Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Musings of the 3 AM Brain
What if everyone in the world had either type 1 (or type 2,etc.) diabetes?
Would life, as we know it, be easier or harder? (since the theories for managing diabetes are almost as plentiful as the number of cases) Would the Type 1: Type 2 ratio matter...since they are different,& can be treated thus. If there were more type 1 cases, would people get more education:be better informed? (and inform others)
Would we be healthier-would we take matters into our own hands,implement exercise programs, various incentives, etc...or would the vast majority of us continue to ignore what should be done & eat ourselves into a state of morbid obesity? And would insurance companies be any better about covering the supplies needed to TREAT and prevent complications from occuring? And would Congress/etc. get serious about funding various entities to make a cure happen sometime in this lifetime? I mean, we'd all be just one big happy D-family...all of us would want that cure.
And would we finally get rid of this stupid "diabetes blame game" where if you have diabetes (any type) you must have eaten too much sugar or not have exercised enough or been dropped on your head as an infant...etc. Would we stop blaming the patient,& would people stop blaming themselves enough to work towards a state of health?
(In conclusion, I don't think more people getting diabetes is going to improve either the public perception of it/chances of a cure/or anything else. It's just going to cause more suffering. And some days,you just feel like a paper towel against the flood of stupidity,ignorance, etc...nothing you say is making much of a difference)
Would life, as we know it, be easier or harder? (since the theories for managing diabetes are almost as plentiful as the number of cases) Would the Type 1: Type 2 ratio matter...since they are different,& can be treated thus. If there were more type 1 cases, would people get more education:be better informed? (and inform others)
Would we be healthier-would we take matters into our own hands,implement exercise programs, various incentives, etc...or would the vast majority of us continue to ignore what should be done & eat ourselves into a state of morbid obesity? And would insurance companies be any better about covering the supplies needed to TREAT and prevent complications from occuring? And would Congress/etc. get serious about funding various entities to make a cure happen sometime in this lifetime? I mean, we'd all be just one big happy D-family...all of us would want that cure.
And would we finally get rid of this stupid "diabetes blame game" where if you have diabetes (any type) you must have eaten too much sugar or not have exercised enough or been dropped on your head as an infant...etc. Would we stop blaming the patient,& would people stop blaming themselves enough to work towards a state of health?
(In conclusion, I don't think more people getting diabetes is going to improve either the public perception of it/chances of a cure/or anything else. It's just going to cause more suffering. And some days,you just feel like a paper towel against the flood of stupidity,ignorance, etc...nothing you say is making much of a difference)
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Wordless Wednesday: Bottles
Mommy's and Babies. #rollon70mg/dl
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, January 29, 2012
One Wonderful Day:24 Hours on the L&D Ward
(the birth...Part 1. Warning: Extremely Graphic Depictions ahead. You've been forewarned)
It was the night. The night my life would change forever. (I just didn't know it yet) After eating dinner out (Chipotle & Coldstone Creamery were the winning combo) with friends, I went to bed and ignored my shrieking POD all night till it died for realz at 3 AM. (before it died, I bolused for several hours of basal so I wouldn't have to get up and change it out until 6-7 AM)
And then, the nausea began. Couldn't get back to sleep. About an hour and a half later, at 4:30 AM on the dot, my amniotic sac burst (but not like a water balloon...there was plenty more to come) and the floodwaters gushed forth, over bed, down to the carpet, etc. leaving no doubt that that's what THAT was. Urine doesn't come forth in those quantities.
I looked over at my husband. "That was amniotic fluid, I gotta call the OB-GYN!"
Which I did. Shortly thereafter, the contractions began. And by the time we'd loaded up the car and got to the L&D ward (5:55 AM), another gush of amniotic fluid spewed out, soaking me from head to toe (right through any so called "protection") It was hardcore, this stuff. The nurse gave me a gown, cleaned things up, put pads down on a table, and hooked me up to the monitors while waiting on the doctor. Meanwhile, amniotic fluid just kept gushing a mile a minute. Very tired looking OB-GYN came in, checked, and said I was 4 CM dilated.
"You are in labor." (no kidding?)
Contractions, regular contractions, sped by on the monitor. And not that I ever doubted it (amniotic fluid gushing forth is a pretty good sign) but it was now official, coming from the mouth of the MD. Progressed 2 CM in 2 days.(after staying at 2 cm for about 1.5 weeks)
"Would you like to take a shower?"
I tried, and the nurse tried to help, but the nausea & the fact that I just about broke my kneck slipping on on the water made it a really, really bad idea. In the meantime, two nurses changed the table again and commented on how much fluid I had in me. (great news, it will just keep gushing out of you till the very end) Weight loss from that had to be a good 5 lbs. It just boggled the mind,over the course of seven hours I'd soak the bed 6 times. (setting some sort of record, I'm sure) By 12, I'd been in a L&D room for a few hours, they'd started an insulin/dextrose/saline/penicillin/and pitocin drips, and contractions were getting extremily painful.
(the ever-so-lovely IV cocktail. Regular Insulin, Dextrose, pitocin, and penicillin. Why on earth they needed to have both dextrose and insulin running simultaniously is beyond me, they tripled my basal rate to 3 units an hour because they were also giving about 15 grams of glucose per hour. But it worked out pretty well.)
L&D nurse #1 turned out to be an OB instructor at my college (I've had her for one lecture). So that was pretty interesting, it's a small world. She monitored me for awhile, checking my bg every couple of hours & admininistering several injections of Apidra (via pen) when my bg was 150-170.) going off a sliding scale. Made me nervous as all get out trusting said "sliding scale" but I didn't have much basal on board at the time, so it worked out ok. She also put in the catheter (I was the guinea pig, it was a new type) and said it was a shame I couldn't see how it was done. I dryly agreed "Yeah, really". That was a new experience, because in lab it looked extremily painful, but I was so numb from the epidural that it didn't feel like anything. The anesthesiologist put the epidural in about 1 pm (by 12:15, I was begging for one), and oh sweet relief, just like that the pain was 100% gone. I'm really not sure how people ever go through labor without one. (I became an instant fan of the epidural) My new OB waddled in, (a good 36.5 weeks along herself) and proclaimed me 5 cm dilated. Increased the pit drip.
