abenapc's Journal

This is the Dr. Appt that I needed my heart and mind to be in the right place for me to attend. Today I was scheduled to meet with the Doctor who my OB recommended to consult with concerning a transabdominal cerclage.  Upon arrival, I stop at the receptionist desk.  The two ladies behind the counter commented that I look really beautiful.  I take the compliment and leave it at that, hoping that neither of them inquire about the status or sex of the baby and stuff like that.  I just imagine they assume I delivered a healthy baby.  I know I had a glow to me because this is like my last opportunity to look forward to bearing a child of my own.  And I am praising God in my heart for this opportunity.   I am not looking forward to sitting in the waiting area where I used to sit when I was expecting.  But I told myself to get over it, I could not avoid it any longer.  But this wait took forever.  I was scheduled for 4pm, did not get called in until 5:20 and still had to wait to see the Dr.  He finally comes into the office and asked me what brings me here.  Totally not what I was expecting. I thought that he was briefed on my case and was going to present to me what his expertise had to offer.  Thankfully I had an article on Incompetent Cervix written by one of the advisers at DS.  I used that article to help me formulate questions.  Needless to say I began feeling skeptical that this is not going to be what I am looking for.  But eventually the doc did come around with some interesting descriptions and explanations of how the transabdominal cerclage will work for me.  He explained that I had Three strikes against me.  First, my cervix is short.  Second, it is weak. And Third, a McDonald stitch failed with me.  So basically my last resort/hope is in the transabdominal cerclage.  I mentioned to him that my OB said we would do two cerclages, the transabdominal and the Shirodkar.  He says the Shirodkar is often times performed after the McDonald stitch fails, and then if it fails as well you go to the transabdominal but that you would not do both.  He is going to consult with my OB and get a sense of what she was thinking and get back to me in a couple of days.  He recommends the transabdominal because it offers a higher rate of success.  So how should I feel. Confident that this guy knows what he is doing, that he is the chairmen of the department.  Oh that’s right, the success rate.  He has performed 10 of these and 1 failed, but not due to the stitch, the woman had another complication that caused an infection.  Here is more good news, I could have the surgery, come home the same day, heal in 4 weeks and start TTC.  I did leave the office feeling optimistic that I have a real shot at carrying a baby to term.  I think I was turned off initially because I expected him to already know my case, and I thought he and my OB had already spoken since she recommended that I see him.  But maybe it does not work that way. I have not made any decisions yet.  DH and I are talking it over.