The Doctor

I talked to the nurse and she didn't sound alarmed, but said I should probably be seen. I even debated about whether to miss my meeting at work, but decided I should since it was an additional 45 minutes drive from my doctor's office, which was already across town.

I drove 45 min to the doctor. I had to do a urine test and was a whole new scared when there was red blood.

The doctor wanted to do an exam. She looked and was so quiet I could have heard a pin drop. I knew it wasn't good. Then all she said was "I'm sorry."

Not what I wanted to hear.

She explained that my membranes (water) was bulging out of my cervix and that I needed to go to hospital right away. The biggest fear that my water would break at any time, forcing my body in labor immediately. I wasn't having any contractions and was about 1 cm dilated (but she didn't want to look any further so that was an estimate) - - she tells me I have an incompetent cervix.

She told me to call my husband (at work) while she called an ambulance. I'm laying on the exam table, in my gown, afraid to move a muscle, and my husband is in a meeting at work. I call about 5 times. Desk phone. Cell phone. No answer...I can't even leave a message and just leave a blubbering mess of sobs.

Thankfully, my mom lives just down the road from my doctor and she's home (thank God!) and we get ahold of her. She's at the office in no time because she'd just gotten in her car to run an errand. The ambulance arrived fairly quickly - I'll never forget the look on the nurses faces, staring at me with pained expressions as they watch me leave down the long, narrow hallway.

The ride to the hospital took for.ever. It was just beginning to snow - the roads were really icy. The paramedic was really nice and I was calm, considering, although I didn't appreciate the bumpy road and hoped it didn't break my water (possible irrational thinking!)

So, to recap, up to this point, here were my symptoms:

23w - noticed increase in clear, mucousy discharge (TMI, but just sharing to help anyone else out there recognize symptoms) but wrote it off as "pregnancy stuff"

late in 23w - had a (Braxton Hicks?) contraction, but that was it, which can be normal

24w1d - noticed increase in back pain, pink spotting

24w2d - bleeding


Thank goodness my husband urged me to go the doctor. I think if I'd waited any longer it would have been too late.

Moral of the story: always follow your gut and NEVER ever hesitate to call your doctor. No question is dumb and you're not being annoying.