Picking up the Pieces

2

As Stevie was laying on the exam table waiting for her doctor, Karen in the corner reading a magazine she was thinking about the little creature growing in her stomach.

"I think it's a little girl," Stevie says out of the blue.

"Yeah, you aren't just saying that because Lindsey and Kristen are having a little boy?" Karen questions. 

"No. Maternal instincts tell me it's a little girl." Stevie smiles rubbing her belly. 

"Hello Stephanie," Her doctor smiles walking in.

"Hey, this is my assistant Karen." Stevie introduces. 

"Nice to meet you." The doctor shakes her hand. 

"So...let's check on the baby shall we?" She asks. Stevie nods and quickly lifts her shirt. 

"Eager." She laughs. 

"I am a little bit." Stevie nods. 

First, they hear the heartbeat and then the doctor turns the screen. "So the baby is measuring at about eleven weeks, which is going to put your due date at around August 10th." She says. 

"I'll be fifty," Stevie says.

"You will. I would suggest that we go in and do a C-Section. We won't schedule one, we'll let your body go into labor naturally but then we'll open you up to deliver the baby. It'll be safer overall for both you and the fetus. At fifty you have a higher risk for preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure and if your pressure skyrockets while you're pushing it'll but the baby in distress and they may not make it." She looks at Stevie. 

"I don't want a C-Section, I already have enough scars on my abdomen from ovarian cyst removals and the removal of my breast implants...but I want the baby here safely. I want both of us to come out of this alive." Stevie smiles. 

"Alright, so when we do your birth plan we'll make sure it states C-Section. Now, other forms of business. Amniocentesis and touring." She smirks.

"Amnio what?" Stevie asks. 

"Normally we give the mother's an option to do the Amnio. It's where we go in and take amniotic fluid to test to see if the baby has down syndrome or any other mental infliction. Autism, Aspergers, things like that. For young mothers, we give them the option but since you're 49, your baby is at more of a risk for having those special needs because frankly, your eggs are old and dying." The doctor puts it bluntly. 

"But are there risks? When do I have to have it done? How will we do it?" Stevie questions her stomach turning at the thought. 

"Well...It's at your fifteen-week appointment, so not your next visit but the one after. You have to have someone with you, as it is a surgery. You'll experience cramping afterward and vaginal bleeding. We'll do an ultrasound to get the babies positioning and then I'll put a mark on your belly. I'll clean it off with antiseptic and I'll give you a shot but not really. I'll use a syringe and then I'll extract the fluid. It's ultrasound-guided so you'll see the needle in your stomach on the screen and you'll see that I'm nowhere near the baby and then we'll turn the heart monitor on so you can hear the heartbeat for reassurance. There's no driving afterward and bedrest for the rest of the day. You'll probably experience some form of bruising afterward." The doctor explains. 

"Great that sounds like it feels amazing." Stevie groans looking at Karen.

"A lot of mothers only complain about pressure but that's about it. Now, you want to go on a tour. I don't see a problem with it. I would suggest going out after 15 weeks, but make it a short one. You're going to start showing at that point and I don't know how badly you want this getting out." The doctor shrugs.