I had my first appointment with the midwife at the hospital where I am booked in for the birth of bub #2. Different hospital this time - the hospital where BallFiend was born no longer offers the Family Birth Centre model of care, so I have gone to another major public hospital which does have a FBC.
However, I am not feeling confident in my choice. Today was my second visit to the hospital (the first was to do the tour and book in). On both occasions I haven't really connected with the midwives I met. The first one seemed really bossy and the one I met today didn't seem to be entirely sure about what she is doing. I was kept waiting for about half an hour, then finally had my appointment. Annoying since DeepSpice and I had rushed like crazy to get there on time. I got stressed about running late and then end up sitting around and waiting. Hmph.
After the midwife appointment, I was told to go and book in for the 18-20 week morphology ultrasound and to get pathology testing done. However the medical imaging department told me they are fully booked and that I would have to arrange for my ultrasound to be done elsewhere. This means getting a GP referral and then paying the out-of-pocket expense for the ultrasound. This is just pathetic. Why should some public patients get a bulk-billed ultrasound and others don't just because of timing! It is very unfair.
At least the blood sample didn't hurt - best pathology collection experience I have ever had. I didn't even feel the needle go in.
I am feeling miserable now... trying to decide if I should try and change hospitals / models of care. Do I switch to another public hospital, go private, continue where I am? And that is assuming I could even get into a different hospital or book in with a private obstetrician.
I was planning to try and get a student midwife to be part of my support team, but now I am thinking I might hire a private midwife. Problem is this gets really expensive - there is no Medicare rebate for private midwives, only private obstetricians.
Oh yeah, to top off my so-far shitty experience of ante-natal care... I am still waiting for the results from my first trimester screen (combined blood test and ultrasound). Apparently the place where I had the ultrasound done sent the film from my scan off to the pathology service but the pathology service didn't receive it. So it had to be resent and I have to wait even longer for results. It is now three weeks since I had the initial blood test. Call me a cynic, but I am now expecting a phone call from them saying they have lost the blood test and so cannot give me any results! Would be just my luck.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Only one!
Hooray, hooray! I have a living baby in my belly! As seen today on the small screen at the ultrasonographer's place.
Even though officially I already knew I was pregnant (urine and blood tests were positive) and I had morning sickness for 9 weeks, and have had no period for 12 weeks, and my boobs ache, and my wee smells of pregnancy hormones, and my middle is getting thick (I can't fit into my clothes properly), and I am always exhausted, and I have to get up to pee at 3 am, and get up to eat the first breakfast of the day at 4.30 am, somehow I wasn't really sure that I was still pregnant. It's just yet another a weird thing about being pregnant. I remember having the same feeling when I was pregnant with BallFiend.
So it was great to see the baby on the ultrasound today and know that there really is a baby in there.
"It" (the baby - I need to come up with a moniker) is 5cm long, has a head, two arms, two legs, fingers, toes, a brain, spine, stomach, heart and at least one ear. Too early to determine the sex yet.
To top off the good news, we now know there is just one baby, not two! I didn't think it was likely to be twins, but one never knows. Both DeepSpice and I were very relieved to get confirmation that only one bub has taken up residence in my lower abdomen.
The down side was that the whole purpose of this scan was to measure the nuchal translucency, but the "it" would not assume the required position and the ultrasonographer was unable to take the measurement. Stubborn thing, just like BallFiend at his first scan - although BallFiend did eventually move into the right position. So I am headed back there again tomorrow for another attempt and BallFiend is off to play with LittleMissZ for the morning.
Even though officially I already knew I was pregnant (urine and blood tests were positive) and I had morning sickness for 9 weeks, and have had no period for 12 weeks, and my boobs ache, and my wee smells of pregnancy hormones, and my middle is getting thick (I can't fit into my clothes properly), and I am always exhausted, and I have to get up to pee at 3 am, and get up to eat the first breakfast of the day at 4.30 am, somehow I wasn't really sure that I was still pregnant. It's just yet another a weird thing about being pregnant. I remember having the same feeling when I was pregnant with BallFiend.
So it was great to see the baby on the ultrasound today and know that there really is a baby in there.
"It" (the baby - I need to come up with a moniker) is 5cm long, has a head, two arms, two legs, fingers, toes, a brain, spine, stomach, heart and at least one ear. Too early to determine the sex yet.
