Got to See the Doctor

The first few months that Kelz was pregnant, I didn't know what her plans were. She never asked to go see a doctor. We didn't discuss taking her to a hospital when she went into labor or anything. And I didn't know what to expect.

My biggest fear was that she wanted to have the baby off the grid. I was afraid I would come home one day to see a big blood stain on the bed, soiled towels scattered all over the floor and a placenta on the bar. I was not looking forward to this.

One day, Kelz said, "I'm feeling some pain. This isn't normal. I think I need to see the doctor." I told her there was an OB/GYN clinic around the corner from my workplace. I would go over there and see what could be done about having her seen.

Several months earlier (before the first road trip to Artesia), I had encountered someone from the clinic who had locked himself in the parking structure. They were closing down the clinic during the week of the Republican National Convention (which was in San Diego that year) because they didn't want to have to deal with anti-abortion protesters. He gave me the keys so that I could go inside and find the door to the structure. He was very thankful. However, the Monday after the convention, they returned to work to be greeted by protesters.

I went into the office and spoke to the receptionist. I told her I had a friend who was several months pregnant and hadn't seen a doctor yet. She had no insurance. She told me that she would be able to assist in getting Kelz on Medi-Cal and she would be able to get an appointment that day. This was GREAT news! I set the appointment and drove home to get Kelz. Even though Kelz was experiencing pain, she really wasn't ready to go to the doctor. I was able to get her to relent.

We went to the clinic and had a seat. She was taken back. I waited in the lobby. She came out about an hour later. The doctor said that the pain wasn't really anything to be worried about, it was normal. Kelz also said that when the doctor felt her tummy, he said there was a lot of activity in the womb, almost too much for one baby. It was possible she might be having twins. In addition, the doctor had given her a due date of April 13th, 1997. At the time, it seemed so far off.

Our next step was to apply for benefits. I remembered what happened the last time I went to the Welfare office (which is the same place you sign up for Medi-Cal). I told Kelz she was going to have to wait there all day before she got to see someone. We were instructed to go to a different Welfare office in San Diego. We arrived early in the morning and did not encounter a long line. We checked in and sat down in the lobby. A couple of other women commented on how things were different at this office. They had been at the other office before and all recalled how terrible the experience was. One woman who was there had recently found a job and got off Welfare. But she wasn't able to make ends meet with daycare, so she had to quit her job and was pretty much forced to go back on Welfare.

After waiting a few more minutes, I told Kelz I was going back to work and for her to call me after she was done speaking to a social worker. I thought she was going to be there all day. However, just a few minutes after I'd arrived a work, she called and told me to come pick her up. THAT WAS FAST! She was able to sign up for Medi-Cal and would have her doctor visits and delivery taken care of.

During her next appointment with the doctor, she had an ultrasound. It was determined that she was going to have only one baby and it would be a girl. This surprised Kelz. Her last two children had been boys. She couldn't believe that she was going to have a girl this time.

On the next visit, in the middle of March, the doctor changed her due date. It was now going to be March 24th! I thought that was a terrible thing for the doctor to do by taking three weeks away from us.

However, this did temporarily change the dynamic. I told Kelz that the last time we'd done something was June 25th, just one day past nine months from the due date. There was a possibility that I could be the father. But it was highly unlikely, because I used a condom. But she did stop acting like what was going on with her was none of my business.

It was a nice change of pace from the previous five months.