The Dance We Shared

11

November 6, 1997

It was the final day of the tour, they were performing the night but they had all day to do whatever they wanted, but Stevie wasn't doing whatever she wanted, she was in a car on a way to some Gynecologist she wasn't familiar with because she was two weeks late. Her period was two weeks late and when she realized it she cried and called Karen because she was thinking of menopause and she wanted to have a consultation to just see what to expect and how to react to it. But what she didn't tell Karen or anyone for that matter was she was still feeling sick. The exhaustion didn't wane after their days off and the nausea and vomiting got worse. But she was doing a better job of hiding it now than she had when they first appeared. 

They got to the doctor and Stevie filled out the paperwork and it wasn't long before "Stephanie Buckingham" was called back.

She told Karen to wait for her and she nodded at her boss and Stevie followed the nurse back to the doctor's literal office. The nurse knocked on the door and the woman told them to come on in. The nurse opened the door and showed Stevie in and then shut the door and Stevie sat in the desk chair. 

"Hi Mrs. Buckingham it's nice to meet you, so what brings you in today?" The sweet young woman doctor asks.

"Oh, um...well I've been sick recently and I didn't have my period last month and I'm 49. I think I'm starting Menopause but I don't know and I just want to know what I can do to feel better, and what to expect as it progresses." Stevie shakes her head.

"Well menopause is when a woman's hormones change and her body stops producing an egg. The average American woman goes through Menopause around age 50-51. Usually, with menopause, it's as simple as you stop getting a period. When you've missed your periods for twelve consecutive months then that means that you have started menopause. Given your age and the date of your last cycle on the paperwork you filled out, it is very possible that you are perimenopausal which is around menopause. Common symptoms include hot flashes, fatigue, sweating, reduced sex drive, and vaginal dryness. There may also be sleep disturbances. Not to mention Intercourse tends to be a little painful. Does any of this sound familiar. 

"Fatigue is the only one...I mean my sex drive has actually increased but I'm so tired that my husband and I can't even get to the first steps because as soon as I lay in bed I pass out."  Stevie explains.

"You mentioned feeling sick, how are you feeling?" 

"Certain foods like eggs and salmon make me vomit and I'm almost continuously nauseous." She explains. 

"I'd like to have a urine sample and a blood sample taken. We can do it all here and I'll have the labs rush it because I know that you're only here or a short window of time." The doctor sighs digging in her drawers and signing some papers.

"But why?" Stevie asks.

"I think you know why...your paperwork says you've had a couple of abortions." 

"You think I...no, I'm... I'm 49 though." Stevie shakes her head.

"But you did get a period in September..." She trails off.

"Well let's...let's do it." Stevie just shakes her head.

"Alright... I'll take you to a room, I'll just draw it for you alright?" She asks.

"Alright." Stevie nods.

The doctor takes her to an exam room and when she returns she hands Stevie a cup. "Go do this now, the bathroom is right across the hall, and then come back in here and I'll draw your blood. I'll take you back to my office and then I'll run this to the lab and as soon as I get the results back I'll come tell you okay?" She asks.

"Fine." Stevie nods biting her lip and taking the cup. 

Once her labwork has been taken she's sitting in the Doctor's office just biting her thumbnail. She doesn't know how long she sits there but eventually, a nurse opens the door and smiles at her.

"Follow me." 

"Wait does that mean I'm..." Stevie starts.

"Right in here take everything below the waist off." She smiles shutting the door. 

Stevie does as she's told and once she sits on the exam bed she drapes the little blue paper over her thighs and the doctor comes back in wheeling a machine. 

"Congrats, you're pregnant. I would say given the date of your last cycle and when you last had intercourse that you're about six weeks, so what we're going to do is we're just going to confirm it. I'm going to perform a transvaginal ultrasound which allows us to see a fetus from as early as five weeks. It shouldn't hurt, it'll just be like a normal pelvic exam okay?" She asks.

"So I should lay back and put my feet up?" 

"Yes." The doctor nods. 

Stevie's just laying back one arm behind her head one hand laying on her stomach and she watches as the doctor smiles. 

"Alright, here they are." She turns the screen and points it out to Stevie.

"So little." She states.

"Size of a sweetpea. That fast thumping right there," She points out on the screen. "Is their heartbeat." 

"Can I...can I have some pictures?" Stevie asks.

"Of course. I'm going to give you these pictures and I want to give you a high-risk prenatal vitamin. You are forty-nine so you are very high risk but I'm not going to worry you about anything, I just want you to stay healthy. We have the information for your gynecologist at home and I'll send it to her. All you worry about right now is getting this prescription filled. I want you to take it easy for the next six weeks. You are still very likely to miscarry until the 12th week and because of your age, you are more likely to so I just need you to be hyper aware of your body. Any pains that aren't normal, go to a hospital immediately okay?" 

"Okay, thank you." Stevie smiles. 

When Stevie walks out to Karen, Karen gives her a look and she sits down on the chair. She has Karen get as close to her as humanly possible and she pulls out the pictures from her purse.

"Oh my god, Stevie." She chuckles.

"Karen you can't tell a single living soul. I'm not even going to tell Lindsey for a while so please don't say anything. Just drop me back off at the hotel and go get this filled. I want it done before the show so I can take one before the show. I've gotta be really careful Karen." She sighs.

"Alright, I will." Karen nods,

"Thank You." Stevie smiles.

"This is so exciting, congrats." 

"Thank You." Stevie beams.