That afternoon was spent watching John Wayne reruns & waiting for something to happen..and being extremily grateful that I'd eaten so well the night before. Because the next time I'd get real food would be awhile I was confined to bed, so basically I couldn't go anywhere. Ate sugar-free popsickles, jello, and imbibed on ice water & had my blood sugar checked every couple of hours. At 7 pm, I got a new nurse...who surprise, had TYPE 1 DIABETES as well. On a pump, to boot. When she said that, I knew it was going to be a good "rest of labor" experience, she was going to take my diabetes seriously. By 7:30 the contractions were heating up again and I was 8 cm dilated and extremily uncomfortable, yet again. Anesthesiologist came by and gave me another epidural dose and rigged up a pump for me to press, if I felt like I needed more. Which I partook of,quite frequently. Several hours passed,my fabulous Nurse with Diabetes checking my blood sugar (with my lancing device-NOT the hospital one) every hour & tweaking the IV basal and the dextrose flow rate & that annoying blood pressure monitor going off every half hour. By 11:55, my OB was back in (checked, 9 cm dilated, 100% effaced) so she proclaimed,"Let the pushing begin!" So her, NWD, and my husband all hung out in the hospital room (off and on, the OB did have to go off to check on someone else) for the next 2 hours while I huffed, and puffed, and blew the house down. On every single contraction, which came approximently every 1.5 minutes. The thing about pushing, they actually made me lift my legs and put my hands behind the knees and THAT was just as difficult as the actual pushing part (you try doing that when you've had an epidural and your legs are dead the world). There was lots of encouragement "You're doing great! Keep going." but it really didn't feel like I was making any sort of progress, which was confirmed at 2:30 AM. Still only 9 cm dilated. Maxed out on the safe level of pitocin. OB said she suspected the birth canal was too narrow and although I could try pushing for the next hour, if that didn't work I'd need a C-Section. (because my water had broken,there was a 24 hour time limit on delivery) I opted for the C-Section, because I knew that she was right.(and I wasn't going to do another hour of unsuccessful pushing) And then I had my breakdown (being told you have to have a C-Section when you're horrendously sleep deprived & have been in labor for 23 hours is just not fun),a major, major breakdown which the nurse/OB sympathetically dealt with & reassured me that the odds were very low that I'd have an embolism & stroke out on the OR table(etc.) Fear gave way to the pain taking over again & I seriously wished myself dead as the contractions just kept coming a mile a minute. Was prepped for surgery & I just kind of curled into a ball & wished it all over. Was still pretty mad that I had to have a C-Section, so close to the end.
Was wheeled into the OR,rolled over onto the operating table,sat up as the anesthesiologist delivered another epidural dose,& laid back down. The cheerful chatter of the OR staff served as a momentary distraction before the fun began.
"It's a beautiful day for a birthday, it's Elvis Presley's birthday!" (also Steven Hawking's, FTR)
"Really, that's pretty cool!"
"What was her blood sugar?"
"96." (had been between 70-110 for the past 16 hours)
A horizontal slice, and then...
Many hands, twisting my innards like they were playdoh, had me crying out in agony. Lucky for them, my hands and arms were restrained at my sides, because I absolutely would have gone ferral and attempted to rip somebody's head off. I was out of my brain in agony. (they say a C-Section isn't supposed to be painful, & it just feels like "pressure"...well, they are wrong. It was extremely painful,and they can't give you any real pain meds because it will affect the baby's breathing) Anesthesiologist asked if I'd like a general anesthesia but I said no, I didn't want to be all drugged up when the baby was finally born.
An eternity later...I heard him cry.
And then, I cried.
"He's beautiful!"
(which I figured I'd cry, but this was more of the sense of "I cannot believe I actually birthed a live human being" more then anything else)
Little J.B. made his appearence at 3:33 AM on that Sunday morning.(Jan. 8,2012) weighing 7 lb, 3 oz. and 19.75 inches long. They whisked him off, did Apgars, dried/suctioned/whatever, did a blood sugar (50-normal for a newborn) and stuck him over the blue curtain for our viewing pleasure. And then, I cried again (first thought: I hope they can clean him up some more, he looks sort of greyish-blue) and the anesthesiologist whispered sweet words in my ear("I'm going to give you a stronger pain med, now that he's out"). Which I nodded at, but just the fact that they were stitching me up and not yanking on my uturus anymore had improved the pain considerably. Then, it was off to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit where my awesome nurse with diabetes kept tabs on my blood sugar,bleeding,and everything else. I was thirsty as all get out but they would only let me have ice chips.(which I ate a ton of) They put him on my chest & I bonded with him before we all went off to the 3rd floor Post-Partum Unit and darned if I didn't sob again as NWD gave me a hug and told me he was perfect. (It was one of those nights which will live forever in my memory...the kind where you pour out your gut to a total stranger, but they are not "strangers", they are like the twin you never had) I could not have had better care. And I knew that I'd picked the right hospital,THE ONLY HOSPITAL WHERE I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAD SUCH AN EXPERIENCE. (sure as certain wouldn't have gone so well at the other hospital) I was at peace.
And that was the first 24 (plus 2 hours)... at time where I was at peace with myself, my child, and the Universe. It was enough, for then. (the next few days would be an 180 degree shift from that)
It was the night. The night my life would change forever. (I just didn't know it yet) After eating dinner out (Chipotle & Coldstone Creamery were the winning combo) with friends, I went to bed and ignored my shrieking POD all night till it died for realz at 3 AM. (before it died, I bolused for several hours of basal so I wouldn't have to get up and change it out until 6-7 AM)
And then, the nausea began. Couldn't get back to sleep. About an hour and a half later, at 4:30 AM on the dot, my amniotic sac burst (but not like a water balloon...there was plenty more to come) and the floodwaters gushed forth, over bed, down to the carpet, etc. leaving no doubt that that's what THAT was. Urine doesn't come forth in those quantities.
