(More than) Fourinarow.net

So.  Today I show up with my two Little Boys for my 11 a.m. OB appointment.  I had prepped the boys in a couple of ways.  1) I downloaded a new movie to my iPhone for them to watch.  2) I told them that if they were perfect (i.e. no running around the room, no yelling, no turning off and on lights, no climbing and no playing with the privacy curtain) that they would get McDonald’s for lunch.

They both committed to being angels.

The nurse called us back quickly, thank goodness.  However, as we settled in, she started pulling out straps and monitors for a Non Stress Test.  I was aware that I’d have to start these soon, but I was not aware that they would start today, and indicated so to the nurse.  She checked and sure enough, I needed to be hooked up.

S.H.I.T.

Well, the baby was active (as is usual) so I was optimistic that it would go quickly.  (The minimum time is 20 minutes and surely my boys could handle that.)

The nurse strapped in and left me with my boys watching their video.  Time dragged.  The boys started getting restless.  I got restless.  They started misbehaving, I started threatening.  Then the machine started sounding some type of alarm.  I sent Lukie out into the hall to look for a nurse.  No dice.  As Luke walked back in, Sam EXPLODED in anger (since he was not assigned the task.)

The doctor came in and tried to look at the print out, which Sam ripped out of her hands in anger.

It’s horrifying, really, to have your child behave that way and be in a position to do absolutely NOTHING about it.  I was seething.  Sam stayed angry and difficult.  Luke started playing with things in the room.  Then the doctor told me that something was up with the machine and they didn’t get what they needed and would have to monitor me longer.  I waited for her to leave the room before sobbing.

Luke and Sam fought over the iPhone.  Then played with the chairs.  Then Sam got mad again and threw my purse across the room.  Then he tipped over the chair.  Through gritted teeth, I demanded that he pick it up.  After a short battle of wills, he began to do so and the nurse came in.  She picked up my purse and set it in a safer place.  Helped Sam with the chair.  Gave me her sympathies and some water and told me we needed still more monitoring.

Just what I wanted to hear.

A little more hell and we were finished with the monitoring.  The doc came in and answered all the questions I had in a way that I didn’t want.

First – they will NOT, in fact, induce me after having had a c-section.

Second – definitely go with a section.  My decision, but thought of my uterus rupturing is too damn scary.

Third – they will NOT schedule the section even one day before a week before my due date.  It doesn’t matter that all my other children came way earlier than that and chances are this one will too.  Too bad, so sad.

Fourth – due to the above, I will most likely go into labor before scheduled c-section, which means trying to find last-second child care for my children when it happens.

Fifth – something is happening… I’m not dilated yet, but my cervix is very soft, indicating this boy’s desire to make things happen sooner rather than later.

Sixth – I need to see the doctor AND have an NST EVERY week from now one.  And, no, they do not have weekend or evening hours.  See you Monday.  With a preschooler in tow.  AGAIN.

Well, enough for now.  I have to run – gotta go BACK TO THE DOCTOR where I left my purse in my desperation to get the hell out of there.

P.S.  The boys actually had the gall to ask if they were getting McDonald’s on the way home.  (Cue hysterical laughter from their mother).