Bye bye twisty tie

My ob appt was on the day of a snow storm.  I can no longer button my coat.  Paul thinks this is hilarious!

Today was a huge day...cerclage removal!  I was extremely nervous because I had no idea what to expect other than that Dr. C was going to do this in her office.  Basically when they put the cerclage in they stitch around the cervix and then pull it tight and tie it in a knot.  I can't even picture in my head what this looks like and even though Dr. R told me the stitch was in the 12 o'clock position I couldn't figure out a point of reference.  I guess 12 o'clock was facing up towards the ceiling while I was lying on my back. 

Apparently there are different types of cerclages.  I have no idea what type of stitches or whatever mine was, but doesn't this look like something fun to have going on in your chuckie!  At least when they put it in you have a spinal or some type of anesthesia.  When they take it out you get nothing.  Oh, I did take some Tylenol ahead of time and found that to be NOT effective at all.  I wished I had taken a percocet before hand.  That might've made a difference. 

We finally go back into the examining room and we are ready to get started.  Much to Paul's chagrin I made him come in with me to hold my hand.  Hey, if I have to suffer so does he!  I'm a good wife like that.  So, if you've ever been prego you know how super sensitive you are inside your hooha during pregnancy and how even just to have your dr exam you is pretty uncomfortable.  Now imagine your dr cranking you open with a speculum wide enough to insert surgical tools inside you and cut out a thick piece of ribbon.  The cerclage thread was NOT the thin fishing wire type thread Paul and I had assumed.  It was a quarter inch thick piece of thread.  And Dr. C said the knot was super tight. 

The whole time the nurse is reminding me to breathe (I tried to remember to do my yoga breathing, but let's be honest I haven't practiced yoga in years) while Dr. C is telling me to relax (um, hello you are killing me!) and I am squeezing Paul's hand so hard I'm surprised I didn't break it all the while trying to escape by scooting up on the table (fight or flight baby...I chose flight). 

And then Dr. C said something like I'm almost there...almost there!  I expected you to say you were almost done!  And then finally she was done.  She turned off the light so I could rest for a few minutes and she said I did really well.  After a few minutes the nurse came back in with the other nurse to show her the cerclage (Dr. C said I could keep it as a souvenir, but I didn't feel that was necessary.  I should've taken a picture though!).  I then had to spend 20 minutes doing a non stress test.  Emma of course chose that moment to be quiet so she got buzzed with a vibrating thing by the nurse twice.  That pissed her off good and she moved the rest of the time.  And then she got the hiccups which made me laugh hysterically listening to her little heartbeat and her bumping the toco (what they call the doppler thingy they use for the non stress test). 

20 minutes later and I have my next appt for a week from today (when I'll be considered full term--yay!).  Until then our bags are packed, car seat is installed, and we are just waiting for Emma to make her grand entrance!  Apparently I am quite large because no one can believe I have almost an entire month left till my due date (I blame all the desserts I've eaten this pregnancy).

What's the old saying...9 months to put it on, 9 years to take it off?  lol