I looked over at my husband. "That was amniotic fluid, I gotta call the OB-GYN!"
Which I did. Shortly thereafter, the contractions began. And by the time we'd loaded up the car and got to the L&D ward (5:55 AM), another gush of amniotic fluid spewed out, soaking me from head to toe (right through any so called "protection") It was hardcore, this stuff. The nurse gave me a gown, cleaned things up, put pads down on a table, and hooked me up to the monitors while waiting on the doctor. Meanwhile, amniotic fluid just kept gushing a mile a minute. Very tired looking OB-GYN came in, checked, and said I was 4 CM dilated.
"You are in labor." (no kidding?)
Contractions, regular contractions, sped by on the monitor. And not that I ever doubted it (amniotic fluid gushing forth is a pretty good sign) but it was now official, coming from the mouth of the MD. Progressed 2 CM in 2 days.(after staying at 2 cm for about 1.5 weeks)
"Would you like to take a shower?"
I tried, and the nurse tried to help, but the nausea & the fact that I just about broke my kneck slipping on on the water made it a really, really bad idea. In the meantime, two nurses changed the table again and commented on how much fluid I had in me. (great news, it will just keep gushing out of you till the very end) Weight loss from that had to be a good 5 lbs. It just boggled the mind,over the course of seven hours I'd soak the bed 6 times. (setting some sort of record, I'm sure) By 12, I'd been in a L&D room for a few hours, they'd started an insulin/dextrose/saline/penicillin/and pitocin drips, and contractions were getting extremily painful.
(the ever-so-lovely IV cocktail. Regular Insulin, Dextrose, pitocin, and penicillin. Why on earth they needed to have both dextrose and insulin running simultaniously is beyond me, they tripled my basal rate to 3 units an hour because they were also giving about 15 grams of glucose per hour. But it worked out pretty well.)
L&D nurse #1 turned out to be an OB instructor at my college (I've had her for one lecture). So that was pretty interesting, it's a small world. She monitored me for awhile, checking my bg every couple of hours & admininistering several injections of Apidra (via pen) when my bg was 150-170.) going off a sliding scale. Made me nervous as all get out trusting said "sliding scale" but I didn't have much basal on board at the time, so it worked out ok. She also put in the catheter (I was the guinea pig, it was a new type) and said it was a shame I couldn't see how it was done. I dryly agreed "Yeah, really". That was a new experience, because in lab it looked extremily painful, but I was so numb from the epidural that it didn't feel like anything. The anesthesiologist put the epidural in about 1 pm (by 12:15, I was begging for one), and oh sweet relief, just like that the pain was 100% gone. I'm really not sure how people ever go through labor without one. (I became an instant fan of the epidural) My new OB waddled in, (a good 36.5 weeks along herself) and proclaimed me 5 cm dilated. Increased the pit drip.
That afternoon was spent watching John Wayne reruns & waiting for something to happen..and being extremily grateful that I'd eaten so well the night before. Because the next time I'd get real food would be awhile I was confined to bed, so basically I couldn't go anywhere. Ate sugar-free popsickles, jello, and imbibed on ice water & had my blood sugar checked every couple of hours. At 7 pm, I got a new nurse...who surprise, had TYPE 1 DIABETES as well. On a pump, to boot. When she said that, I knew it was going to be a good "rest of labor" experience, she was going to take my diabetes seriously. By 7:30 the contractions were heating up again and I was 8 cm dilated and extremily uncomfortable, yet again. Anesthesiologist came by and gave me another epidural dose and rigged up a pump for me to press, if I felt like I needed more. Which I partook of,quite frequently. Several hours passed,my fabulous Nurse with Diabetes checking my blood sugar (with my lancing device-NOT the hospital one) every hour & tweaking the IV basal and the dextrose flow rate & that annoying blood pressure monitor going off every half hour. By 11:55, my OB was back in (checked, 9 cm dilated, 100% effaced) so she proclaimed,"Let the pushing begin!" So her, NWD, and my husband all hung out in the hospital room (off and on, the OB did have to go off to check on someone else) for the next 2 hours while I huffed, and puffed, and blew the house down. On every single contraction, which came approximently every 1.5 minutes. The thing about pushing, they actually made me lift my legs and put my hands behind the knees and THAT was just as difficult as the actual pushing part (you try doing that when you've had an epidural and your legs are dead the world). There was lots of encouragement "You're doing great! Keep going." but it really didn't feel like I was making any sort of progress, which was confirmed at 2:30 AM. Still only 9 cm dilated. Maxed out on the safe level of pitocin. OB said she suspected the birth canal was too narrow and although I could try pushing for the next hour, if that didn't work I'd need a C-Section. (because my water had broken,there was a 24 hour time limit on delivery) I opted for the C-Section, because I knew that she was right.(and I wasn't going to do another hour of unsuccessful pushing) And then I had my breakdown (being told you have to have a C-Section when you're horrendously sleep deprived & have been in labor for 23 hours is just not fun),a major, major breakdown which the nurse/OB sympathetically dealt with & reassured me that the odds were very low that I'd have an embolism & stroke out on the OR table(etc.) Fear gave way to the pain taking over again & I seriously wished myself dead as the contractions just kept coming a mile a minute. Was prepped for surgery & I just kind of curled into a ball & wished it all over. Was still pretty mad that I had to have a C-Section, so close to the end.
Was wheeled into the OR,rolled over onto the operating table,sat up as the anesthesiologist delivered another epidural dose,& laid back down. The cheerful chatter of the OR staff served as a momentary distraction before the fun began.
"It's a beautiful day for a birthday, it's Elvis Presley's birthday!" (also Steven Hawking's, FTR)
"Really, that's pretty cool!"
"What was her blood sugar?"
"96." (had been between 70-110 for the past 16 hours)
A horizontal slice, and then...
