Status Quo - Almost done with a week of bed rest

Back at the doctor today.  Nothing has changed.  Good news is that baby looks good, heartbeat strong, still growing, etc.  Bad news is that blood is still flowing into a contained mass in my uterus and I'm still on bed rest.

The appointment was funny because it was an epic ultrasound procedure.  We saw the mass, we saw baby, we looked for source of blood flow, etc.  At the end they could not find the mass and the doctor told me it was probably because my uterus contracted because it did not like the ultrasound and the bleed was temporarily cut off.  (Not cured, just temporarily slowed.)  I joked with a girlfriend that if it does rupture and I start bleeding, I know what to do to stop it--jam a huge dildo up there.  (Just kidding, I would not do that, nor do I own a dildo!!!)

I spent a significant part of the weekend reading medical journal articles on pseudo-aneurysms of the uterus.  I read about diagnosis (they sound like what I have--pulsating mass connected to a parent artery by a narrow neck, often diagnosed during pregnancy because of increased blood flow), treatment (potentially they close on their own, but usually need to be treated if >2 cm, preferable treatment option is to embolize the pseudoaneurysm), outcome when pregnant (depends on how far along, where it is, etc., but there are very few cases of successful treatment during pregnancy), causes (usually trauma such as c-section or, rarely, ivf egg retrieval), etc.  It's an extremely rare condition, but it happens.  Not sure if that's what I have (it could be lots of things, I also read about arteriovenous malformations, but it doesn't seem like I have that because I'm not bleeding), but I mentioned what I'd read to the doctor.  I was happy when he told me to send him the journal articles.

My next appointment is in two days.  The doctor seemed optimistic that it might resolve on its own--especially when the baby gets big and started putting pressure on it.  He also did not seem to think we were at an immediate risk of rupture.  Of course, he's concerned enough that I'm still resting (although he did suggest I could increase my activity a little bit--maybe cook, go out to dinner).

I also started reading articles about what to do in case of an extended bed rest.  I think I might go crazy if that happens.  I never realized how much I like my job until I wasn't allowed to do it!

Subchorionic Hematoma (aka If it's not one thing it's another)

Had a follow-up ultrasound today.  Was feeling anxious because I STILL don't feel pregnant.  (Although I have noticed a slight rounding of my abdomen.  Baby or too much ice cream?)

Baby is great.  I'm 9 weeks and 1 day, but his crown to rump length was measured at 9 weeks and 2 days.  My little over achiever.  We also saw it moving all over the place--busting a move, if you will.

Unfortunately, the blood clot is still there and bigger than ever.  (3 cm x 2 cm)  AND the doc and ultrasound tech kinda freaked out because not only is the mass still there, it was moving as well.  I.e. I was bleeding during the ultrasound.

As the doc pointed out, any clot was once a bleed.  On the other hand, to actually SEE an active bleed is really, really rare.  Hopefully it just opened up and will stop shortly.  But if a clot is potentially bad news, an active bleed is really bad news.  (Continued bleeding could eventually affect the baby.)

There's nothing that can be done.  For now I am on bed rest.  Technically I'm not even supposed to be on a computer, so I'll keep this short.  I'm going to have it checked again tomorrow.  Hopefully it will no longer be bleeding.

Booo subchorionic hematoma.