Page 5 — The Ultrasound
It was supposed to be completely routine.
Thomas sat beside me.
The room was dim.
The ultrasound machine hummed quietly.
The technician moved the probe across my stomach.
“There he is.”
I smiled.
“Is he okay?”
“He looks good.”
Thomas leaned forward.
“Can you see his face?”
“Not very clearly yet.”
The technician pointed at the screen.
“There’s his hand.”
I laughed.
“He’s already hiding.”
Thomas smiled.
Then the technician moved the probe slightly higher.
Her expression changed.
At first, I didn’t notice.
Then I did.
She stopped talking.
She stared at the screen.
She moved the probe again.
Then again.
My smile disappeared.
“What is it?”
She didn’t answer.
“Is something wrong with Liam?”
“No.”
Her voice was quiet.
“The baby looks fine.”
“Then what are you seeing?”
She stared at the screen for another few seconds.
“I need to get the doctor.”
She left the room.
Thomas looked at me.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
Minutes passed.
They felt like hours.
Finally, the door opened.
My doctor entered carrying a folder.
He looked at the screen.
Then at me.
Then back at the screen.
“The baby looks healthy,” he said.
I exhaled.
But he wasn’t smiling.
Instead, he looked toward Thomas.
“Could you step outside for a moment?”
My heart dropped.
“No.”
The doctor looked surprised.
“If there’s something wrong, my husband stays.”
Thomas immediately reached for my hand.
The doctor nodded.
“Fair enough.”
He pulled his chair closer.
Then he pointed at something on the image.
“There is an area here that we weren’t expecting to see.”
I stared.
“What is that?”
“We believe it’s coming from the area around your right kidney.”
My mouth went dry.
“What does that mean?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Is it cancer?”
“We need additional imaging before we can say that.”
I looked at Thomas.
His face had gone pale.
The doctor continued.
“But I want you to understand something. This finding is separate from the baby’s development. Liam looks healthy.”
I placed both hands over my stomach.
“Then we’ll do whatever tests you need.”
I had no idea that sentence would lead to one of the most frightening periods of my life.
