My 24 hour waiting room hell...

So... 6 weeks post partum on Wednesday, and my pad was soaked with the brightest, reddest, freshest blood. Lan directed me to go straight to RPA, so as soon as Phil walked in the door we grabbed our stuff and headed there. I was feeling fairly apprehensive, not only about having to have an invasive procedure, but also about keeping the feeding going if I ended up needing a hospital stay. I felt absolutely fine, physically, so it was all a little confusing.

We saw the triage nurse within minutes of our arrival, and then waited for about 2 1/2 hours to be seen by a doctor. I'm not complaining — it was tough, especially with Otis is tow, but it's not like I was dying. Some of the other patients waiting to be seen were in a pretty bad way though. It was heartbreaking to witness a heroin-addicted/affected couple attempt to parent their 3 year old daughter. They were basically comatose, or as close as you can be upright.

Anyway, finally we were taken in to see a doctor. By this time Oti had had enough of the noise and fluorescent lighting, and decided to scream the place down. Poor Phil — whilst I was busy being deflowered by a speculum, he walked the hallways, trying to ignore the glares, and welcoming the kind glances. Eventually, after a little cuddle with Mum, my tired little boy fell fast asleep.

Back to my bleeding. I had bloods done, plus an internal, which I am happy to report wasn't as bad as I had feared, and was told to see my GP and have a scan, to check for any infection and/or what they called "retained product". So that's what I did. All up, I think over a 24 hour period I spent about 8 hours waiting in waiting rooms... As did Phil and Oti. Not nice. Anyway, I was a little shocked that the scan required the use of a dildo-like device! But I lived through it, and, as it turns out, there was no retained product to be seen. There is, however, a thickening of the endometrium, which Dr Hsu suggests signals an infection. I'm to continue with antibiotics for 2 weeks. If I'm still bleeding then, I'll have to have a repeat scan, and, possibly, a D&C. Gulp. It's not so much the procedure that scares me — although it does, just a little — but the small possibility that it will lead to scarring, which could then inhibit my future fertility. This is particularly upsetting given that I've just realised I could do, easily, happily, do this all again tomorrow! It's not rational, and I can't explain it, but I suddenly have an intense urge to get pregnant again. But I'd have to have sex first...

Earlier on Wednesday morning Oti had his 6 week check-up. He is such a big boy! He looks so much older than he is — which is a little sad, I guess — and weighs 5.2 kg already! He is 59 cm long and his head is goddamned huge — 42 cm around. Lots of room for a big brainiac brain! His appointment at the Early Childhood Health Centre went well, although, as is often the case when it comes to obstetric/maternal care, I found the nurse a little patronising. I'd hurried to feed and change him so as to get there on time, and in my haste had forgotten to point his penis down, resulting in a soaking wet Easysuit. The nurse spoke to me as if I were a 5 year old, chastening me for neglecting to point his "willy" down. Oh, the joy that is being-spoken-down-to-by-medical-professionals-who-think-you're-stupid-because-you're-young-and-a-public-patient.