And to hear their quick little heartbeat pounding so steadily?
No. No matter how much you might think you're ready, that moment is truly unique and beyond description.
WARNING: This is where I start talking a lot about pee. If pee or talking about pee bothers you, then please don't complain to me about it.
Our first ultrasound appointment started out innocent enough. We got to the appointment on time. I dutifully drank the 14 gallons of water I was asked to drink in advance. Something about having a full bladder makes for a better ultrasound.
I think they make you do it just so they can crack cruel jokes at your expense while checking you in.
"Ok, I'm just going to need your insurance cards...would you like some water while you wait? No? You sure?"
Ha ha. Funny funny.
So we got checked in and were seated and waiting to be called in by 10am.
By 10:25 we still hadn't been called in and while Trevor was sitting, I was doing more of a constant shifting in my seat.
At 10:30 the nurse came out to tell us that there was an emergency patient and they would be another 30 minutes. To her credit, she DID say I could go pee if I needed to. I would just need to drink more water.
I opted to stay put and try to not think about my aching bladder. I had already had one close encounter with nausea after glass of water #6 and did not really feel like drinking any more. It was either hold it, or pee but drink more and risk vomiting it all up - and being forced to drink MORE after that.
11am rolled around and we still weren't called in - so I checked in at the front desk only to find out it would be another 20 minutes.
I informed the admin that I found this information very unfortunate given the fact that they made me drink 8 glasses of water this morning, made me live with a full bladder for 2 hours, and are now telling me that it's going be be another 20 minutes. Supposedly.
She was so kind to tell me that if I wanted to relieve some of the pressure I could pee 1 cup if I like.
1 cup?
I'm thinking to myself - how's she going to know how much I pee?
And as though she knew what I was thinking - she reached under her desk and pulled out a giant paper cup. On the cup she drew a line, handed it to me, and told me to pee to the line.
People. If you have ever been in a position where you have to pee REALLY badly, has the idea of being able to STOP the flood gates ever seemed feasible to you?
Well, I suppose when you are desperate, AND don't want to fuck up your ultrasound after already suffering for 2 hours...you will close the flood gates with every ounce of your being.
So I "relieved" some pressure and miraculously they called me in after the 20 minutes.
By this point I was so tortured from holding my pee that my kidneys started aching.
You have never known such weird discomfort in your lower back as having your kidneys ache.
Fortunately they only needed a full (ha) bladder for the first few minutes - and then they let me run to the ladies room.
And my god I have never known such pain coupled with relief.
When I came back to finish the procedure I was feeling pretty irked at the whole experience, having been made to wait for over an hour and a half with a painfully full bladder.
That is, until the tech got started and I looked at the monitor and saw what was quite clearly and remarkably my baby.
And then, as if that wasn't crazy enough, out of no where I started hearing this quick and steady heartbeat - something I wasn't even sure we'd be able to hear so early in the development.
161 beats per minute - absolutely perfect.
2 centimeters long - just 8 weeks old.
Suddenly your world turns around and all you can think is that this has got to be one of the most miraculous things in life.
What bladder?
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