Many hands, twisting my innards like they were playdoh, had me crying out in agony. Lucky for them, my hands and arms were restrained at my sides, because I absolutely would have gone ferral and attempted to rip somebody's head off. I was out of my brain in agony. (they say a C-Section isn't supposed to be painful, & it just feels like "pressure"...well, they are wrong. It was extremely painful,and they can't give you any real pain meds because it will affect the baby's breathing) Anesthesiologist asked if I'd like a general anesthesia but I said no, I didn't want to be all drugged up when the baby was finally born.
An eternity later...I heard him cry.
And then, I cried.
"He's beautiful!"
(which I figured I'd cry, but this was more of the sense of "I cannot believe I actually birthed a live human being" more then anything else)
Little J.B. made his appearence at 3:33 AM on that Sunday morning.(Jan. 8,2012) weighing 7 lb, 3 oz. and 19.75 inches long. They whisked him off, did Apgars, dried/suctioned/whatever, did a blood sugar (50-normal for a newborn) and stuck him over the blue curtain for our viewing pleasure. And then, I cried again (first thought: I hope they can clean him up some more, he looks sort of greyish-blue) and the anesthesiologist whispered sweet words in my ear("I'm going to give you a stronger pain med, now that he's out"). Which I nodded at, but just the fact that they were stitching me up and not yanking on my uturus anymore had improved the pain considerably. Then, it was off to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit where my awesome nurse with diabetes kept tabs on my blood sugar,bleeding,and everything else. I was thirsty as all get out but they would only let me have ice chips.(which I ate a ton of) They put him on my chest & I bonded with him before we all went off to the 3rd floor Post-Partum Unit and darned if I didn't sob again as NWD gave me a hug and told me he was perfect. (It was one of those nights which will live forever in my memory...the kind where you pour out your gut to a total stranger, but they are not "strangers", they are like the twin you never had) I could not have had better care. And I knew that I'd picked the right hospital,THE ONLY HOSPITAL WHERE I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAD SUCH AN EXPERIENCE. (sure as certain wouldn't have gone so well at the other hospital) I was at peace.
And that was the first 24 (plus 2 hours)... at time where I was at peace with myself, my child, and the Universe. It was enough, for then. (the next few days would be an 180 degree shift from that)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Ice & Chocolate: The Final Week
Yep, I know I've said this before...but it is getting closer to the delivery.
I am 38 weeks, & the induction is scheduled for Wed, Jan.11. I have been convinced that labor is immenant for weeks now.(just don't listen to me, because I don't know what I'm talking about)
News Flash: Contractions are not labor. Painful contractions, are not labor. 2 cm dilated & 50% effacement is not labor. Real labor has you on the floor, writhing in pain. We were told thus, on Monday evening.(dry run to the hospital,as it were) Of course,baby chilled down & only popped a couple contractions the instant I was hooked up to a monitor.(& were duly
sent home) I had regular,painful contractions for two hours prior to that & it wasn't anywhere close to being "real labor." Really confusing,if you ask me.
So,given that there are 6 days(or less) till they do an induction,it is kind of weird to have an actual date. Carved in stone. People with diabetes frequently go into preterm labor & I still can't wrap my head around the fact that here it is,38 weeks later & no pre-eclampsia,baby is normal size, etc. I've still got too much amniotic fluid on board but that hasn't made me go into preterm labor. I'm really ok with going into labor at any point now,but the only thing that seems to be happening is more frequent contractions. No progress on the dilation front. I've heard that you shouldn't have your water broken until you're 5-6 cm dilated because once the water breaks, the clock starts ticking & they'll want to drag you into the OR for a C-Section should you not progress fast enough. As I'd like to avoid that, I'm taking that advice. But I don't harbor any notions that I won't have to have one...& I'm ok with that. No one is guaranteed a complication-free birth. (I trust the guys/gals with the medical degrees)
Current Cravings: Ice, Chocolate,& Diet Minute Maid. (lemonade) It's kind of a weird late-pregnancy thing, I didn't crave these way back in the 2nd Trimester! I've had lots of opportunity to stuff my face with chocolate, at 37 weeks my insulin requirements took a sudden dip and it's still like that-lots of hypos. Just about the time that I finally get it right, I'll probably go into labor & really have a nosedive. It's common for that to happen,as progesterone production slacks off but it's somewhat disconcerting until they reassure you that it's normal. As with everything else D-related,it doesn't happen to everyone.
I am so,so,so,so ready. (over-ready!)
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
2011: A Year, Reviewed
It was a year in which I:
Started Nursing School
Found out I was pregnant
Rafted the mighty Colorado River
Met (& remet) old & new friends at the Friends For Life Conference in Florida
Turned 30
Went to 10 billion doctor appointments
Cried for hours over a 6.5 a1c (my best ever,& the best of the pregnancy!)
Saw my diabetes turn 13...
Dropped out of nursing school,to dream another day
Gained 40 lbs (New Years Resolution=you kind of know what!)
Gained a greater sympathy for disabled/handicapped people's challenges because when you can't do hardly anything for yourself,life is pretty difficult. And I'm one of those people who'd rather fall down trying,then ask for help.
Went to a diabetes meetup (SimonPalooza) in NYC...& felt massively better about my sorry DLife (& everything else,in general). It was refreshing.(& seeing my first Broadway Show was pretty cool too!thanks to Cara R.!)
Here's to 2012,& baby coming SOON.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wordless Wednesday: The 259th Day
--------
Yesterday morning, as I rolled out of bed, I was positive that this was the day. I don't think you really want to know precisely why I was so positive (let's just say that it had to do with gross body substances) & that, combined with rocking cramps, had me convinced that this, was it.
