A Skeptic I Am

Here is another older post *stifling laughter* 

1 August 2008

I like to question and learn about the 5W1H (who, what, when, where, why, how). I think it reflects one’s intellect (or lack there of) and I always pride myself of my ability to do the aforesaid. Ahem.

The next day after discovery of my possible (please note “possible” here) pregnancy, I decided to buy another pee stick of ANOTHER BRAND, from ANOTHER PHARMACY to carry out a second round of test. To be doubly sure, I conducted the test at ANOTHER BATHROOM. Yes I did.

After squeezing a few drops of urine into the pee stick window, 2 lines appeared again right in front of my eyes. As a researcher who complies to stringent requirements, I had a test assistant with me to verify the results, and he (my husband) saw exactly what I shared.

So, two false positives?

We made an appointment with an O & G specialist the next day to be triply sure. Triply? Triplely? Anyone, please tell me the correct spelling of this word, if it exists.

Dr L is a gentle and patient doctor. After taking my history, she asked me a few questions. Do you feel dizzy? Tired? Is your home pregnancy test result positive? Yes to all that. Then, you are pregnant! Huh? Just like that? Where are the in-office urine test, blood test, examination of the uterus and cervix? No, of course I did not ask her that to her face.

She then conducted an ultrasound on me. She said we should see a sac in my uterus around this time as I was 5 weeks + 3 days pregnant according to calculation (my EDD* is 27 Jan 09). Unfortunately I just vacated my bladder before seeing her (I cleaned myself because I thought there would be examination of uterus and cervix etc etc), and we could not see anything except something that resembled a layer of fat.

And thus ended my visit to the O & G. I was advised to take my folic acid everyday, be positive (my husband insisted that the doctor mentioned this one), eat whatever I like (I heard this). I would need to see her again after 2-3 weeks for another scanning.

I went home disappointed without any concrete proof. My husband, being the positive and loving person as he is, cheered me up and insisted me to trust in the doctor’s experience (aka instincts). But an intellect does not rely on feeling/instinct/hunch, we want proof!

And so it goes without saying that I was in limbo for some days even after I started to feel the horrible, horrible pregnancy symptoms. But that’s another story.

* Due date/estimated date of delivery (EDD) is calculated by subtracting 3 months from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP), then adding 7 days. These abbreviations make me look smart huh.