Officially "High Risk"

 Yesterday I met with the perinatologist for the first time.

I did not know what that was until I googled it while on the phone with the scheduler at the hospital, who timed her call perfectly for the middle of a faculty meeting where we were addressing serious issues of budget cuts: imagine me, running to the phone, hoping I had turned my mute button on and video off, as I tried to pretend like I knew what appointment she was talking about, and THEN pretending like I hadn't just missed a good chunk of my meeting. 

My modus operandi right now is basically "if the doctor says do something, do it," so I scheduled the appointment and just figured I'd wait and see what happened.

***BTW, a perinatologist (which wants to autocorrect to primatologist...) is a maternal and fetal medicine specialist, an OB-GYN who specializes in high risk pregnancies.

I was already geriatric, being 36, and now I am officially high risk.

Which, as a term, should be just as terrifying as the news that your baby has not one, but two heart defects, but it actually comes with a fairly personalized patient care specialist nurse and a LOT more attention. As a rather nervous mama-to-be, this actually makes me feel good. (Who can explain our emotional reactions, really?)

A lot more attention = a lot more appointments

Of the 90 minutes I was at the clinic, I think 45 of those were scheduling. I'll have more growth ultrasounds, antenatal testing to check on baby's movements, and also heart rate monitoring. At about 30 weeks  I'll be at the clinic twice a week. (I think---it is a lot to remember, but it is all in the planner, of course.)

I will take a pause to say, THANK GOD (and E's company) THAT WE HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE.

It was overwhelming to think about, but we do live very close to the hospital, and I can do all (or at least the vast majority) of these tests there, not the hospital where I will be delivering, which is likely to be 2+ hours away. Great news for trying to fit them in to a teaching schedule...and also for the unpredictable weather that is winter in Wisconsin.

I felt good that both doctor and nurse clearly had been through similar, if not the same, types of heart situations before, and seemed confident in figuring out plans and taking care of me and the baby. It helps me to stay confident in our care, and the ultimate outcomes.