Thank you all for the the warm welcome back! I'm glad that you are enjoying my little story :)
"Ok Elizabeth. This may be uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be painful. Please let me know if I am hurting you at any point, ok?" Dr. King says from between her legs.
Elizabeth nods acknowledgingly without taking her eyes off of the ceiling. In a room full of informational posters and diagrams of expanding uteri and dilating cervixes, the ceiling was her only reprieve. Her safe space from the abrasive reminders of why she is here in the first place.
To this point, she had been able to, for the most part, ignore what was happening to her. A hostage situation involving three humanitarian aid workers in Honduras kept her at the office into the wee hours of the night last night and back before Henry had even woken up this morning. Normally, she would dread the long hours, but this time, she was thankful for them. The more attention her job required of her, the less time she had to think. She wasn't ready to face her new reality, so something to keep her mind occupied, even at the expense of her much needed sleep, was a welcomed distraction.
But now, laying on this cold exam table with Henry beside her holding her hand and her doctor at the foot of the bed holding a probe inside her, there is no way to ignore her situation any longer. Suddenly, a rapid swooshing sound fills the room and brings her eyes from the ceiling to the monitor on her right.
"Mom, Dad, meet your baby!" Dr. King smiles, turning the screen so the two can see better.
Tears sting her eyes as she sees the grainy little blob wriggling on the screen. "Hi baby," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. Mesmerized, she watches in awe as her baby's little heart beats steadily in their chest.
"Everything looks great, Elizabeth! Heart rate is 170 beats per minute, which is perfect for this stage of development. The baby is measuring about 9 weeks and 3 days, which makes your due date around December 17th." Dr. King starts.
"At your age, there are some elevated risk factors associated with this pregnancy, but right now, everything is looking perfectly normal. We will of course monitor you closely, but you are in good health and have had three healthy babies before this, so I see no reason that we should expect anything different from this pregnancy." She pauses, letting the pair absorb the information before continuing. "I know this can be overwhelming. Do either of you have any questions for me?"
Despite the thousands of thoughts running through Elizabeth's head, she can't seem to articulate a single one of them. Thankfully, Henry finds his voice first, "What will this mean for her job? I worry about how the long hours and stress will affect her and the baby."
Dr. King nods responsively, "Only Elizabeth will know what she can handle. At this point, I see no reason to place any restrictions on what you can and can't do, but that may change as things progress. I won't pretend to understand all that you deal with on a daily basis, so I will just advise you to listen to your body. Take breaks when you need them. Make sure you are drinking lots of water and eating throughout the day. I will give you a list of foods to avoid when you leave here today, as well as a prescription for prenatal vitamins and a packet of other information about the first trimester. I know that you have a very important job, but it is imperative that you take care of yourself now, too."
"I understand," Elizabeth replies sincerely. Placing her hand on her stomach, she adds, "This baby is my top priority now."
"I'm glad to hear that," Dr. King says with a smile. "Is there anything else I can answer for you?"
After pausing to think for a moment, Elizabeth asks "Is it safe for me to fly? I'm supposed to be on a plane to Switzerland in the morning."
"It is absolutely safe for you to fly. It's possible that the change in pressure or the motion may make you feel increasingly nauseous, but it poses no risk to the pregnancy. Again, should anything change as this pregnancy progresses, we may have to revisit this conversation, but for now, you are free to travel at your will." Dr. King reassures.
Feeling satisfied that all of their concerns have been addressed, Elizabeth and Henry thank the doctor for her time. Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth and Henry are in the back of the motorcade with a folder containing a few printed ultrasound photos and the information the doctor had promised them. Speaking with Dr. King and actually getting to see the baby helped to lessen a lot of Elizabeth's fears. Though she is still utterly terrified, she is also excited. This may have been the last thing she was expecting to happen at this stage in her life, she can't help but feel like it has happened for a reason. This thought brings a smile to her face and her hand to her stomach.
"I think this is going to be a good thing," Elizabeth states, somewhat dreamily, rubbing her thumb over her belly.
"I love you so much," Henry says, turning to face her before tenderly placing a kiss on her lips. "...both of you."
With that, he reaches his arm around her body, his hand lands atop hers, and he gently pulls her closer to him. Leaning into his embrace, Elizabeth allows herself to melt into his arms. The pair ride the rest of the way home in a comfortable silence, reveling in their shared excitement.