Well, it didn't quite work out that way. Husband took me to the OB-GYN (a normal appointment, all ready scheduled) and I'm not in labor...not yet. I am 2 cm dilated (seems to be progressing at the rate of 1 cm/week) but unless 6 cups of amniotic fluid exit the building, I'm not really "in labor". I am also GBS (group B streptococcal?) positive, so labor will involve antibiotics in my IV. And also, the hospital doesn't allow you to wear your own insulin pump, something that doesn't make me too happy because I've been planning on this for months (barring any emergencies). OB-GYN assured me that they have a team of internal medicine guys to "get my diabetes back on track with pump adjustments" after delivery. (yeah, right. NO offense, but my diabetes is never "on track") And then...the issue about blood sugars during actual delivery. He said they like to run them on the high side. (and by that, I'm guessing 100-120,which is kind of laughable to think about those numbers being on the high side! And that's perfectly alright, if that works out to be the case but I'm envisioning having to get ALOT of IV dextrose if they're the ones who actually run the D-show) My Endo doesn't have privileges there, so she doesn't have any say in the matter. I'm not sure that I can refuse to go off my pump (and not be admitted there), I've never been refused the use of my pump for an extended period of time.
And then, it was off to the NST/biophysical profile which went pretty routinely. I never pass the NST, but the biophysical profile always comes out ok. (8/10 is normal) Perinatologist doctor wanted to know what OB/GYN doctor had planned (in terms of delivery)...its kind of like the two offices never communicate. (the answer is:vaginal delivery, unless it hasn't happened by the 39th week, and then they will schedule an induction) I have to get a magnesium infusion (via IV) this week, to prepare for delivery & in the hospital, they'll be checking my electrolytes daily (and the babies electrolytes at birth, to screen for any problems). He also updated all the names/numbers of my Endo,the OBGYN group, the pediatrician that we chose, and my Nephrologist into the hospital computer system in preparation for that day.(suite at the hospital=booked,patient with zillion medical issues coming through)
The antibiotics will fortunately be penicillin (I'm allergic to doxycycline). I don't really know I'm really going to know if I'm in labor if the amniotic sac doesn't burst, because I have contractions (both painful, and not) already,but I'm guessing that if dilation continues at this rate at some point it will switch from "latent"(0-3 cm) to "active"(4+ cm)and things will steamroll from there. I've survived Christmas, so now I'm hoping I have a New Year's baby (you get a ton of free stuff if you've the first baby on Jan.1) & the baby is mature enough, so if he wishes to make his appearance on that date, I'm more then agreeable to that.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The Last Week
Nope, it's likely not the "last week of pregnancy..." but, with any luck, my insulin requirements have hit their plateau and that makes me VERY HAPPY. Early next week, it will be considered a "full term" pregnancy...and that makes me happy as well. (in the words of the OB -GYN, the goal is 37 weeks, but if things can go 1-2 weeks longer that is "bonus time")
On schedule for the this week: Weekly appts. with the OBGYN, to start checking for dilation/effacement. And the Group B Strep swab, to determine if antibiotics will be needed during delivery. As well as the (2) mandatory NonStress tests, a final appointment with my Endo (I can't say things are really that great between us, but now is not the time to be looking for a new Endo. I need to iron out a final plan for my bgs/insulin/etc. for birth,and afterwords) It's not the hospital where she has privilages (and realistically, how much time am I going to have to do diabetes overhaul), so I think I really need to have this stuff figured out now. I do agree that my blood sugars should be under 120 the entire time (to minimize the chances of hypoglycemia for the baby) but never having been through this before, will they let me suck on hard candies(or ice) if I'm running low/in the throngs of nausea? I think this hospital prefers you to be on an insulin drip, which I'd prefer NOT to be, unless I need a C-Section. (if I can handle things myself, I'm going to) Basically, I need a natural delivery plan, a C-Section Delivery Plan, and a Post-Baby Delivery plan for my diabetes. We also have to tour the actual hospital ward....I have no idea where it is. (I didn't do my student rotation there) And then I think, I will feel "ready." (the car seat has been installed and all systems are GO) As to when it will actually happen, no one knows (but I rather hope it is prior to 2012) Lightening (whereby the baby drops into the pelvis) hasn't occurred, so my lungs are compressed to the size of golfballs (walking up a flight of stairs, or walking 10 feet both leave me winded). On the positive side, my back does not hurt as much as it did a few weeks ago...but I am grateful that diabetes is going to get me out of having to wait it out an extra 2-3 weeks (should labor not occur). At the most, it will be three more weeks. (and I'm having contractions on my NonStress tests, I don't think it will be that long)
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The WEGO Health Awards: 2011
And while I'm at it (posting, that is) I'd like to thank the kind soul who nominated me for the WEGO HEALTH ACTIVIST (2011) AWARDS...(Best Kept Secret!) You were/are very sweet, and I appreciate the kind words. (I appreciate ALL my readers,all 5 of you!) So I payed it forward, and nominated another health blogger that I enjoy reading...I encourage you to do the same. (you'll probably make their day,even if you/they don't really win anything from this promo)
YOU GUYS ROCK. (DON'T EVER FORGET THAT)
YOU GUYS ROCK. (DON'T EVER FORGET THAT)
The Week Before Christmas
Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the state
There were babes being born (both early, and late).
And I had just rolled, on my side, for a snooze
When my nose was soon greeted, by the strong smell of booze
For Santa was here, and cocoa n’ eggnog
Was not his forte’…from the strong whiff of grog.
I groaned, and I waddled, to the window, real slow
I guessed that I couldn’t avoid seeing this show.
And there, was St. Nick, all rosy with glee
He slurped, and he burped, and looked straight at me.
“Hey honey, I’ve brought you a bouncing bundle o’ joy
Today is the day for your baby boy!”
The contractions were strong, & it made me afraid
That this day in the books, a birth would be made.
“All I want for Christmas is just 14 (+) more days
I must decline, and request, that you put in a raise.”
Old Santa was miffed, as he’d wasted his time
On a house in the boonies, on the public dime
He sighed, and he climbed back into his old sleigh
His agenda had most clearly been upset that day
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out at quite the rate
“Next time, I’ll make sure, to double-check the date!”
There were babes being born (both early, and late).
And I had just rolled, on my side, for a snooze
When my nose was soon greeted, by the strong smell of booze
For Santa was here, and cocoa n’ eggnog
Was not his forte’…from the strong whiff of grog.
I groaned, and I waddled, to the window, real slow
I guessed that I couldn’t avoid seeing this show.