To top off the good news, we now know there is just one baby, not two! I didn't think it was likely to be twins, but one never knows. Both DeepSpice and I were very relieved to get confirmation that only one bub has taken up residence in my lower abdomen.
The down side was that the whole purpose of this scan was to measure the nuchal translucency, but the "it" would not assume the required position and the ultrasonographer was unable to take the measurement. Stubborn thing, just like BallFiend at his first scan - although BallFiend did eventually move into the right position. So I am headed back there again tomorrow for another attempt and BallFiend is off to play with LittleMissZ for the morning.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
A review of "Foundations of Management"
by Stephen Robbins, Rolf Bergman, Ian Stagg, Mary Coulter
To describe this book as “worth consuming” with the exclamation mark is going too far, but it was better than ‘wishy-washy’.
This was the prescribed textbook for a uni course I am doing, I wouldn’t have read it otherwise. However it does provide a good, comprehensive overview of management – it’s history and the major theories and concepts that it is built upon. The book also has strategies and case studies which are useful enough.
Of course real learning about how to be a manager happens in the workplace and in life, not in a classroom, and I have certainly learned a lot more useful things about managing from my work experiences than I ever expect to gain from any book.
BallFiend's strange words
Upon waking up this morning, BallFiend announced: "I saw a fairy." When asked what colour was it, he replied "It was a green fairy."
And at lunchtime, "Don't put your elbows on your words mum." (I was reading the newspaper, with my elbow on the paper and my chin resting in my hand).
Some that he has been using for ages now:
And at lunchtime, "Don't put your elbows on your words mum." (I was reading the newspaper, with my elbow on the paper and my chin resting in my hand).
Some that he has been using for ages now:
- the toy library is referred to as the "library toilet" (with toilet pronounced 'terlit');
- a butterfly is a "fly-die"
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Fire
It is beyond my ability to comprehend the devastation of the Victorian bushfires. People killed, homes destroyed, entire towns reduced to ash and rubble. How big is 100,000 hectares anyway?
I have a special affection for north-east Victoria, having travelled though Whittlesea, King Lake, Flowerdale, Yea on my way to Mt Buller since I was just a baby. Marysville too - a beautiful town where I have enjoyed several holidays. It is so unfair that towns and communities in these areas have been subject to so much suffering.
Feeling sad, feeling useless... much like the rest of those who look-on via the media reports. Everyone wants to do something, give money, time, belongings. But most of all people seem to want to give belongings. Maybe it is the need to give something of oneself... somehow money seems so impersonal. And yet money is the most useful - easily transferred and easy to convert into whatever is needed.
I think there needs to be a central coordinating agency for donations during times of disasters - something to take the load off agencies like Red Cross and Salvos. An agency that can spring into action at times like this and is capable of efficiently receiving and distributing cash, goods and services, as well as coordinating the efforts of volunteers. It is very disappointing to see so much willingness within the community to offer help (in addition to money) and yet this capacity is not efficiently harnessed. It is even more frustrating to think that this willingness to help will no doubt taper off over the next few months, when in fact it needs to be sustained as there will be many long term projects that would benefit from voluntary help.
I have a special affection for north-east Victoria, having travelled though Whittlesea, King Lake, Flowerdale, Yea on my way to Mt Buller since I was just a baby. Marysville too - a beautiful town where I have enjoyed several holidays. It is so unfair that towns and communities in these areas have been subject to so much suffering.
Feeling sad, feeling useless... much like the rest of those who look-on via the media reports. Everyone wants to do something, give money, time, belongings. But most of all people seem to want to give belongings. Maybe it is the need to give something of oneself... somehow money seems so impersonal. And yet money is the most useful - easily transferred and easy to convert into whatever is needed.
I think there needs to be a central coordinating agency for donations during times of disasters - something to take the load off agencies like Red Cross and Salvos. An agency that can spring into action at times like this and is capable of efficiently receiving and distributing cash, goods and services, as well as coordinating the efforts of volunteers. It is very disappointing to see so much willingness within the community to offer help (in addition to money) and yet this capacity is not efficiently harnessed. It is even more frustrating to think that this willingness to help will no doubt taper off over the next few months, when in fact it needs to be sustained as there will be many long term projects that would benefit from voluntary help.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Ball exodus
It had been hot again today, so when it cooled down in the afternoon, we opened BallFiend's bedroom window for some fresh air.
