I was wrong. The little brownish blobs were not baby bits. According to the ultrasound tech, I still have “evidence of conception” hanging out in the ol’ uterus. So I need a D&C after all. On Christmas Eve no less. I wonder if this is why I’ve been feeling down. Maybe my hormones are still out of whack. If I wasn’t already feeling bummed, to make matters worse the doctor said that after the D&C we aren’t supposed to have sex for at least 2 weeks. I think it is because of all the stretching and so forth.
What I can look forward to specifically is as follows:
Dilation (the first step): While grasping the cervix with a clamp, the doctor will pass a thin, flexible piece of metal called a sound to determine the depth and angle of the uterus. These measurements allow the doctor to know how far into the uterus the curette can be safely inserted. The usual method of dilation is to insert a thin, smooth metal rod gently along the vaginal canal and up into the tiny cervical opening. The rod is left in place for a moment, then withdrawn and replaced by a slightly larger rod. This process is repeated until the cervix has expanded to about the width of a finger. This method takes about 10 minutes. If you are under local anesthesia, you may experience crampy discomfort caused by stretching of the cervical muscles to accommodate the rods. . . .
Hysteroscopy and curettage (the second step): After dilation, your doctor holds the vagina open again with the speculum. The doctor may also reach into the cervix with a tiny spoon to obtain a specimen of the cervical lining. At this point, the hysteroscope is usually inserted into the uterus so that the doctor may look at the inside of the uterus. . . .
The doctor will now place a slightly longer and larger curette through the dilated cervix and up into the uterus. This is a metal loop on the end of a long, thin handle. With steady, gentle strokes, the doctor will scrape or suction the uterine wall. This tissue is sent to the lab for analysis. When the curettage is completed, the instruments are removed.
If under local anesthesia, you will probably experience a tugging sensation deep in your abdomen as the curetting is performed. If this is too painful, you should tell the doctor, who may then order pain medicine.
The entire procedure, including curettage takes about 20 minutes. At the end, you may have cramps. This may last about 30 minutes.
(http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dilation_and_curettage_dandc/page4_em.htm)