Who is EMMA anyways?

So, in the process of this whole adventure, I have learned some startling things:

1) I am a geriatric mother. Yes, GERIATRIC. Didn't think I would hear that word for well over 40 years.

2) The word RISK and how it can poke you in the eye or sound like someone is screaming it in the middle of a regular sentence.

3) How the medical profession is really less about people and more about science experiments, statistics, politics, and money. (sorry to those of you who are my friends that are in the medical world...let me rant here for a bit)

I am 38 years old and feel like I am in the body of someone 25. When I think of the things I have done in my life, I seriously feel like there is no way I have been alive long enough to have experienced all that I have. But, I get lumped into the RISK category of being "Advanced Maternal Age" (which means anyone over 35)

Within this, of course is the suggestion that you test for extra things you might not otherwise test for. In allowing that little door to open a crack, suddenly you could wind up being part of a drive for statistics.

Now, don't get me wrong. I feel so fortunate that in Canada we have the amazing medical system we have. Most of the time I feel like the general public has way to much expectation and takes for granted the services that we have. But in this situation, I am a super healthy, pregnant woman and if I had never indulged in wanting to have some tests done, I wouldn't have opened myself up for this monitoring.

My blood pressure has ranged anywhere between 110/75 to 115/80
I have gained approximately 15 pounds or so (maybe more...haven't weighed in a bit)
The baby's heart rate has been between 130 and 150
I have seen all of it's limbs (minus the gender determining bits) and it has all it's fingers, toes, nice long legs, what look like big feet, all the necessary compartments in the brain, heart, liver. It even turned to me today and yawned as it tried to shield itself from the ultrasound waves. (no pictures please!) It is thumping gently on my bladder right now as I speak.

So, what I keep asking is...if I had never asked for ANY tests, would they be worried about anything being wrong with me? The tests they give you are screens and not diagnostics. Meaning that you are put on a graph and there is a large number of "false positives" (this term makes me crazy) So, because it looked like something "might" (another maddening, non specific word) be high, they launch me into what they call the

EMMA CLINIC

Now, the Emma Clinic is a research project started by a doctor named Dr. VonDaedelson (sp?) They are doing studies to help determine why people end up with any range of complications from low birth weight, to pre-eclampsia and as far as still birth. I am so low on the end of "low risk" that it's silly. They just need me to round out their research. As I waited in the examining room the other day I even noticed that they are actively RECRUITING people to do what I am doing. And all because I was curious and made myself open and available for the first test.

I asked the Dr why I couldn't find anything about the Emma Clinc on line and he said something about intellectual property and how they were still in the developmental stages. This sounds creepy and like some bad movie to me.

That being said. My midwife gets a good giggle when Bill and I show up and negotiate how little we have to deal with these people. She is willing to go along with us and feels confident that we can work together with her and involve EMMA as little as possible.

I went today for a measurement ultrasound and everything seemed like it was great. I noticed as she typed on my file that she read that they had suggested I go back every two weeks for tests and she inquired as to whether I had booked another appointment. I told her no, that my midwife and I would schedule it if need be.

All through this, I can't help but be reminded that this is just the beginning of dealing with these kind of issues. Once the child is out...then we will be dealing with all sorts of controversial topics like vaccines etc.

Training...it's training for being a mother. Just like he millions of times I have to get up and pee in the night. I'm getting really good a the sleep walking pee.

Glad I had an audience to rant to.

Thanks and good night all!

Jennifer