Week 25 – September 14, 2010
Your Body: Pregnancy leg cramps are not your ordinary run-of-the-mill leg cramps. Nope, a pregnancy leg cramp will often have you leaping out of bed screaming at the top of your lungs. Leg cramps can be caused by a calcium deficiency, so be sure to get enough calcium. But since they come with the territory of pregnancy, there are ways to avoid leg cramps, like warm soaks and massages. Even if you're lactose intolerant or have dairy allergies, there are still ways to get enough calcium in your diet that don't involve eating a 2-gallon drum of ice cream (although that does sound fun). Believe it or not, there's calcium in fish and tofu. Speaking of food, sometime between weeks 24 and 28, you'll get your glucose-screening test to check for gestational diabetes. You'll have to drink this really syrupy, sugary soda drink, wait an hour, and then have your blood sugar levels tested to see how your body handles the sugar rush. If you get to do it at home, put the drink in the fridge to get it nice and cold. It's much easier to stomach when it's chilled. Some OBs may even let you skip the sugary soda in lieu of something just as sweet, like pancakes smothered in syrup. Hey, it's worth asking! You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. Unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise, it's fine to continue to exercise, but follow a few safety rules: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired and stop if you feel any pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Don't lie flat on your back and avoid contact sports as well as any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods. Next to nausea, fatigue is one of the top complaints during pregnancy. While getting more rest seems to be the easy solution, sleeping will become more difficult as you get further along in your pregnancy. The most obvious difficulty in sleeping is due to the baby bump you've been carrying for the last several weeks. Sleeping on your left side not only makes for better blood circulation for you but for the baby as well. Even indigestion and bathroom breaks make it difficult to sleep through the night now. There are some simple answers to these common behaviors: Placing pillows under and around your sorest spots helps, as well as the ever-popular massage (also a good maneuver to help you relax). To avoid those every ten-minute bathroom breaks, avoid drinking water at least 2 hours before bed, but once you wake up in the morning and throughout the day to drink and stay hydrated. Also, sitting up to relieve heartburn and indigestion, as well as avoiding acidic foods, works as well. Once again, don't be too surprised when the husband springs another surprise on you, as you'll be doing some hard work in a few months.
Your Baby: Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby's hands are now fully developed and will spends most of its awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch. That doesn't mean your baby can feel it when soon-to-be dada pokes your stomach, however, so tell him to knock it off. Your baby's arms and legs have grown to almost the proportions they will be at birth, which is still sort of short. So don't be alarmed when your newborn's arms barely clear the waistline. Baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, clear out (almost like taking a super-dose of Sudafed) so that the baby can practice breathing through the nose. Speaking of breathing, your baby-to-be's lungs are developing rapidly, although it would probably need some help breathing if born at this point. The structures of your baby's spine are now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and some 1,000 ligaments. Can you believe you're growing something that complicated inside of you? Your baby weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13½ inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders you played in elementary school music class.
"Allison," whispered Chase as he gently pressed a kiss to his wife's temple. "Time to get up."
"Awe, what time is it?"
"A little after six. Your appointment's at eight. Also, Dr. Stevens called last night," he mentioned as he helped his wife to sit up in bed.
"What for?"
"He wanted me to tell you that you're going to get your blood screened for gestational diabetes."
"Terrific," groaned Cameron as she slowly got out of bed. "From what I've heard, that drink that I'll have to take is downright sugary and disgusting. I just don't know if I'll be able to stomach it."
"It's actually not that bad at all. All it is is something resembling a soda that you take an hour beforehand. After that, your blood's tested and hopefully you won't have to have a second test."
"Robert, I love you but sometimes I get the feeling that you forget that I'm a doctor too. Don't you think I know all of this?" growled Cameron.
"Sweetie, I haven't forgotten. You just need help reminding that you're an expectant mother, who has just gone through a medical crisis. I know that you know all of this, but sometimes you need help being reminded of all that's happening to you, both inside and out," explained Chase as he very gently coaxed her into a hug. "I love you too, I just don't want anything else to happen to you," he told her as he held her face in his hands.
