Need to Vent (sorry for the long post).

I had a small amount of spotting at then end of week 4/beginning of week 5 so I had an early ultrasound at what should have been 7 weeks.  Got to see the baby but was measuring a few days behind and had a heartbeat of 94.  Follow up with the nurse a few days later and after voicing my worries/concern she assures me I wouldn't be there if they had any reason to think something was wrong.  After the appointment, felt much more optimistic (even though I come to find out I should not have been) and was sent off for blood work.  

Fast forward 2 weeks and have a second ultrasound the afternoon prior to my first scheduled OB appointment. Ultrasound does not go well.  Baby is still measuring about the same as the last time and no longer has a heartbeat.  Diagnosed as a missed miscarriage.  Ultrasound tech calls to get me in to see an OB immediately - DH & I walk across the street for it.  Forced to stand in line to tell someone I am here for my appointment for 15 minutes (while no less than 5 people stand around in the "fishbowl check-in" doing nothing).   Go sit down in a VERY crowded waiting room with lots of visibly pregnant women and next to one with a small child who is climbing all over me.  FINALLY called back to the nurse. Nurse takes me in to the blood work station to check blood pressure, etc. First thing out of her mouth is, "Are you here for your annual exam?"  Um, no.  Have to announce to a room full of women that, in fact, I am having a miscarriage.  Tells me I may need to pee in a cup which I explain I cannot since I JUST pee'd prior to my ultrasound. She says "well, the doctor still may want you to."  

Sent back out into a hallway/waiting area and seated next to the same lady with the small child who likes to crawl all over me. Finally am called back to an exam room where DH & I can have a bit of privacy.  Nurse comes in says she is "very sorry, etc. etc." but then proceeds to say "well, are you sure there might not be a mistake?  I mean I haven't looked at your ultrasounds but is it possible that everything might be okay?"  I mean, come on people.  Now I have to convince the nurse that the ultrasound tech did in fact do her job correctly and there is no mistake.  While I might otherwise appreciate the optimism, please review the ultrasound & notes before making such comments.   

Doctor comes in and is by far much more professional than any of the other yahoos I've had to deal with up until this point but still doesn't seem to have read my chart - has the dates of my ultrasounds all off and tells me I'll have to go have some blood work done to check my Rh status even though I had already had ALL of my prenatal blood work done in the weeks prior.  As I explain this, she says oh well it must be in the wrong place in your chart - let me go check again.  Finally finds the missing blood work and says I should be okay since I'm A+.  

DH and I talk about our options and decide to proceed with a D&C.  Call to have it scheduled the following day.  A different OB will handle the surgery because the original one I saw was not available that day.  Prescribes me Cytotec to take the night before the procedure which is schedule for 11:30 am the next day. Am told it would help prepare my cervix for the procedure.  Was NOT told it might "speed things along."  Wake up at 4 am with bad cramping and covered in blood. Pass a significant amount of tissue including what I believe to be the sac but can't 100% verify because water is so bloody (sorry if tmi). Immediately call the on-call doc to explain whats happening and ask what to do.  Says to keep my appointment for the D&C but to tell the doctor and get checked out before proceeding with the surgery.  

Arrive at the hospital the next day at 9:30 am - proceed to tell every nurse about the situation but no one seems to listen. Finally doc comes in and DH & I basically have to beg to have an ultrasound done prior to having surgery.  I mean I was slightly nervous about the surgery but really felt like there was no reason I needed to have it if everything had passed.  Takes well over an hour for the ultrasound tech to arrive so surgery is pushed back (of course this couldn't have been done the first time I requested/mentioned it 2 hours earlier when I was first taken back to pre-op).  There was a small amount of tissue left so they decided to proceed. Surgery goes well and am sent home with pain meds (which thankfully I didn't need). 

Call the next day to schedule my follow  up per my discharge instructions.  Leave a message at the practice - no one calls back.  Call again this morning.  Finally reach someone and says my name is XXX and I need to schedule an appointment in 2 weeks with the doctor.  Receptionist asks "well what is this appointment for?"  All I can think is can you people not look at my chart/appt history?  I am trying to be strong and hopeful for the future but every time I have to say what happened out loud it brings back a flood of emotion.  

Sorry for the long and rambling post but I just had vent.  I mean I know unfortunately miscarriage is not uncommon.  I was just shocked that the practice (esp one that large) didn't seem to have good procedures in place to ensure its handled in a private and compassionate manner.  Needless to say I'll be finding a new practice the next time around.