When he disappeared to his bedroom to play, we enjoyed the peace and quiet for a few minutes, until we realised that things were a little too quiet...
No wonder - every single ball from his 'ball pit' had been thrown out the window! This photo captures some of the scene, with more balls in the foreground not pictured.
When he disappeared to his bedroom to play, we enjoyed the peace and quiet for a few minutes, until we realised that things were a little too quiet...
No wonder - every single ball from his 'ball pit' had been thrown out the window! This photo captures some of the scene, with more balls in the foreground not pictured.
Incompetent Doctor
I had a blood test today. It only took an entire week to organise! I can't believe how hopeless the health system can be!
I knew I wanted to have the Nuchal Translucency test and that I had to have a blood test at about 9 - 10 weeks pregnant, followed by the ultrasound at about 11-12 weeks pregnant. So I went to my GP for a referral. The saga begins...
Thursday 29 Jan
I go to my GP to request the referral. He seems to have no idea what to do, but eventually scrawls a referral on a slip of paper and puts it in an envelope addressed to "The Ultrasound Specialist " at the hospital where I am booked in for the birth.
I ring the hospital and get a recorded message: "we don't make appointments over the phone; fax your referral to us...". So I photograph the referral and email it to DeepSpice so he can fax it from work for me.
Late in the afternoon, I get a call back from the hospital: "we don't provide ultrasounds except for patients with a medical history of pregnancy complications". (At least the woman from the hospital was helpful enough to give me the name of some other clinics which I could go to.)
I phone the clinic where I had the ultrasound done with my first pregnancy. They were incredibly helpful and booked me in straight away. But advised me that I would still needed to separately arrange the blood test. So back to the GP for a pathology request... but too late today and I am at work on Friday, so it has to wait till Monday now.
Monday 2nd Feb
Receptionist: "The doctor is not in until tomorrow, can you come back then and pick up the pathology request?" Well, since I have no choice... Then the receptionist says to ring before I come in, to make sure it is ready. Why they can't at least have the courtesy to phone me, seeing it is their doctor who has stuffed up?
Tuesday 3rd Feb
I phone up the doctor's office once BallFiend is in bed for his afternoon nap and am told, "the doctor hasn't done it yet but he knows about it and it will definitely be ready this afternoon". Great. By the time BallFiend wakes, it is too late to go and collect the pathology request. Will now have to wait till Thursday (as I am at work on Wednesday), and it is getting very close to the end of my 10th week of pregnancy when the blood sample is supposed to be taken.
Thursday 5th Feb
I don't bother ringing - just go straight to the GP at 9.30 am. The receptionist looks in my file, but can't find the pathology request. She asks "did the doctor say it was ready to collect?". Idiot. She is the person I spoke to on Tuesday who told me it would definitely be ready by Tuesday afternoon. It isn't ready. She asks me to sit and wait till the GP finishes with his current patient. A few minutes later, I am summoned into his office.
He still has no idea what test to order. Argh!! I suggest he ring the place where I am having the ultrasound done and ask them. He does, but they are unable to help. Then, he decides to go and ask the Obstetrician who just happens to be consulting in the medical clinic today (lucky for me!). Finally some success!
I take my hard-won pathology request slip and head down the road to the collection centre. The pathology centre is efficient and the staff are great, and it only hurts a teeny little bit. What hurts more is that I had to pay $50 for the GP consultation (OK, I'll get some back on Medicare, but still!)
This whole saga makes me think that it would have been so much simpler to go as private patient for my antenatal care. If I had an obstetrician, I am sure this whole thing would have been routine. However, I made the decision to go public again and I am happy with it overall.
I knew I wanted to have the Nuchal Translucency test and that I had to have a blood test at about 9 - 10 weeks pregnant, followed by the ultrasound at about 11-12 weeks pregnant. So I went to my GP for a referral. The saga begins...
Thursday 29 Jan
I go to my GP to request the referral. He seems to have no idea what to do, but eventually scrawls a referral on a slip of paper and puts it in an envelope addressed to "The Ultrasound Specialist " at the hospital where I am booked in for the birth.
