Doctor Woes

One of the concerns with leaving our home so late in the pregnancy was troubles finding a doctor that would accept a 33-week pregnant lady as a new patient.  Many doctors will not take a new patient if they are past a certain amount of weeks, like 20 or 30 weeks.  I've heard many stories of military families that moved late in their pregnancies and had to go to an emergency room to deliver their babies due to not being able to find a doctor in their new homes.  How horrible is that?!?!

Fortunately, my mom works at a hospital and knows lots of the staff so she was able to do a lot of the leg work months before we arrived in North Carolina!  She had set up appointments with a general doctor (I have to go to a primary care physician, PCM, in order to get a referral to other doctors) and an OB/GYN.  All doctors were aware of my situation and were more than willing to take me on!  Woo hoo!  No stress in that department...

Until we arrive in North Carolina!  The PCM that I had my appointment with had been dropped by my insurance company.  Crap.  This meant that I had to find a new PCM.  After days on the phone with my insurance company and a couple of docs in the area, I finally found one that would take me in.  

The next problem that arose was the OB that already had my records and was waiting on me, was also not able to see my anymore due to insurance issues.  Are you freaking kidding me?!  The OB was the doc that I really needed to be on board!  Since we had been having so many issues with my insurance, I decided to be proactive and find out what OB I would be referred to by my PCM and call them up.  The new OB's office was super nice, but, unfortunately, did not take new patients after 20 weeks.  Damn.  After talking with one of the office staff for a little while and going into my whole situation, she told me to bring in my records and if my prenatal care was on par, they may accept me.  I took my records in that morning and within an hour, they had accepted me as a new patient!  Hallelujah!  I just had to go to my PCM appointment to get my actual referral.  

Do you know that my PCM made me take a pregnancy test to confirm that I am pregnant...at 34 weeks?!?! (Which by the way, if any of you were wondering, I'm still pregnant).  The nurse also did not even realize I was pregnant while taking my vitals.  Talk about a super huge ego blow to my appearance self esteem (you don't look prego, just super fat!).  Once I told her why I was there, she asked if I was 5-6 weeks pregnant. When I informed her that I was 34 weeks, she freaked.  She also requested that other staff members come look at me and guess how far along I was.  One very lovely front desk lady came back and said "Oh, I didn't gain any weight in my front either.  I just got big in my butt too.  And in my titties."  What.  The.  F*&#.   What wonderful customer service.  If I didn't need that dang referral and they were the only ones in a 40 mile radius that could give it to me, I would have raised some hell.  However, I didn't have time to play around.  I needed that referral!  

After a little bit of hoopla and much noticed anxiety and stress, I finally got the referral!  I was still a little nervous to see if my insurance was going to approve the referred doctor.  After two days, we got the green light!  I found an OB that was approved by my insurance AND would accept me, even though I was so far along.

Thank God this pregnancy has been pretty smooth.  With all of this extra stress I have endured during this pregnancy (insurance issues at the beginning, Michael deploying, raising Joey by myself for a few months, "moving" cross country, and more insurance/doctor issues), I'm surprised that I have not gone into pre-term labor!  Hopefully, this will be the last of the un-needed excitement until I have this baby girl!