Crazy Chromosome Lady

I was on my way home from work last night, and my clock said something like 5:03 or something like just after five. My phone starts ringing, and it's a number that I don't know. I answer it saying
"hello,"
And a strangely familiar voice on the other end replies, "Hello, is this Mickaela?"
"yes, this is she.."
"Hi, Mickaela, this is Dr. Suchandsuch, Genetic Counselor from University Hospital.."(I still have no idea what her name is because Bleu and I call her the Crazy Chromosome Lady.)
Somehow that rang a bell and the realization of exactly what call this was came to me just as she said, "I'm calling about your test results."
"Oh" I said. Looking around frantically for a place to pull over during 5 o'clock traffic down 39th South. No Luck. I would just have to control myself till I got home. "okay..."
"Well I do have some good news about your amniocentesis, but first, were you wanting to know the sex of your baby?"
"We were guessing it was a boy from the ultrasound......"
"Well the chromosome confirms that it is a boy."
"Okay..........."
"And we tested his chromosomes, and he has a total of 46 chromosomes, which is normal."

I felt ten pounds lighter. It's a darn good thing that I was at a red light, too. She went on, as I made the last turn for home.
"I do have some questions for you, however.... have you been feeling your baby moving at all?" (Here she is trying to rule out arthrogryposis, where the joints are stiff and sometimes contorted.)
I explained that I know I had felt him a few times for sure, and other times maybe and that I was still trying to distinguish baby moving from digestion (or indigestion :).
She agreed that it is a little early for me to be sure of what I'm feeling.
She made sure that I was still planning on having a follow-up ultrasound, which I had it scheduled at Greenwood Healthcare, my regular office on Tuesday the 27th. Because there is not a specifically trained nurse or doctor in Greenwood on Tuesdays, we rescheduled the ultrasound at the University Hospital so that I can have the right people doing the ultrasounds and getting immediate feedback.
She went on and said that after we check up on him and see if anything has changed, there are other tests that she might recommend..... "if that's what you want."

I took a breath, and the Spirit whispered that what I was about to say was true. I said,

"You know, I think that I'm done with tests. It just seems like too much of a worry. You know.. a lot of the tests are so 'maybe this and maybe that' and there's no way of knowing for sure right now and if there's nothing I can do to fix it, or to change it, than there's no point in putting him through all of this. I think I'll just go to the follow-up ultrasound and check up on him, and if his feet are perfect and his hands are open that's great. If nothing has changed then I will just wait till he's born and see how it goes. I have absolutely no problem with having a disabled child. If there's anything wrong I would just rather have a doctor physically look at him when that time comes."

She didn't interrupt me or say anything and there was a pause..... and she said, "Okay..." like 'If you say so.....' and said that she would see me in a few weeks at the ultrasound.

I've done research on Edward's Syndrome and Arthrogryposis. And I've almost memorized the ultrasound pictures and videos. I know I have never taken a medical class in my life. But I think that my son is perfectly fine. I know what I see when I watch the video of his hands and just half of a second before the end, he moves his fingers, and I've watched him move his legs and arms and head so many times that I can play it in my head. His wrists are straight-arthrogryposis contorts the joints and ligaments. He may have club feet.....possible. But we can only wait and pray for the next ultrasound to go well! I hope this video works on other computers, cause it doesn't work on mine. :) But watch the top hand just before the video's over! Ha! he moves his fingers! Doctors. What do they know.



I scheduled the ultrasound today with a nurse at the Diagnostic Center and we decided that I will go at a different time of day so the little twerp isn't sleeping. She told me that if I eat a good lunch that day, my body working to break down the food will make him more active, and also to eat a good snack on the way or just before the appointment. I've also heard that COLD water wakes them up, too. So! He's going to be complaining that we are keeping him awake. Good. Then maybe he'll move around some more and show us his fingers and toes.

I did feel him moving tonight after dinner. It was interesting. I was laying on the couch and felt a slow but firm pressure on the right side moving up, and I put my hand there and it was harder than the left side. Then I felt it sink away from the pressure of my hand. It was so funny! And I just felt one of those "flutters" just now. It's fun to be able to recognize those weird feelings.

OH! I just felt him again.....Maybe he doesn't like Pork Chops.......... Hmmmm..