab. The sonographer (not my favorite gal - different one) did not fill out all the info on the form so the lab has to call with questions. *sigh* (Issue #6) Get blood drawn and finally go get lunch!

18 wks 5 days (March 19th - head on left, itty bitty nose and tiny ear! Here she was sleeping with her hands up behind her head on the left side in a prayer position. - Not shown - but her ankles were crossed Indian style too. *sigh* My modest little angel.)

Today, well mid-March was yesterday. Today I go to my normal OB for an u/s that was suppose to surprise my DH with the gender. Well, the sonographer says, "So this is your second U/s". And I say, well no, kinda like my fifth I think. Then we talk about the specialist. She says if I'm seeing the specialist, I do not need to see her. I tell her that I told the office that when they made the appointment and they said I still do. She goes and gets the NP, who says it was an error. (WHY DID YOU MAKE ME GET UP EARLY TO COME HERE WHEN I HAVE BEEN IN A DOCTORS OFFICE ALL "YESTERDA"Y!?!?!?!) (Issue #7) So, no u/s today, and canceled the appointment for next weeks. Listened with a Doppler. Answered a few questions and said, "See you in four weeks." Great. So my huge surprise of letting DH see what baby was was squashed and I had to just tell him and that lost a huge amount of the excitement. Then he races back to work and I go home feeling rather deflated. (Issue #8)

After being home for like two hours, the specialist's sonographer called (the one I like). She says, "Sorry, we made a mistake. You went to the wrong lab. You have to come back and do it again at the other lab." (Issue #9) I tell her I said that yesterday and they told me they knew what they were doing. (Issue #10) She apologized. So then I drive back to the specialist (not in the town I live in BTW). They do not have the "tools" to draw the blood, so I have to go to the hospital across the street, have Outpatient Lab draw the blood, then the sonographer will go get it and send it to the lab. (Issue #11)

I go. I am suppose to give blood, then the sonographer come pick it up. The hospital says I cannot do that. (Issue #12) We have to call and have them talk to the sonographer, who tells them whatever she said. They then tell me they'll charge me a fee, but let me take the blood. (Issue #13) I say will insurance cover it? I'm not suppose to be charged, they say sure. Then! They say that they have to fully register me, ugh. Some of my paperwork was still in the system from Dec 19th 2007 (ask me later if you want more details from my ER visit) so it was not as painful as it could have been. But then!! They charge me $21.10 for a puncture fee. (Issue #14)

Let me explain. I am having two small tubes of blood drawn. This time from my right arm, because yesterday they did my left. There will be a lab fee for the lab that we send the blood to. There was a co-pay yesterday for seeing the u/s, having blood drawn, and the doctor. There is a delivery fee on getting the blood to the lab from the office. All is covered except the miserable co-pay. Now. The hospital is charging a puncture fee, unrelated to any other and not acceptable to the insurance. They do not even attempt to file it to the insurance (because the insurance knows they are money grabbing jerks! - do not get me wrong, the ladies were all very nice, it's the policies that faulty). So I pay. Ugh. I give blood. Ugh. I drive back across the street to delivery my (already clotted I might add) blood to the sonographer. I say, dude they charged me. Both the front desk girl (very nice) and sonographer agree they should not have, (especially since the other lab did not! outside of insurance). So now, they tell me to call the "Billing Specialist Manager". (Issue #16)

Woohoo! I call, she is in a meeting. I leave a message. Great. Now, I can ask her about that double co-pay charge. They are continually messing up and charging me for it. (Issue #17) QUIT IT!

When we first went to the specialist it was suppose to be in, yes problem or no problem and out and over with. Now I see them about every two weeks (Issue #18) (get a specialist co-pay every time I might add!!) and now they say they have to see me in four week to get the results of this blood draw and to take another u/s to check the femur length (we're a little on the short side, um, hello have you taken a look at my femurs?!? - I have a long torso and short legs). Then four weeks after that (most likely) they'll see me again. QUIT STEALING MY MONEY! I ask, well after we got rid of the nuchal fold enlargement theory, why am I still here? Blood I understand, but the other tests? They say they must check for everything, because I will be angry with them if my baby is "with issues". Um. I just do not want to come back. I am not going to sue some doctor's office, because they missed something. Things happen. Babies are born. Perfect or not, I'm keeping her. So, leave me alone!

Well.. We'll see you in four weeks. Awesome. April 16th at the specialist and April 17th at the OB. Fabulous.

Note: Yes, I am complaining. Most of the staff have been really nice people which completely helps in the situations. (Oh, and I have not even told you about the incorrect filing of insurance stuff. HAH! Another time perhaps, or email me for more... lol) I love this baby. I am having this baby. She'll be perfect even if she is "with issues", hah. I never thought all this would be easy. I am quite certain it could be much worse. I just feel like ranting. This is my blog. Hence, I rant.

Here, she waves "Bye bye!" (14 wks 6 days)