I ring the hospital and get a recorded message: "we don't make appointments over the phone; fax your referral to us...". So I photograph the referral and email it to DeepSpice so he can fax it from work for me.
Late in the afternoon, I get a call back from the hospital: "we don't provide ultrasounds except for patients with a medical history of pregnancy complications". (At least the woman from the hospital was helpful enough to give me the name of some other clinics which I could go to.)
I phone the clinic where I had the ultrasound done with my first pregnancy. They were incredibly helpful and booked me in straight away. But advised me that I would still needed to separately arrange the blood test. So back to the GP for a pathology request... but too late today and I am at work on Friday, so it has to wait till Monday now.
Monday 2nd Feb
Receptionist: "The doctor is not in until tomorrow, can you come back then and pick up the pathology request?" Well, since I have no choice... Then the receptionist says to ring before I come in, to make sure it is ready. Why they can't at least have the courtesy to phone me, seeing it is their doctor who has stuffed up?
Tuesday 3rd Feb
I phone up the doctor's office once BallFiend is in bed for his afternoon nap and am told, "the doctor hasn't done it yet but he knows about it and it will definitely be ready this afternoon". Great. By the time BallFiend wakes, it is too late to go and collect the pathology request. Will now have to wait till Thursday (as I am at work on Wednesday), and it is getting very close to the end of my 10th week of pregnancy when the blood sample is supposed to be taken.
Thursday 5th Feb
I don't bother ringing - just go straight to the GP at 9.30 am. The receptionist looks in my file, but can't find the pathology request. She asks "did the doctor say it was ready to collect?". Idiot. She is the person I spoke to on Tuesday who told me it would definitely be ready by Tuesday afternoon. It isn't ready. She asks me to sit and wait till the GP finishes with his current patient. A few minutes later, I am summoned into his office.
He still has no idea what test to order. Argh!! I suggest he ring the place where I am having the ultrasound done and ask them. He does, but they are unable to help. Then, he decides to go and ask the Obstetrician who just happens to be consulting in the medical clinic today (lucky for me!). Finally some success!
I take my hard-won pathology request slip and head down the road to the collection centre. The pathology centre is efficient and the staff are great, and it only hurts a teeny little bit. What hurts more is that I had to pay $50 for the GP consultation (OK, I'll get some back on Medicare, but still!)
This whole saga makes me think that it would have been so much simpler to go as private patient for my antenatal care. If I had an obstetrician, I am sure this whole thing would have been routine. However, I made the decision to go public again and I am happy with it overall.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
A Twisty One
BallFiend started at a new creche this morning (occasional care at a local neighbourhood house). He will be going for 3 hours, once a week during school terms.
It's perfectly timed to coincide with my Yoga class and I am lucky to have got a place. It is called 'occasional care' because parents are supposed to be able to ring up and book a spot with a few hours notice. But the reality of the baby boom around here means that the only way to get into occasional care is to go on a waiting list for months and months, then pre-pay the entire term. I only got in because someone else cancelled.
It's perfectly timed to coincide with my Yoga class and I am lucky to have got a place. It is called 'occasional care' because parents are supposed to be able to ring up and book a spot with a few hours notice. But the reality of the baby boom around here means that the only way to get into occasional care is to go on a waiting list for months and months, then pre-pay the entire term. I only got in because someone else cancelled.
Apparently, he had a good time - according to the carers he is "very sociable and speaks very well" (as if I didn't already know!).
His favourite toy was a 'twisty one' (a Fisher Price "Baby Playzone Stand-Up Ball Blast"). I had warned the carers that he loves balls... sure enough, the moment he entered the room he spotted the one and only ball hidden in a corner. Then minutes later saw the ball-run up high on a shelf and asked to play with it.
--
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Monday, February 02, 2009
Back in the routine
BallFiend and I went to playgroup this morning with The Adel-Lady, LittleMissP, LittleMissA and ArizonaGal, LittleMissL and MasterS. Fairly impromptu... everyone feeling tired and worn out after all the hot nights and lack of sleep. Still, the kids seemed to enjoy it. The playground was thick with ants - too many people leaving food scraps around.
Although none of our littles are school-aged yet, we felt a sense of relief that we are back into school term time and everything is getting back into a routine again.
