My bladder was not full enough for a scan
Oct 10, 2008
WE now know for a fact that I am pregnant. But my abdomen is paining. I have been around expectant women before, but I had never heard any of them complaining about a paining abdomen.
WE now know for a fact that I am pregnant. But my abdomen is paining. I have been around expectant women before, but I had never heard any of them complaining about a paining abdomen.
So I talk to a gynaecologist to find out what could possibly be wrong. “You will need to have an ultra sound scan so we see if the baby is in the right position,†he advises. This sounds scary. Baby in the wrong position!
I have heard about an ultra sound scan and read about it, but I have never gone for one. The only time I have seen it is in movies.
At one of Kampala’s prestigious hospital, I am told to have something to drink as I wait in the queue. I do not like water so I buy a 250ml box of splash and slowly sip it as I wait to get in.
“Is your bladder full?†the nurse asks me as soon as I get into the room. “Yes,†I reply.
“Is this your first baby? Have you had an abortion, miscarriage before? Blah, blah, blah,†she goes on asking. “Your bladder is quarter way full. I can not see anything,†she says to me as she continues scanning.
So, this is why I had been told to drink something as I waited in the queue. Not wanting to annoy her, I try to force some urine in the bladder. But it does not work.
“You will have to come back tomorrow,†she says. Then she sees the empty splash box I have. “Is that what you drank?†she asks. “Yes,†I reply. “You need to come here when you are desperate to urinate.â€
Day one had gone with no results. But at least now I know I have to come with a full bladder.
The next day before I leave home for the hospital, I take two cups of tea. On my way, I buy a 600ml bottle of mineral water. “Where did the two cups of tea and water go? †My bladder is not yet full.
A soon as I get to the hospital, I realise I need to pass urine. “Good. Today, I am leaving with the results,†I think.
When I get to the scan room, there are only two people waiting in the queue. I’m now desperate to go to the ladies’ but twenty minutes go by before the scan room is opened. I cannot contain it anymore so I rush to the nearest ladies’ room. I then buy another bottle of water to replace what I have let out.
Fortunately, on my way back, even before I can get back to the waiting bench, I need to visit the ladies’ again. Thirty minutes later, the scan room is still not open.
We ask where everybody is and we are told that they are in training and will be out soon. But how soon is soon? Having an appointment to attend to that afternoon, I decide to leave.
A friend of mine directs me to another place I can have a scan done. When I get there, the first thing I notice is that there is no queue. All I need to do is pay and have a full bladder.
Though I had taken two bottles of mineral water, the doctor thinks my bladder is not full enough but the scan is still successful anyway. Finally, I have the results to present to my gynaecologist, the baby is in the right position.
At least I now I know what to do when I am going for an ultra sound scan. Take water till I feel very desperate to pass urine. And there I will be very ready to have my results.
So I talk to a gynaecologist to find out what could possibly be wrong. “You will need to have an ultra sound scan so we see if the baby is in the right position,†he advises. This sounds scary. Baby in the wrong position!
I have heard about an ultra sound scan and read about it, but I have never gone for one. The only time I have seen it is in movies.
At one of Kampala’s prestigious hospital, I am told to have something to drink as I wait in the queue. I do not like water so I buy a 250ml box of splash and slowly sip it as I wait to get in.
“Is your bladder full?†the nurse asks me as soon as I get into the room. “Yes,†I reply.
“Is this your first baby? Have you had an abortion, miscarriage before? Blah, blah, blah,†she goes on asking. “Your bladder is quarter way full. I can not see anything,†she says to me as she continues scanning.
So, this is why I had been told to drink something as I waited in the queue. Not wanting to annoy her, I try to force some urine in the bladder. But it does not work.
“You will have to come back tomorrow,†she says. Then she sees the empty splash box I have. “Is that what you drank?†she asks. “Yes,†I reply. “You need to come here when you are desperate to urinate.â€
Day one had gone with no results. But at least now I know I have to come with a full bladder.
The next day before I leave home for the hospital, I take two cups of tea. On my way, I buy a 600ml bottle of mineral water. “Where did the two cups of tea and water go? †My bladder is not yet full.
A soon as I get to the hospital, I realise I need to pass urine. “Good. Today, I am leaving with the results,†I think.
When I get to the scan room, there are only two people waiting in the queue. I’m now desperate to go to the ladies’ but twenty minutes go by before the scan room is opened. I cannot contain it anymore so I rush to the nearest ladies’ room. I then buy another bottle of water to replace what I have let out.
Fortunately, on my way back, even before I can get back to the waiting bench, I need to visit the ladies’ again. Thirty minutes later, the scan room is still not open.
We ask where everybody is and we are told that they are in training and will be out soon. But how soon is soon? Having an appointment to attend to that afternoon, I decide to leave.
A friend of mine directs me to another place I can have a scan done. When I get there, the first thing I notice is that there is no queue. All I need to do is pay and have a full bladder.
Though I had taken two bottles of mineral water, the doctor thinks my bladder is not full enough but the scan is still successful anyway. Finally, I have the results to present to my gynaecologist, the baby is in the right position.
At least I now I know what to do when I am going for an ultra sound scan. Take water till I feel very desperate to pass urine. And there I will be very ready to have my results.