How come I can think of great blog posts when I am away from my computer but when I sit down to write them I can no longer remember what I wanted to talk about? I think this is a sign I should blog more often.
I had my first date with an ultrasound machine at the beginning of November. I had my annual visit with the gyno and I told her about some lingering pain I'd been having in my left side. When she did my exam she seemed to think the left felt different and I agreed that it was more sensitive than usual so she ordered up an ultrasound for the next day.
Apparently my gyno's office doesn't do ultrasounds in-house, they send people to another office located across the street (and by across the street I mean you have to go way to the opposite side of the hospital and then cross the street). Is it common for ob/gyn offices to be separated from ultrasounds places like that, or is mine just special because I live in a small town?
Anyway, I was instructed to drink 32oz of water one hour before the appointment. Wow! Driving across town, parking, signing in, filling out new patient paperwork, waiting for the ultrasound tech, and then climbing up on the exam table with a VERY full bladder is no joke. Thankfully I was allowed to go to the bathroom before the internal ultrasound began.
The way this ultrasound place is set up is very nice. It was modern yet homey and more inviting and warm than clinical. There were comfortable benches set up in the exam room (I assume for the exciting ultrasounds when extra family comes), there was a nice-sized t.v. screen set up right across from where I was laying so I could watch everything, and there was even bonus mood lighting! ;)
I was nervous about the internal but it wasn't bad at all. The ultrasound tech was nice, she asked if I had any kiddos and when I answered no she didn't ask any more questions which was fine by me because I was too fascinated by what was on the screen!
It was very interesting to get a glimpse inside and try to figure out what was what. It was also kind of reassuring in a weird way. I mean, I get a monthly reminder that there is a uterus and ovaries in there but actually seeing them on the screen kind of brought them to life on a whole different level. Is that crazy? Also, judging by my reaction to this ultrasound, I can already picture the waterworks that will happen when the ultrasound is of a baby (hopefully tears of joy).
On the good side the ultrasound showed nothing on the left that would cause my pain and it showed a lining with a normal thickness and a follicle (or ovulatory cyst) on the right. On the not-bad-but-maybe-concerning side there was a small polyp detected.
As for my pain, my doctor thought it could be digestive or ovulatory. I guess I'll monitor it and seek further diagnosis if it continues.
Glad to hear everything is going okay. It is always nerve wrecking going in for testing and trying not to have worst case scenarios run through my head!
ReplyDeleteHmmm- well, my fertility clinic has internal ultrasound capabilities onsite. I've never gotten beyond that stage. Of course I am at a fertility clinic. I don't remember my regular OB having one but that could just be from not having need of it there.
ReplyDeleteI too find it interesting to see my "workings" as I call them. I remember at one of my last ultrasounds (before the second FET) the tech commenting on my ovaries seeming smaller. I told her I wasn't surprised because they weren't in great shape now four years ago when I began this. I laugh and tell people that I've seen more pictures of my uterus than most people have even thought of theirs. :-)
Glad all looks good in there! My RE and my high risk OB have ultrasounds with screens on the wall, too. Not sure about my OB - but I'll find out next week when I start my weekly u/s appointments!
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