And there, was St. Nick, all rosy with glee
He slurped, and he burped, and looked straight at me.
“Hey honey, I’ve brought you a bouncing bundle o’ joy
Today is the day for your baby boy!”
The contractions were strong, & it made me afraid
That this day in the books, a birth would be made.
“All I want for Christmas is just 14 (+) more days
I must decline, and request, that you put in a raise.”
Old Santa was miffed, as he’d wasted his time
On a house in the boonies, on the public dime
He sighed, and he climbed back into his old sleigh
His agenda had most clearly been upset that day
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out at quite the rate
“Next time, I’ll make sure, to double-check the date!”
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Diabetes: The Thirteenth Year
(Photo: Creative Commons)
Dear Diabetes,
Today, you are a teenager. It seems as though a million years have passed...or at least a generation. (that five year old girl on the other side of your hospital room is now legally an ADULT. Yikers.) Do you remember that day...the pain, the worry, the fear that would soon cast it's long shadow over "all the days of your life?"
I do. But I also remember a remarkable CDE,
who,on that very next day (in fact, some of the first words out of her mouth) told me that I could still have kids. (Was I thinking about having children,heck no,it was about the furthest thing from my mind. I just wanted to live.)
That was then. And this, is now.(I trust I've grown up a bit since then)And in retrospect, I'm glad she said that.(its something every young person needs to hear at diagnosis,& I once talked to someone dx'd in the 1960's who didn't have kids because her doctors forbade it, which is incredibly sad. I think everyone deserves a doctor who will work with them to make their dream happen). It's impossible not to think of the rock n' rolling, hiccupping,rapidly growing life inside of me. I guess I think about babies more then I think about diabetes...which is saying alot.You really do still suck bucketloads, diabetes,and cause more pain then is ever warranted. Seemingly 95% of the other people getting NST's at the perinatologist also have diabetes.(and sugars that warrant "concern". My own sugars in the past week have moved beyond concern to warranted screaming of silent obscenities at the meter & the bolusing of huge corrections, to little avail.Another insulin spike from heck.) But there are things that are stronger then you are,things that in the end make you slick back into the corner,with your tail between your legs...whipped. And though I oscillate between despair & hope on a daily basis,I think that having a baby is the ultimate "sticking it to diabetes" act.I know it can be done.
So today, diabetes, I want you to know that you're not the most important thing on the agenda anymore. And that despite the passage of time,you still don't "know it all"...its a lifelong learning process (what works today, won't tomorrow). It almost seems like a new beginning, this 13th year...the dawning of the 2nd chapter of my life. (PreKid, PostKid) And you and me will have to figure out a working relationship for the next phase as well. (not that I was terribly successful in the first phase...but I want to do better. Pinky Swear It.)
Sincerely,
Me. (13 years later)
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Target: Target
Target is anti-diabetes. Target is a magical place,filled with with many,many things to buy & inhaled insulin pumped through the ventilation system so that inevitably, you will go low.
Target, during the holiday season, is even more magical. Long lines,tantalizing treats to stuff into your mouth to offset any blood sugar discrepancies, etc.etc.etc. Target, seemingly,is the only thing that can drop a 34 week's pregnant, waddling women with diabetes' blood sugar. I think I spent about four hours there,and consumed 67 uncovered carbohydrates (to roll out a "110" by trip's end) It was my own private version of "Extreme Couponing"...
Stats:
Time Spent: 4.5 hours
Number of receipts: 23 (and no, I did not conduct back-to-back transactions...I have too much respect for other shoppers to do that!)
Number of coupons used:20
Total saved with coupons: $183
Total brain cells left: 1
Blood Sugars taken:3
Carbohydrates consumed: 67
Shoppers Who Took pity & let me move ahead in line: 0
Status of back: Regretfully,Target didn't have any of those to buy or I totally
would have.
Status of Christmas List: Done,finished, taken care of.(as well as a few birthday & miscellanous odds and ends) And that's one good thing. I spent alot, but I was going to buy it anyway...so proportionally,it was still a win.
Happy Holidays! (I think they call it "Target" because that's exactly what your blood sugars are, while you're shopping there)Obviously, I love to shop but I can't do any of those marathon type sessions anymore...deal or no deal.My back,feet,and blood sugars all rebel.
Target, during the holiday season, is even more magical. Long lines,tantalizing treats to stuff into your mouth to offset any blood sugar discrepancies, etc.etc.etc. Target, seemingly,is the only thing that can drop a 34 week's pregnant, waddling women with diabetes' blood sugar. I think I spent about four hours there,and consumed 67 uncovered carbohydrates (to roll out a "110" by trip's end) It was my own private version of "Extreme Couponing"...
Stats:
Time Spent: 4.5 hours
Number of receipts: 23 (and no, I did not conduct back-to-back transactions...I have too much respect for other shoppers to do that!)
Number of coupons used:20
Total saved with coupons: $183
Total brain cells left: 1
Blood Sugars taken:3
Carbohydrates consumed: 67
Shoppers Who Took pity & let me move ahead in line: 0
Status of back: Regretfully,Target didn't have any of those to buy or I totally
would have.
Status of Christmas List: Done,finished, taken care of.(as well as a few birthday & miscellanous odds and ends) And that's one good thing. I spent alot, but I was going to buy it anyway...so proportionally,it was still a win.
Happy Holidays! (I think they call it "Target" because that's exactly what your blood sugars are, while you're shopping there)Obviously, I love to shop but I can't do any of those marathon type sessions anymore...deal or no deal.My back,feet,and blood sugars all rebel.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Breaking Dawn: Part 1
I'm glad to see November go...it's been a long month. No more blogging daily for me!
