Tuesday I had my 28 week appointment for baby. This is the popular "take your glucose drink and we will find out if you have gestational diabetes" appointment. Waking up that morning I was so excited to drink it because it meant:
- I'm going to another baby appointment and I'll know if everything is okay with baby.
- I get to taste this drink and understand why everyone dislikes it.
- I'll get a confirmation that I don't have gestational diabetes - one less thing to worry about.
At my job, my boss's wife is also pregnant and due about the same time as me. She already had her 28 week appointment and they told her she had gestational diabetes. My boss went off yesterday about how she probably doesn't really have diabetes because she ate cake the night before and threw off the test. He also doesn't like how they are making her go to a diabetic meeting, and how the diabetic essentials cost so much.
I went home with a different perspective after that chat with my boss, drank my glucose drink, didn't think it was that bad, and waited for my appointment.
The finger prick doesn't actually hurt, just the moment leading up to it. The nurse gave me a cotton swab to hold on the pricked finger and left to go test my glucose levels. A few minutes later she was back with another finger pricker. I asked her, "Did it not work?" and she said, "Well, it was just a bad reading, maybe another finger will give us a better reading." Okay, whatever that meant. So she pricked my finger again and left the room. This time I was a little worried. She came back and did all the baby things (listened to the heartbeat, measured me, etc.) then left again.
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| After the first finger prick |
The doctor came in and said my glucose level was 250. They want us to be in between 80-140. Sometimes they make you do further tests to really find out if you have gestational diabetes, but with a number that high he said flat out, "You have gestational diabetes." Then he paused to get my reaction. Awesome. I love it when people do that.
So while I'm holding back a shaky voice and tears, I try to keep the conversation going to distract myself. Another lady (Tina) came in the room and told me about a diabetic meeting that would be the next morning at 8 a.m. I told her I would be there, she gave me a packet and I left.
I immediately start crying. I couldn't even wait to cry before I got down the stairs of the building. What did I do wrong? I ate eggs, a banana, carrots & sugar snap peas that morning. That's it! (You are supposed to avoid carbs). Is it because of my genetics? What does this really mean for me and baby? I'm not skinny but I'm not fat, why do I have this? Am I going to have diabetes for the rest of my life?? It was so embarrassing!
I get home and I'm a mess. I laid in bed googling everything I could about gestational diabetes, which probably made it worse. I read through some of the packet Tina gave me and basically they want me to write down and control every single thing I eat. I hate keeping track of meals, numbers, carbs, amounts, etc. It makes eating no fun! I might as well not eat. But I know I can't do that ;)
Then I took a nap, which helped a little.
At first this whole thing seemed like a huge hurdle and that I'm never going to have a normal blood sugar level, so they might as well diagnose me now for type 2. My family has a history of diabetes. My dad it type 1 and so I grew up watching him prick his fingers and give himself shots of insulin on a daily basis. I'm glad I have him for support and that I know a little bit about it.
I went to the meting this morning and there was another lady there with GD too. Tina gave us about an hour and a half lecture on what it means to have GD and how the goal is to control our blood sugar levels with diet and exercise. If it becomes necessary, we will go to medicine, but this first week it just about monitoring our eating and exercise habits. She gave us both prescriptions to go get a glucose test/strips and other things from the pharmacy.
I went to work, then at lunch went to the pharmacy to get all the stuff and got some food for lunch. I ate a piece of rye bread with turkey and some carrots. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING! Ha! I'm supposed to eat specific carbs/proteins every two hours and test my blood sugar 4 times every day. I've always wanted to feel better about myself and how I eat, and I know there is a direct correlation between the two, but now? Right now in the middle of being pregnant??
Honestly though I have come to accept this as part of my life now and find it actually a blessing. It took a day, but I'm so much better - Thank you Lauren for your support! Kent and I have been eating pretty poorly and this is the time to start doing what is right for our bodies. I just had to get gestational diabetes to figure that out.
There are SO MANY worse things that could have happened to me and/or baby. I'm so grateful it's just this and that all I have to do is basically eat better and exercise more - which will make both of us feel better!
