The Snail's Pace of a Small Town

I'm always taken aback when I visit my parents. I live in one of the fastest growing cities in Can.ada so when I venture up to north to my small hometown, it is a bit of culture shock. For instance, today I went to the hospital for my third beta. The front clerk seemed a little confused as to why I had two doctors on my requisition.

Yes. She is my G.P.
Yes. He is the doctor who ordered the blood work.
Yes. The results go to both of them.
No. I don't have a doctor here.
No. I've never been here before.
Yes. I'm visiting family.

As she's asking me these questions, the stereo is blaring quite loudly causing her to ask me to repeat my responses several times. Ummm....did professionalism come here to die?

After a twenty minute wait, I was finally called in. The diminutive lab tech asked all the questions to confirm that I was who I claimed to be. Then she asked about why my blood work had "STAT" on it. I explained that it's a pregnancy test to see if my pregnancy is developing.

"Oh! How many weeks are you?"
"Just six weeks."
"Well congratulations! You must be so excited."

How do you explain to the regular fertile world that it's tough to celebrate a pregnancy so soon?That everything hinges on blood work and ultrasounds?

The lab tech did a great job taking my blood (didn't feel a thing) but then she mentioned that the blood work would be sent to the lab in the next community and that I'll get my test results by Wednesday. Wednesday? I've become accustomed to getting results the same day. I fly home on Wednesday. I hope to have my results before then.

I'm not sure if the symptoms I'm feeling are as a result of a pregnancy or the progesterone. Breasts are crazy sore. I feel nauseous as if there is always something just as the back of my throat. Yesterday I was eating a sandwich for breakfast, and suddenly it tasted horrible! Like fish - it was turkey and Swiss cheese. I started to gag and almost threw up. My complexion has been horrible. I rarely breakout but have been having to deal with acne lately. Recently, I've had a metallic-like taste in my mouth like iron or blood. I've had quite a bit of mild cramping especially in the morning. Last Friday, I did experience some spotting. My clinic told me to put my feet up and relax. It stopped after a while and I haven't had any spotting since. And now, I feel a migraine brewing. Typically I have migraines when I'm about to get my period - the surge in hormones. Obviously, if I'm still pregnant, there is a whirlwind of hormones surging though my body. I'm not sure if progesterone can explain all these symptoms.

And now I wait again. I hope that the lab gets those results in sooner than Wednesday. Fingers crossed that my levels have continued to double.