We went to the wife’s first contact with a doctor since discovering. We were registering her with a new practice, just round the corner.
We agreed on 14th March as the first day of her last period, which puts the birthday on 19th December. That’s right in between the day of our registry marriage, and the day of our church wedding service.
The quite nice doctor told us to look round hospitals and choose between St Mary's in Paddington and the Chelsea and Westminster on the Fulham Road. Then we come back to let her know next Friday.
There's not really a choice - we have resident's parking outside the latter, so that's where we'll be going for scans and any classes. By the time of the birth, we'll be near AW's work in Cambridge anyway, so we'll have to become familiar with another hospital.
The discussion about scans for Downs sent me worrying when we got home, but I only had twenty minutes to brood before I had to go to the Globe Theatre to meet Farah and Jane for the opening night of Othello.
Going to the Globe for work or a play, I always catch the Central line to St Paul's Cathedral, then walk across the Milennium Bridge towards the Tate Modern. If you can have stunning vistas, you should.
Had lamb cutlet, chips, houmous and pitta in the Greek restaurant, then stood at the side to 'hear' the play. Tim McInnery (Percy and Captain Darling from Blackadder) played Iago, in a decent production. He only dried twice (that day in rehearsal he forgot loads of lines), and everyone was emoting a bit too much, but I think it will settle down into a good show. Freezing cold night, after a few weeks of warm weather.
AW has the heat on in the flat, thank God.
In the doctors' waiting room, and in the consultation, and afterwards at home, the real possibility of Downs Syndrome was discussed.
AW is 36, 37 next month, and obviously the risk is higher. But AW will not have an abortion, and I knew that before I married her. I’m not sure where I stand on abortion, but having the decision made for me means it’s easier. The way I’ve been feeling recently, that my whole life is going to change anyway, I feel, ‘bring it on’. But at the same time, that was my lowest point so far.
Throughout the last two days, I’ve been dwelling on all the things which could go wrong. Downs, hospital error on the birth-day itself (thanks to a terrifying BBC doc last night), kid becoming a chav. It’s terrifying!