"I know," she said as she leaned up and gave him a long-overdue kiss. All of a sudden, there was a throat-clearing sound at the door.
"I hate to interrupt but you need to get a move on. We have to leave soon," said Helen, Cameron's mother, from the hallway.
"What do you mean we?" asked Cameron.
"I'm going with you to the hospital. I want to take a first look at my grandchild."
"Mom really, you shouldn't," said Cameron, hoping to convince her mother not to go.
"I'm not taking no for an answer Allison. And besides, since I'll be taking the afternoon flight home today, I thought that it would be nice for the three of us to spend a little time together before I go home."
"Okay Helen, if you say so," agreed Chase.
"And since I won't be able to work today, we can take you to the airport," offered Cameron.
"That sounds wonderful. Oh by the way, I've got some cheese and crackers laid out for you sweetie before your test," said Helen before heading back to the kitchen. About an hour later, Cameron was downing the last of the 'test soda' before her big test later on.
"Ugh, I think after today I'm never drinking another soda ever again," complained Cameron as she went to sit down on the couch.
"I don't blame you one bit honey," agreed Helen. "I had to take it when I was carrying you, and it was down-right disgusting."
"Well, things have come a long way since then mum," said Chase as he sat down next to his wife.
"When you were carrying me, did you have gestational diabetes?"
"In all truth, no. I almost had it with your brother though. The only thing I can say is that both of my children came out perfect with no problems whatsoever." After talking for almost ten minutes, everyone finished getting ready. At seven thirty they all piled into the car and headed to the hospital.
"All right then. While we're waiting for the test results to come back, let's take a look and see how junior's doing," said Dr. Stevens as he prepped the ultrasound machine. Placing the probe on her belly, he maneuvered the wand over to where the baby was. "Okay, there's the baby."
"Is everything all right in there?" asked an anxious Cameron who currently had a death grip on her husband's hand.
"Everything looks good, just like last week. You're both in the clear," he told everyone in the room as a definite sigh of relief was heard.
"Allison, have you and Robert found out the gender of the baby yet?" asked Helen as she stood next to Robert.
"No mum. We've actually decided to wait and have things be a surprise," said Chase.
"That's why we've painted the nursery green and yellow, keeping it neutral," added Cameron.
"That's what a lot of first-time parents do Mrs. Cameron. They like to keep the first-born babies a surprise. I guess you could say that it's customary."
"I totally agree on that," said Helen.
"Well, things look great Allison. Your vitals are better than last Thursday obviously, and baby Chase looks fit as a fiddle at this stage in the pregnancy."
"So she's off of bed rest now?" asked Chase as he helped his wife clean up.
"Yep. Now, when you go back to work tomorrow I would strongly recommend going to see Dr. Cuddy to work out the rest of your work schedule until you go on maternity leave, including finding a temporary replacement while you're on leave as well."
"Don't worry about that. After Robert and I take my mom to the airport later, we'll go see Cuddy," reassured Cameron as she sat up on the exam table.
"And take my advice on resting from now on. Because the next time you're hospitalized for work-related exhaustion, I just might keep you on bed rest until you go into labor," warned Stevens as the nurse came in with the test results.
"She'll get her rest. I'll make sure of it," said Chase.
"Is that the test results?" asked Helen.
"Yes ma'am," said Stevens as he turned to Cameron. "Allison, I have even better news for you."
"I don't have diabetes?" she asked.
"Not even close," he told her as he handed her the results. "Even with drinking all that coffee one normally drinks while working in a stressful environment didn't even show up," he said as he watched Chase kiss his wife.
"Thank God," exclaimed Helen as she shook his hand. "Thank-you doctor for taking care of my daughter."
"My pleasure Mrs. Cameron. I can assume that you'll be back in town when the baby arrives."
"My husband and I should be back here around New Year's Eve or whenever we get the call, whichever comes first."
"I agree on that part. Well then, I wish you safe travels home ma'am," acknowledged Stevens as he took the results back. "And I'll see the two of you in a few weeks. And you," he said as he lightly jabbed Cameron's baby bump. "Stop giving your mom a hard time in there."