Finally went to see "Breaking Dawn- Part 1" today. My husband doesn't have any interest in seeing it, & ultimately, the best time to go see it is on a weekday (when most of the masses of people are at work, not the mall) It was good, well as good as such things can be (most of the people reading this could probably care less about it). I'm not "in" to Harry Potter, I like Twilight much better. (but I don't fall into the fanatical stage about that either) There were approximently five people in the theater (all female, this is very much the "chick" series) all crying over their popcorn & salting their cokes with their tears. (a true sisterhood, as it were)
Without spoiling anything, between the wedding (beginning of the movie) and the emergency C-Section (end of the movie) it was really action-packed (deviating slightly from the book, to make more of a plot). Things got very, very graphic toward the end of the movie and one person went to the exit and just stood there, with their back to the movie. (for the rest of the movie, a good 20 minutes) I get that it was probably a little too much for them but if it were me, I'd go off and do something else, instead of just standing there. (what good is paying for a movie, if you're not watching it?) That was pretty odd. All I can say is, it wouldn't be the best of movies to watch if you had any sort of food aversions(or were in the first trimester of pregnancy). I've seen a real C-Section (and it wasn't nearly as bloody as the hack job in the movie),but it was still kind of disturbing seeing the effects on the heroine.(I would prefer NOT to end up as bad off as that) Probably not the greatest movie to watch when you're in the 3rd trimester either. At the end, I was getting ready to leave & the person up above my seat told me to stick around, there was one more scene after the credits. (which will lead to the next part)
The next two "parts" don't come out till a year/2 years from now...I've read the book already, so I know what happens but waiting is just too hard!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
NaPoBloMo:Diet Coke Fun!
Answering the age-old question...how many used test strips does it take to fill up a 20 oz DC bottle?
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Monday, November 28, 2011
NST: Take #2
Captain's Log: Starda(y!) #229
Babies Weight: 4.6 lbs (it's mind boggling how much weight they gain from week 28 on!)
Weeks: Almost 33
Contractions: yes,but much fewer then last week,although my amniotic fluid index has jumped from 25 to 29. I really hope that that is the natural peak,& not the fact that my blood sugars went to pot last week over the irresistible pecan pie/potato/etc.holiday smorgasbord. 33 weeks is supposed to be the "peak"fluid week,& the babies weight is normal. Peri isn't worried.
Movement: not so much on my part,on his,constantly!!
Current complaint list: First Trimester Deja Vu all over again...you name it,I've got it. With the additional challenges of the Third Trimester.
Nursery Status: Ready,once the crib gets reassembled.
Next NST: Thursday...this baby is being well monitored!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
NapoBloMo-Day #27
Happy Birthday to Mr. Handsome!
(no baby handsome,as of yet...and that's ok!)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
(no baby handsome,as of yet...and that's ok!)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Day #26 (NaPoBloMo)
There was a time when life, as you knew it, was much more simple. When you didn't have to measure,carb-count, guess-ti-mate,SWAG etc. every single carbohydrate that went into your mouth. When food was food,not something that could simultaneously kill/save you.
That was before. Before D came along. Some of us have never really really known a "before", for others, there were many years spent with the "before." The thing about the "before",is,that for many of us, it may never come again (sorry for the downer opinion,yours may vary,& I certainly hope I'm not right). The years dull the memories of some things but for others, the diabetes stuff gets so hardwired into your psyche that you doubt it ever could get itself undone. It's all normal.
Fact: I'm ready to go back to the "just diabetes" phase of existence. I miss sleep, I miss my back muscles not hurting, I miss Chai Tea Lattes (and everything Starbucks),I miss having clothes that would fit, and I miss not having to bolus a unit every time I even look at a carbohydrate, I miss just worrying about the D-Stuff. Vaguely I recall those days where doctor appointments weren't every week,and I'm ready to go back to them. I guess just because something becomes "normal", it still doesn't mean that you particularly love it. I know there are people for whom pregnancy is a 10 month nightmare(bed rest, the whole 9 yards)but I can't even begin to explain what its like, with diabetes. Every day that ends (without disaster) is the best thing that happened that day. I guess when you go to the doc (and everything is a constant stream of negativity) that really doesn't put you in the mindframe of "enjoying your pregnancy." I'm not afraid of caring for a newborn anymore, for even the demands of that is the successful conclusion of the 3rd Trimester. And yeah, I'm nowhere NEAR 39 weeks. My patience has kind of run out (and I would really like to hop in a time machine & fast-forward to the end of December) & I want a healthy,bouncing, bundle o' joy to be here.(NOW) And if it sounds like I'm complaining, I guess I am..there's gotta be some place I can let it all out & it had just as well be here. (which very few folks go) It's my opinion that the people who enjoy their pregnancies don't have complicating medical conditions involved.
That was before. Before D came along. Some of us have never really really known a "before", for others, there were many years spent with the "before." The thing about the "before",is,that for many of us, it may never come again (sorry for the downer opinion,yours may vary,& I certainly hope I'm not right). The years dull the memories of some things but for others, the diabetes stuff gets so hardwired into your psyche that you doubt it ever could get itself undone. It's all normal.
Fact: I'm ready to go back to the "just diabetes" phase of existence. I miss sleep, I miss my back muscles not hurting, I miss Chai Tea Lattes (and everything Starbucks),I miss having clothes that would fit, and I miss not having to bolus a unit every time I even look at a carbohydrate, I miss just worrying about the D-Stuff. Vaguely I recall those days where doctor appointments weren't every week,and I'm ready to go back to them. I guess just because something becomes "normal", it still doesn't mean that you particularly love it. I know there are people for whom pregnancy is a 10 month nightmare(bed rest, the whole 9 yards)but I can't even begin to explain what its like, with diabetes. Every day that ends (without disaster) is the best thing that happened that day. I guess when you go to the doc (and everything is a constant stream of negativity) that really doesn't put you in the mindframe of "enjoying your pregnancy." I'm not afraid of caring for a newborn anymore, for even the demands of that is the successful conclusion of the 3rd Trimester. And yeah, I'm nowhere NEAR 39 weeks. My patience has kind of run out (and I would really like to hop in a time machine & fast-forward to the end of December) & I want a healthy,bouncing, bundle o' joy to be here.(NOW) And if it sounds like I'm complaining, I guess I am..there's gotta be some place I can let it all out & it had just as well be here. (which very few folks go) It's my opinion that the people who enjoy their pregnancies don't have complicating medical conditions involved.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Blue Friday: Four
(life is much more interesting when you don't wear the same color of socks!)
