Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“It’s standard procedure, when a female patient comes in with diabetes, to do a full workup to see what’s going on in the body. One of the tests is a pregnancy test. Yours came back positive.” She offered a hesitant smile. “I figured it would come as a surprise since your intake sheet said your last menstrual period was only a month ago and you answered no when asked if you were pregnant.”
“But … but … we used protection. Every time.”
“No birth control is a hundred percent effective.”
My head started to spin, and I thought I might pass out again. “Oh my God.”
Dr. Connolly stood and pulled up the guard rail on the bed. “Take a deep breath, Sloane. Take a few deep breaths.”
“Did you tell Will?” I wasn’t sure why I’d asked that. Will was the least of my problems.
“No, of course not. I would never reveal your private medical information to anyone without your consent.”
I shook my head, looking down. “I’m sorry. That was a stupid question.”
“It’s fine. Your privacy is both of our concern. Would you like to talk about it? We can discuss your options, or I can answer any medical questions you might have about diabetes and pregnancy. Or…” She paused and waited until I looked up. “Or we can talk about how you feel right now. I’m not just a doctor. I’m a woman, too.”
I looked at her, tears welling in my eyes. “Wilder and I haven’t been together that long. Less than a year ago, I was engaged to another man.”
“Is it Wilder’s baby?”
“I haven’t been with anyone else since my ex.” My heart pounded. “Oh God, how am I going to tell him? I already gave him a heart attack today. He was the one who found me seizing in the shower.”
“Well, you don’t have to tell him today. Maybe you need some time to absorb it yourself. You’re entitled to that, Sloane.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah. That’s true.”
“You just experienced a major medical trauma—a seizure and possibly a concussion. That alone is a lot for anyone to handle. Things aren’t going to change if you give yourself a few days—or a few weeks—however long you need to heal before you deal with this new medical condition.”
I’d forgotten all about the possible concussion. “Is a CAT scan okay when you’re pregnant?”
“Studies have consistently shown that the amount of radiation used in CT imaging does not cause any harm to a child. And only your head will be scanned, not your abdomen. But of course, the choice is yours.”
I felt so lost. “What would you do?”
“You have a nice lump on your head, so we know you likely hit it when you lost consciousness. You’re not having blurred vision, vomiting, or experiencing ringing in your ears, which are positive signs when considering the chances of internal bleeding. But I would have the CAT scan, to be safe. Cranial bleeding can be treated in its early stages, but it’s dangerous if left untreated.”
I nodded. “Okay. Let’s do the CAT scan.”
“Alright.” Dr. Connolly stood. “I’ll have the nurse bring you down, and I’ll come check on you when you get back.”
“Thank you.”
She rested her hand on my arm. “You’re going to get through this. I promise.”
I wasn’t sure she was right, yet I nodded. “Thanks, Dr. Connolly.”
Over the next hour, I went through the motions of getting the scan. Thankfully, the technicians guided me on and off the table, because while I might’ve been looking at them while they spoke, I wasn’t hearing a word.
Pregnant. I kept repeating it over and over in my head. I. Am. Pregnant.
I’d never even had a scare before. Not even when I was on the pill and messed up taking them once. Thank God this didn’t happen when I was with Josh. I couldn’t imagine having his baby. Would he have married me, and I’d be stuck in a marriage where my husband felt trapped and had questioned whether he was still in love with another woman? Or would I be raising a child alone?
Why the hell was I wasting time thinking about this when I needed to figure out how to tell the actual father of my child?
Wilder.
Oh God. How was he going to take the news? The man hadn’t had a relationship of more than two months in over a decade. Two months! That’s not even the first trimester! What if he left me and I was alone the rest of the time? I didn’t want Will or my father in the delivery room with me. Would I be alone? Me and some nurse I’d just met in an understaffed hospital? She probably wouldn’t even be able to hold my hand because she’d be too busy.
I started to hyperventilate as I waited in the little room for whoever was going to wheel me back to the ER. The ER where Wilder is waiting!