Baby is apparently going for "well-done"

Another week, which means another doctor appointment and I was sure I would have dialated somewhat by now. For the last 2 days I have been having not just the Braxton Hicks contractions I've gotten used to, but actual painful-timable contractions. We waited in the waiting room for 45 minutes as a way-to-young-to-have-a-baby teenager has her first appointment and when we finally get called back and they take my vitals they show that I haven't gained any weight in the last couple weeks but my blood pressure has gone all the way up to 120/86. This is WAY higher than I have ever seen but the nurse assured me it was in the normal range. When the doctor came in she measured me and my belly hasn't grown in the last 3 weeks either. I am only measuring a 35/36 cm when I should be measuring 40 cm as I am at 40 weeks. BUT, the doctor was fine with it so I was fine with it too. Baby had a heart rate of 126 bpm which is good and the doctor assured me that she felt average sized, not ginormous like I was starting to worry.
She then began her cervical check and to my disappointment I am still "snugly closed"! She mentioned she was going to try to force through and for the next minute or so I know she was talking but I was in so much pain I could not tell you what she said except that she reminded me to breathe. At the time it seemed like it went on much longer than a minute but looking back I know it wasn't and know that probably still doesn't even compare to the pain of actual labor. She explained to me that if she could get through she would try to strip my membranes in order to stir up prostiglandins which may help to get labor going. But to no avail.
Apparently my doctor is leaving for vacation at the end of the week and so she was weighing the options of inducing me before she leaves, stripping the membranes or handing me over to another doctor. I appreciate that she decided against induction since I am not really overdue but at the same time I was really upset that unless something kicks into gear this week I will have to switch it up and go to a different doctor for the remainder of the pregnancy. And not that he's a bad doctor, in fact I've heard great things about him and he is actually in the process of retiring which means he has a TON of experience, but from the very beginning I knew I would only feel comfortabe with a female doctor and I really hate the idea of having a male doctor. I had faced the fact that I couldn't force my doctor to be the one that actually delivers due to the fact that they don't work 24 hours and day and 7 days a week, but this was not something I was ready to deal with. On top of that I became really upset that the later I go the less time my mom has to be up here with me because she only has so much vacation time. We both knew we couldn't control mother nature but my birth experience would be so much better if she is here, and time is essentially running out! I know she will do what ever she can to be here with me and to meet her granddaughter and I'm really hoping everything still works out. I was pretty bummed out the rest of yesterday, but luckily I have a husband who is my voice of reason and understanding and brought up the idea of calling my doctor today to see if she might be willing to try stripping my membranes once more before she leaves to try to avoid the new male doctor scenario. Something the doctor agreed to.
So although there are no signs of baby yet, there are plenty of things going on this week to get us closer to baby. Tomorrow I go in for a Non-stress test to make sure baby is healthy and placenta has been doing it's job, something I'm not too concerned about because I know she is still quite active but curious if that may have something to do with me not growing in the last couple weeks. Thursday, we will try the membrane stripping again, and Saturday (if she still isn't here) I will have another non-strss test. Knock on wood, we should have a beautiful baby by then.