background story up to friday 2nd may

So on our first ever ultrasound they found a 10cm cyst which was written down as 10mm. So at the next scan, how it looked was, it had grown 10 times the size, though it was really the same size. So they booked us in for another scan to see what was going on, this time we were told there was no cyst at all, just an amniotic band which was nothing to worry about. I should point out at this point that they were all different people each time - i should also point out that they were all really nice.
So now we have 3 scans with 3 really different results so Willow (our midwife) says that we're going to have another scan at the hospital and a meeting with a specialist to see "what's going on". What was going on was there was no amniotic bands at all but there was a 10cm cyst, and it was too late to do anything about it - but more interestingly, between the last scan and this one, abacus had not grown as much as she should have. So now we have to go back every two weeks to monitor the growth. (which we would never have known about had it not been for the inconsistencies with the original scans - the cyst it turned out was actually pushing the uterus forward so it would be hard to detect by feel or external measurement that she was wee. So, lucky)

2 weeks later

We come in for our new biweekly scan - and she's grown, but is still measuring 2 weeks behind (30weeks instead of 32) and there's quite high resistance from the artery in the umbilical cord that takes blood from abacus back to the placenta and that could be the cause of her small growth

. . . and so we meet with the specialist and she says that they're going to give danielle a shot of steroids and then she can go home and get her things and check in to hospital for the weekend for monitoring for a likely induction on monday - and we're like "wait, what ?!" and she says, it's best to just say it, because there's no easy way to say it, and I appreciate it, because what else can you say? And all of a sudden she could be here on monday instead of 2 months from now, and are we ready? I don't know, probably? I guess we just have to be. We don't even have a last name yet!

And so . . .

we go home and get stuff, and it all feels surreal, like alternate time, we just email people, and call people, and get things in order and suddenly Danielle can't work, and suddenly my test on monday and the book i was going to get out is irrelevant, plans for a time which was usurped by the constant flux of which we're not in control, and are exonerated by that fact. and so we continue and get mexican food and return dvds and go and check into hospital. and lets see what happens.

everyone is supportive and understanding, and we're getting really good care. Everyone is calm, and there's no alarm, no panic. Abacus is healthy, her vitals are all good, just a wee bit small, they just want to make sure she's in the best place to get what she needs. And Danielle is probably most calm of all, and most accepting of how everything changes and how no one should try to fight it