If you haven't been following my blog earlier than about about half way through my pregnancy, or if you have an simply have forgotten about my second trip to the emergency room when pregnant, I don't blame you. Seeing pictures and updates of Hannah Rose are much more exciting. But for the few and far between that have been asking about follow-up post pregnancy, the last test to find out if I'm actually susceptible to blood clots and/or stroke is Friday. My Protein C levels in my blood are still a bit low post-pregnancy, but I'm still not considered deficient.
My test on Friday will commence with an eight-hour fast followed by a two-hour period in "twilight" while doctors perform a transesophageal echocardiogram. For those of you that have no idea what this means, I will basically have a probe passed down my esophagus (thus the fast) to get a clearer image of my heart. This compares to the non-invasive echocardiogram - like an ultrasound of the heart - I received during pregnancy when "twilight" wasn't an option. The goal here, as I understand it, is to check out the left atrium for blood clotting, which may have caused my "TIA".
Am I nervous (for the results)? Not a pinch. The whole reason for placing TIA in "quotes" is because I'm not at all convinced I actually had a TIA incident. I think the high-risk pregnancy doctor was right (see Doctors, Doctors & More Doctors); I think the numbness and aphasia I experienced was an atypical migraine.
In the event something abnormal from the transesophageal echocardiogram is found, the results will likely conclude whether I need to continue my daily regime of taking Baby Asprin, and will likely sentence me to Lovonox/ Heparin injections for the full duration of subsequent pregnancies.
If so, it will be worth it.
Because even after months of giving myself daily injections, and not-to-mention my struggle mid-pregnancy with breathlessness, the difficult times have been quickly forgotten and the reward is well worth the trial. I mean, just look at this Cheese:
Praying for you! That test doesn't sound fun, but hope it brings peace of mind!
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