The Ultrasound Tech's Side of it All 08-10-2012 in Out in the Open

The Ultra SoundTech's Side of it All Friday, August 10, 2012

She was having abdominal pain, flank pain really. Her back was hurting and her side. She went into the urgent care to see what was wrong. When they did her labs something came back positive that she wasn't expecting. She was pregnant. She was 13 years old. Her mother and little brother sat next to her as the results came back. The doctor explained the results to them all as she shook her head in denial. Through wide eyes she told her mother it had to wrong because there was "no way." She was sent to the hospital for further tests.

I read the report at the hospital. 13 year old, flank pain, positive pregnancy test, "Not sexually active." With a small sigh I got the room ready. I was to look at her abdominal organs and her pelvis. Two different scans. In my head I knew to do the abdominal scan first.

I welcome them all to my room, well her room... we are to treat patients as though the room is theirs. As she lies on the stretcher her little brother at a probable age of 7 fidgets in his seat. I ask the patient some history about her pain and not once mention the "pregnancy." For one, I don't for sure know if she is pregnant or not. I begin the abdominal scan and about 15 minutes into it her little brother can't help his fidgety self and as he bounces in his seat he starts to sing, "There's a baby in her belly, there's a baby in her belly." At that point the mother shushes the boy and says, "No there's not."

It wasn't much longer when the mother decided to take her son out of the room to get him some food. She then said she'd meet her in the ER room later.

I was actually a bit relieved.

I finished the exam and before the pelvic exam I already knew the answer. While scanning the distal end of the aorta I had already seen the small fetus.

As I started the pelvis exam the young girl asked me what I was scanning. I told her I am just taking pictures through the uterus and ovaries. However, when I placed the camera down and looked at the screen the eyes of a child growing inside a child stared back at me. Wiggling and jumping around. The 13 year old girl looked wide eyed at the screen and exclaimed, "What is that?" She had fear in her eyes.

She knew. She just couldn't accept it. Her eyes beginning to glass over as she stared at the screen. I asked her if she had a positive pregnancy test and she replied, "yes." Then the tears flowed freely.

The fetus was at an age where it was highly recognizable. It had arms and legs. Fingers and toes. Each bone of the spine reflecting clearly down the length of the fetus' back. It moved. It twisted. It jumped. It's heart beat at 145 BPM with an audible steady thump.

The 13 year old's tears flowed through out the entire exam. Too scared to ask questions even though her life was now changed. Occasionally sneaking peaks at the screen through her tears her mind racing.

By the end of the exam her tears had stopped. Being an ultrasound tech I am not allowed to say very much to her. So all I said to her was to make sure she asked her doctor about any questions she has. I told her not to be scared. What else could I say?

She left the room to go back to her mom and brother. I don't know what will happen with her. I don't know how she'll get through. But I have thought about her a lot since the scan. I hope she does ok.

Her

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Random Noter - Wow. That is a very difficult part of your job, I am sure. The poor child has no clue what she is getting in to. I, too, wish her the best of luck. [ShaunaAunaBauna] 8/10/2012 10:24:01 PM
How awful...for her, and likely for the baby as well. [Mommy2Katie] 8/12/2012 4:54:13 AM
Randomed in, and lost my breath.

My 14-year old and his girl have become sexually active. Both sets of parents are aware, and have been pushing condoms, but you know..there is always that sense of terror, because really, these kids are in over their heads.

I will have them read this, because it is so sorrowful and well written that I feel like they need to know.

A powerful, unique perspective. [eliese3] [p] 8/12/2012 1:06:40 PM
Just really effective writing and story.