Although none of our littles are school-aged yet, we felt a sense of relief that we are back into school term time and everything is getting back into a routine again.
--
Sunday, February 01, 2009
43 Things: photographing the bump
Once my bump is of a decent size, I want to get professional photos taken. I didn’t do it with my first pregnancy and I wish I had, so I don’t want to miss out this time!
See more progress on: Have pregnancy photos taken
The Reclaimation
Welcome to my second attempt at this blog... seeing as I lost interest in it (many years ago) after about 10 posts. So, I hereby reclaim my blog. This time, there is no specific focus. Just going to write about my life and stuff that interests me. PS. Thanks to FreeloadingPhill for the inspiration.
Here goes... what's happening with me at the moment:
Bun in the oven
I'm pregnant, for the second time. Expecting my next "bundle of joy" in September. I was really 'morning sick' (from morn till night) until about 5 days ago. Then it just suddenly stopped. Same happened last time, except not till I reached the 14 week mark. This time, it stopped around 9 weeks. Yippee! (Still utterly exhausted though).
Me (and my tree) in the oven
I nearly died in the recent heatwave: three days in a row of horrid, awful, unfathomably hot weather: 43, 44 and 45 degrees respectively. (OK I exaggerate a bit on the 'nearly died' part, but I did nearly collapse when waiting for a tram home from work on Friday in 45 degree heat - pregnancy and heat waves do not mix).
The tree in my back yard died in the heatwave. It was planted in March and had been growing so well... then a few days ago, I watched as its leaves turned from green to brown over a few hours.
Cake in the oven
I've just had a birthday, so even though I've just aged another day in the past 24 hours, I feel like I have got a whole year older, *sigh*
Still, it was one of the best birthdays I have had in a long time. StompyDad's birthday is two days before mine and usually I have to share the occasion with him, but this year he is overseas so I got to have my birthday all to myself. Deepspice, BallFiend and I had crepes for brunch with Gran and GrandPaul, then BBQ for dinner at DesignerSis and Wigward's along with CutLuce and DesignerMonkey for some excellent company. I even got a birthday cake, store-bought courtesy of my sister though - not from her oven. (It is still way too hot for baking! Though I suppose some poor sucker somewhere had to bake it.) Unfortunately it was too windy to light the candles, but it was good regardless.
The only disappointment was the distinct lack of presents. I love getting presents! I received a necklace from Deepspice, and a book from my StompyDad. Hopefully something else might be forthcoming... my sisters did hint.
Here goes... what's happening with me at the moment:
Bun in the oven
I'm pregnant, for the second time. Expecting my next "bundle of joy" in September. I was really 'morning sick' (from morn till night) until about 5 days ago. Then it just suddenly stopped. Same happened last time, except not till I reached the 14 week mark. This time, it stopped around 9 weeks. Yippee! (Still utterly exhausted though).
Me (and my tree) in the oven
I nearly died in the recent heatwave: three days in a row of horrid, awful, unfathomably hot weather: 43, 44 and 45 degrees respectively. (OK I exaggerate a bit on the 'nearly died' part, but I did nearly collapse when waiting for a tram home from work on Friday in 45 degree heat - pregnancy and heat waves do not mix).
The tree in my back yard died in the heatwave. It was planted in March and had been growing so well... then a few days ago, I watched as its leaves turned from green to brown over a few hours.
Cake in the oven
I've just had a birthday, so even though I've just aged another day in the past 24 hours, I feel like I have got a whole year older, *sigh*
Still, it was one of the best birthdays I have had in a long time. StompyDad's birthday is two days before mine and usually I have to share the occasion with him, but this year he is overseas so I got to have my birthday all to myself. Deepspice, BallFiend and I had crepes for brunch with Gran and GrandPaul, then BBQ for dinner at DesignerSis and Wigward's along with CutLuce and DesignerMonkey for some excellent company. I even got a birthday cake, store-bought courtesy of my sister though - not from her oven. (It is still way too hot for baking! Though I suppose some poor sucker somewhere had to bake it.) Unfortunately it was too windy to light the candles, but it was good regardless.
The only disappointment was the distinct lack of presents. I love getting presents! I received a necklace from Deepspice, and a book from my StompyDad. Hopefully something else might be forthcoming... my sisters did hint.
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