Carole - Now Complete!

Part 52 - Answers.

"NO! NO! NO!" Carole broke down, sobbing! "Please, don't do this to me! Please! To try to have a baby means everything to me! Please let me have the treatment! PLEASE!"

Maureen knelt on the floor beside her distraught friend. "Look at her," she whispered, "How can you do this to her? Surely there's so way you can give her the treatment? She tried to have a baby for over fifteen years!"

The doctor shook his head. "It really isn't possible. If you would give me a chance to explain my reasons."

Maureen turned her attention back to her heartbroken friend. "Carole love, the doctor..."

"Just take me home!" said Carole, her voice thick with tears. "There's nothing he can say. Please, just take me home."

Maureen stood up. "Is there a phone I could use please? I need to ring her husband!"

The doctor made sure a nurse stayed with Carole and left the room with Maureen. 

"I think contacting Mrs Starkey's husband would be a good thing. Then I can explain our findings to both of them. Hopefully it will help your friend understand why we can not go ahead with the treatment."

"Carole! Sweetheart!" Ritchie swept into the room, followed swiftly by Maureen and the doctor. Carole ran to him, sobbing. He held her close then turned to the doctor.

"Look at the state of her! What have you said to my wife to cause this?" he hissed angrily at the doctor.

"Mr Starkey, your wife  wouldn't give me a chance to explain further. Please."

"Carole, Carole love? Look at me."

She lifted her head and gave him a weak, watery smile. "Hi."

"Has the doctor explained exactly what's going on?"

She shook her head. "I was told I can't have the Ovulation therapy." Her eyes filled with tears once more. "No therapy means no chance of having a baby!"

Ritchie turned to the doctor. "Is this true? She can't have the treatment?"

The doctor nodded.

"But why?" Ritchie looked bewildered, "Last time, you were so positive that it would be an ideal treatment for us."

"Mr Starkey, it is! The Ovulation therapy is an ideal treatment for women like your wife under usual circumstances. However, your wife isn't our usual case."

"Why?" Carole asked the doctor, "Please, just explain what's changed. Help em to understand."

The doctor gestured to the couple to sit down. Maureen excused herself to leave the couple with the doctor.

"When you first entered the clinic today, you gave a blood and urine sample, correct?"

Carole nodded. 

"Those tests were there to screen for different things, Your tests,Mrs Starkey, picked up something very unexpected."

"What?" A tear rolled down her cheek.

The doctor smiled. "Your samples showed very high levels of a hormone called human chorionic ganadoptropin."

"What does that mean?" asked Ritchie.

"Human chorionic ganadoptropin or hcg is a hormone that is only found in women with a particular condition."

"Condition? You mean I'm ill?"

The doctor shook is head. "Hcg only occurs in the blood of a woman in the early stages of pregnancy. We have repeated the tests several times Mrs Starkey. It seems you are indeed expecting a baby." He smiled at the couple. "Congratulations!"

Carole stared at the doctor, speechless. "But..." She opened and closed her mouth several times but was unable to speak.

"Doctor," said Ritchie quietly, making Carole jump, "How can my wife be pregnant if not more than a few months ago you said that she would need additional help to give us even a slight chance of conceiving."

"Ah well," the doctor turned to Ritchie, "That is indeed true. However it isn't unheard of for some women to suddenly conceive after the tests which your wife went through. It's as if the obtrusive procedures suddenly make everything work as it should. We don't know why...it just does."

"So I'm really pregnant?" Carole asked, "You're sure?"

The doctor smiled at Carole. "You are pregnant Mrs Starkey."

"Do you know how far?" Ritchie asked, giving Carole's hand a squeeze.

"We need to carry out a full scan in order to determine that." said the doctor.

"When?"

"Today?" The doctor looked from Carole to Ritchie, "How would you feel about that?"

Twenty minutes later a still very bemused Carole and Ritchie found themselves in a darkened room with the doctor and a sonographer. Carole lay still as the scan was moved across her abdomen. The doctor and sonographer discussing whatever they could see. 

"Right," said the doctor grinning at the couple, "This is your baby." The screen was turned around so that Ritchie and Carole could see it.  He carefully pointed out the different aspects of the picture and what they were. Both stared in wonderment at the screen.

"Can you tell how pregnant i am from this?" Carole asked.

The sonographer nodded. "You're eight weeks pregnant Mrs Starkey. Everything is exactly as it should be." She smiled, "Would you like to hear your baby's heartbeat?"

"Please!" 

The regular thud thud filled the room. Carole found tears rolling down her face which she couldn't stop. She started to shake too. The doctor moved forward. 

"Mrs Starkey, you've had something of a shock and your body is reacting to it. I think we need to admit you just for tonight to make sure you are OK."

Carole nodded, by now her teeth were chattering and she was shivering. Ritchie was alarmed even though the doctor assured him that this type of react wasn't unusual in such circumstances. 

Within an hour Carole was safely tucked up in bed in a private room, much calmer and with Ritchie by her side. In her hand was a copy of the scan picture, given to the couple after the scan finished.

"I still can't believe all this has happened!" said Carole, looking at the scan picture again. "Me, pregnant."

Ritchie held her hand. "Our baby and all by ourselves, you clever thing!" He gave her hand a kiss, "So, what do you want, boy or girl?"

"I don't care!" Carole said firmly, "Just safe and alive!" She looked at Ritchie, fear in her eyes. "What if I miscarry again Ritchie? Like last time?"

"Shhhh," he soothed her, "Don't start worrying about that. Enjoy this moment and we'll talk to the doctor about all that tomorrow. OK? The doctor said to relax!"

"You're right. I know." Suddenly Carole yawned. "I'm tired!"

"No wonder," said Ritchie, "After all the emotions of today, you're drained." He stood up then leaned over and kissed her, "I'll go. You stay in that bed, nice and safe and look after our baby! I'll see you tomorrow!"

He kissed her again and they hugged.

"I love you Ritchie!"

"And I love you Carole... and our baby!"