"Thanks Dr. Stevens," said Cameron as Chase helped her off the table and they all left the exam room.
After what had been a tearful goodbye at the airport, Chase and Cameron were on their way back to the hospital. Once they got back within Princeton city limits, Chase reached over and grabbed his wife's hand in his.
"I know it's tough, but she'll be back in a few months."
"I know too. But it's hard to say goodbye to her, especially in a crowded location," she said. "I'll be better later though."
"That's good." By the time the car was parked at the hospital, she was feeling much better. Heading down to Cuddy's office, they ran into Wilson.
"Hey guys," he called out to them. "I heard what happened last week. How are you feeling Allison?"
"Much better James, thank-you."
"Everything alright with the baby?"
"Oh yeah. And I don't have gestational diabetes either."
"Hot dog! Things are really looking up now."
"I'll say," agreed Chase as they all stepped into the elevator. "How was the conference by the way?"
"It went really well. I got to see my mom and one of my brothers, but other than that, it was great. I heard that your mother came to town for a few days."
"Yeah, we just came back from taking her to the airport. But she and dad will be back out in a few months anyway," said Cameron as they got off the elevator at the main lobby.
"That's great. Well, I've got a patient to take care of, so I'll see you later."
"Bye James, later," replied Chase as he and Cameron walked through the clinic doors to Cuddy's office. After knocking once and walking in, Cuddy had just ended a call and motioned for the couple to sit on the couch. When they did, she came over and sat down in a chair next to them.
"Welcome back Allison. How are you feeling?" asked Cuddy in concern.
"Much better. Thank-you Dr. Cuddy."
"Well, let's get down to business shall we?" After several minutes of negotiation over Cameron's ER and clinic hours, a compromise was made. "Okay, so from now until you've gone on leave or gone into labor, you'll be reducing your hours in both the ER and the clinic by one. So, I think to make up for that time, it should be spent in Diagnostics working on cases, but not making too much contact with the patients for health and safety reasons."
"I agree with that," said Chase.
"As do I," agreed Cameron as well. "Also, I need to find a temporary replacement while I'm on leave."
"No problem. What about having Drs. House, Foreman, and Wilson split the time, along with Dr. Chase as well?"
"That's something that everyone will have to discuss at a later date," explained Chase.
"I agree, but the sooner the better," remarked Cuddy. "Perhaps I should schedule a group meeting in a few weeks to give everyone a heads up."
"That'll work," agreed Cameron.
"Good. In the mean time, why don't the two of you get out of here and spend the rest of the day to yourselves."
"Thanks Dr. Cuddy," said Cameron as she and Chase left the office. "See you tomorrow."
Later that night when Chase and Cameron were in bed, Cameron was feeling very uncomfortable.
"Ouch," she cried out.
"What. What happened?" asked Chase.
"My leg. I think I got a Charlie horse or something," she complained as she rubbed her leg. Chase jumped in and helped to massage it for her.
"Wow, that must have been one bad leg cramp," said Chase. "Want some milk?"
"Might as well bring the carton in here," she remarked as she sat up against the headboard.
"Yeah right," he told her as he left to get her a tall glass of cold milk. When he came back and handed her the glass, she grabbed it and went to town on it right away. "Whoa, slow down there. Just sip it nice and slowly."
"I can't help it. I just needed it so badly."
"You just reminded me of something," he told her as he tried but failed to cover up his giggling.
"What?"
"What you were doing just now is what our baby will be doing in a few months when it's hungry."
"You know what," she said as she too began to laugh. "I think you're right. Oh wow. That's the first really good laugh I've had in weeks."
"Same for me too," he told her as he took the glass out of her hand. "Why don't you get back under the covers and I'll be back in a minute." Taking the glass and rinsing it out in the kitchen, he went back to the bedroom and crawled back underneath the covers. Turning off the light, he scooted closer to his wife and wrapped his arm up and over her to hold her baby bump in his arms.
A/N: The character of Cameron's mother and Dr. Stevens is my own creation and not property of NBC Network. R&R on this follow-up to last week.