I nominated for Reader's Choice. Hope you don't mind. [eliese3] [p] 8/12/2012 1:07:48 PM
Not that this is a contest or anything, but the youngest girl I've seen pregnant was 12. Maybe your patient there was 12 when she got pregnant? The difference in the situation to which I am recalling is that the mother was never in denial. She hardly seemed shocked, almost as though she expected it or wanted it to happen. The guy was well over 18, by the way. Mom knew it. No denial. [Peripheral_Visionary] 8/12/2012 1:39:17 PM
Random noter here. Saw you on reader's choice. Felt awful reading your entry. You have a tough job. [Real Mad] 8/12/2012 2:06:06 PM
13 and pregnant....sounds like it should be on mtv....Lola Falana [Lola Falana] 8/12/2012 2:24:15 PM
So sad. I can only imagine the difficulty of your job. Things you see (not just young teen pregnancy). I hope she and the baby are ok. hugs [MoonGoddess] 8/12/2012 2:42:30 PM
My my..... Kinda sounds to me like she may have been the victim of molestation or rape and was told she couldn't get pregnant by whichever did it. Such a shame. [Sunshyne After the Rayne] 8/12/2012 3:33:12 PM
Jesus Christ in Heaven. I hope she's alright. It does sound like rape or something though.

Lola Falona, you need to be quiet. [coldlikedeath] 8/12/2012 3:40:59 PM
Saw you as Reader's Choice. You know, I never really thought about the other side of the coin. I think I'll bookmark you because while it sounds like a tough job, it also sounds like you have an interesting one.

So sad about the 13 and pregnant girl. I wonder if she consented or if it was forced upon her. Either way it has to suck. I guess you may never know, which also sucks because there's no sense of closure. You're the middle of the story, not the beginning, and certainly not the end.

♥ [Edana] 8/12/2012 5:01:45 PM
Saw this on RC. Wow, I can't imagine having to be there right after receiving the news. I am a social worker but I haven't dealt with a mother so young. I can't but think she was raped. [JustVikie] 8/12/2012 5:34:32 PM
that hurts my heart to hear, but at the same time, i'm glad she had you and not a less caring tech to help her. thank you for sharing. - noah [silverstorm19] 8/12/2012 6:45:48 PM
poor kid! I hope things turn out ok for her. [TheWoodsprite] 8/12/2012 7:12:30 PM
Saw you on RC. I know she's young, but that doesn't necessarily imply rape or molestation. I lost my virginity at 13, and while I have never been pregnant, I can certainly imagine disbelief and shock if I HAD gotten pregnant. And certainly denial when confronted with it - I didn't want to admit that I was sexually active to my mother (hell, I'm 23 & still don't). It's sad, but not necessarily rape [mommyslittlemonster*] 8/12/2012 7:31:53 PM
I agree with mommyslittlemonster. I didn't lose my virginity until after high school but most of my friends had by 11th grade. My friend's sister got pregnant at 16 and the father of the baby was 14. Nowadays they are doing it even earlier. So, maybe she just got curious with another 13-year-old or maybe it was molestation. The fact that she was denying it doesn't mean one way or the other. What she needs is help and prayers and (not to be funny) birth control after she has the baby. How this is handled by her family is actually critical to how the rest of her life will turn out. I hope they treat her with compassion and kindness, not judgement and cruelty. [Infinite Ocean] 8/12/2012 8:30:03 PM
RYN: thanks for the note...I've been slowly dealing with it and knowing that my doctor has said that I don't HAVE to do anything and can make my own decisions helps. Even though it could take me some time to get used to what they have to say knowing I am not being fully controlled is nice.

very powerful entry by the way. [-katherineelizabeth-] 8/17/2012 10:37:42 AM
Wow. I can't imagine being in your shoes in that situation! :( RYN: Thank you for your note and insight into my situation. It was a doctor who talked to me, just not my OB. The ultrasounds are done in a comprehensive fetal care center in the suite next door to the OB office. They have a few doctors always on call in the fetal care center, who come do rescans in concerning situations after the tech [Braylen's Mommy] 10/3/2012 8:24:05 PM
(continued) shows them the pictures. I know she was an MD, but I'm not sure if she was an OB. I had my u/s's with my 2nd daughter there, because she was diagnosed with a multicystic dysplastic kidney at 18 wks, and those are the same doctors who always came in to talk to us after each scan. I'm just anxious to find out how severe my case may be and what my OB has in mind :/ Thanks for your note :) [Braylen's Mommy]