Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Dr. Rupert squeezed my hand and smiled. “Nothing. You’re pregnant, Ms. Saint James.”
I blinked a few times. “What?”
He nodded. “I had a feeling the news might come as a shock to you. I noticed on the intake sheet that you said your last period was a month ago, and you answered the Is there any possibility you might be pregnant question no.
“I can’t be. Are you sure?”
He nodded. “A blood test can pick up hCG as early as six to eight days after ovulation. Urine tests generally can take a bit longer.”
Panic set in. “I can’t be. It has to be wrong.”
Dr. Rupert’s smile fell. “Are you saying it’s not physically possible for you to be pregnant? There are rare cases of false positives in blood work, such as when you’re taking certain medication for seizures.” His brows drew together. “Are you on any medications? I didn’t see any listed.”
I shook my head rapidly.
“So it is physically possible you are pregnant? Meaning you’ve been with a man in the last month or so?”
I lifted my hand to my throat, which suddenly felt tighter. “Yes. But we used protection. And I’m on the pill.”
“Did you miss any of your pills?”
“No. Definitely not. And I take them at the same time every day.”
“Were you on any antibiotics or sick at any time?”
I shook my head.
Dr. Rupert sighed. “Well, it is only 99.7-percent effective, even under the best of circumstances.”
“But we used a condom, too!”
“Well, that obviously makes the odds even smaller that a pregnancy would occur. Sometimes there are just stubborn swimmers.” Dr. Rupert patted my arm. “Would you like us to give you a minute before discussing the x-rays?”
I wanted him to rewind time and start over by saying I wasn’t pregnant. How could I be? Grant was going to—oh my God. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Grant would say. Without realizing it, I must’ve started to hyperventilate.
“Ms. Saint James? Breathe slowly. Take some long, deep breaths.” Dr. Rupert turned to the orthopedist that I had forgotten was even in the room. “Jordan, grab us a paper bag, will you?”
A minute later the nurse came in and asked me to breathe into a paper bag while three people stood around. She held my wrist and took my pulse until she was happy with the results. “You can stop now. Just keep taking big, deep breaths.”
I rubbed my forehead. “God, I’m so embarrassed. I’ve never had to do that before.”
The nurse smiled. “I have three kids under four. If my head isn’t in a brown paper bag once a week, I’m hiding in the closet to sneak a glass of wine.”
After I calmed down a little more, the nurse left, and Dr. Rupert asked if the orthopedist could take a look at my arm. Anytime it moved at all, it hurt. But suddenly I was too numb to even feel the pain.
When he finished assessing, he spoke to both Dr. Rupert and me. “I do recommend having an x-ray. Your ulna is most likely fractured. Bruising is starting to form on your wrist already, so we need to see if the bones are aligned or might need surgical repair or a reduction.”
I heard every word he said, but none of them seemed to sink in. They went on to give me the pros and cons of having x-rays while pregnant, and then Dr. Rupert looked at me for a response.
“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “You said it’s safe?”
“We’ll cover your abdomen with a lead apron and take the minimal amount as a precaution. Your reproductive organs won’t be exposed to radiation. In cases like yours, where the risk of harm to your unborn child is very small, and the benefit of the diagnostic x-ray outweighs that risk, yes, I recommend it.” He smiled cautiously. “If your ulna needs to be reset and isn’t, you could lose mobility in that arm. Which we don’t want.”
I blew out a giant rush of air and nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m going to admit you overnight, just as a precaution for observation. Would you like for the nurse to call someone for you?”
I thought about maybe calling Mia, but it was so late, and I needed to let everything sink in myself before I could actually say the words out loud. “No, that’s fine. Thank you.”
Dr. Rupert left with the orthopedic doctor, promising to return as soon as the x-ray results came in. I was glad I got a few minutes alone before the nurse came back.
“Would you like me to bring your brother back in? The registration desk said he’s asked about you twice and he’s pacing.” She smiled. “You have a protective big brother.”
I closed my eyes. The thought of seeing Grant now made me literally sick. But if he wasn’t allowed back here to visit me, he’d undoubtedly make a commotion and suspect something was wrong. There was no way I wanted to have the conversation with him tonight in the ER.