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Thursday, November 24, 2011
NaPoBloMo Day #24
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so worn out with traveling, family,& bouncing blood sugars I have absolutely nothing to say..but I hope it's been a good one for you and yours!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Chef de Llehs
Let the mess-making commence. Rarely do I actually bake,& I know I'm supposed to be all domisticated & stuff by this point (I really do know how...I just don't enjoy it) because the way to a man's heart is through his stomach (so they say) but I find my own baking slightly repulsive (don't ask me why, its a weird hangup I have,everyone else seems to think its just fine), there's more to the story then I'm just too lazy to do it. Nothing like the holidays to make you do it anyway.
(green bean casserole, muffins)
(green bean casserole, muffins)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Christmas Baby (Maybe?)
Fortunately, the eye exam didn't reveal anything dire. It's just a floater (in the words of my eye doctor: "due to getting older." Yes, he knows that I'm 30, and since when did turning 30 put me in the middle-age category?) A black, blob-ish, floater. (being nearsighted, I have a few floaters, but they've never been black/grey, they're the pencil line variety)
Better safe then sorry though (I'm glad I got it checked out). Hopefully it will fade.
No word on when I might expect an induction, the OB-GYN said around 39 weeks. (if it hasn't happened by then) I'm not quite getting how, if anytime after 37 weeks (considered: full-term) is considered just fine, why they would wait till 39 weeks to induce. I guess the womb is a nice,welcoming,nurturing place but 39 weeks just seems too long. I read in my nursing textbooks that diabetic placentas also age faster then non-diabetic placentas (aka, start degrading around 37-38 weeks). And if the baby is too large...that can certainly play a role? (according to the obgyn, that really didn't matter in terms of induction, maybe she meant that would be grounds for a C-Section)
We won't be going anywhere for Christmas, though. (that much is pretty clear) 37 weeks is just after Christmas. (and even 3.5 hours away with family is too far away) Or, it could be a New Year's Baby. Or, it could be a 2012 baby. Time will tell.
Better safe then sorry though (I'm glad I got it checked out). Hopefully it will fade.
No word on when I might expect an induction, the OB-GYN said around 39 weeks. (if it hasn't happened by then) I'm not quite getting how, if anytime after 37 weeks (considered: full-term) is considered just fine, why they would wait till 39 weeks to induce. I guess the womb is a nice,welcoming,nurturing place but 39 weeks just seems too long. I read in my nursing textbooks that diabetic placentas also age faster then non-diabetic placentas (aka, start degrading around 37-38 weeks). And if the baby is too large...that can certainly play a role? (according to the obgyn, that really didn't matter in terms of induction, maybe she meant that would be grounds for a C-Section)
We won't be going anywhere for Christmas, though. (that much is pretty clear) 37 weeks is just after Christmas. (and even 3.5 hours away with family is too far away) Or, it could be a New Year's Baby. Or, it could be a 2012 baby. Time will tell.
Monday, November 21, 2011
NapoBloMo-Day #21
The only thing that can be said about today, is that it hasn't started well & I think the ending may be even worse.
Today was my first non-stress test. That was a fairly uneventful event, (4 very pregnant people in lounge chairs hooked up to electrodes) until I noticed that the contractions graph was having ACTUAL JUMPS on it,& at this point in the process, I have no business having contractions. The nurse noticed and asked A. if I was feeling them and B. how far along I was. No, I'm not feeling them. (yes, they are actual contractions) What the Sam's Hill?? As far as the heartrate/variability/baby moving went, he is very active.
And then it was time for the ultrasound. I was feeling pretty bummed/on the point of tears over the contractions when the doctor came in and asked how I was (answer "overwhelmed") which he assured me was perfectly understandable on the verge of the beginning of the end. The placental blood flow & everything looked ok, the amniotic fluid index has actually gone down 2 points & the contractions are likely perfectly normal, given the increased amniotic fluid index. As long as the contractions aren't painful there is no need to be overly concerned. See you in a week.
With my nerves freshly shot from that, I got to schedule an emergency appointment with my eye doctor for the large black "floater" that has been swimming around in my right eye for the past 2 days. (the thing shows no signs of going away,initially I thought it was from a headache but nope) I had my eye appointment for the year in October (which showed things to be absolutely perfect, D-wise) but apparently my right eye didn't get the memo. (so here I go again this afternoon)
I think I'm falling apart.
Today was my first non-stress test. That was a fairly uneventful event, (4 very pregnant people in lounge chairs hooked up to electrodes) until I noticed that the contractions graph was having ACTUAL JUMPS on it,& at this point in the process, I have no business having contractions. The nurse noticed and asked A. if I was feeling them and B. how far along I was. No, I'm not feeling them. (yes, they are actual contractions) What the Sam's Hill?? As far as the heartrate/variability/baby moving went, he is very active.
And then it was time for the ultrasound. I was feeling pretty bummed/on the point of tears over the contractions when the doctor came in and asked how I was (answer "overwhelmed") which he assured me was perfectly understandable on the verge of the beginning of the end. The placental blood flow & everything looked ok, the amniotic fluid index has actually gone down 2 points & the contractions are likely perfectly normal, given the increased amniotic fluid index. As long as the contractions aren't painful there is no need to be overly concerned. See you in a week.
With my nerves freshly shot from that, I got to schedule an emergency appointment with my eye doctor for the large black "floater" that has been swimming around in my right eye for the past 2 days. (the thing shows no signs of going away,initially I thought it was from a headache but nope) I had my eye appointment for the year in October (which showed things to be absolutely perfect, D-wise) but apparently my right eye didn't get the memo. (so here I go again this afternoon)
I think I'm falling apart.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
A Blast from the Past: Day #19
I found this today...and I'm pretty sure it's the last one on Planet Earth. Long, long ago, Staples & Office Depot would actually give you vouchers for $3 off your next purchase, no minimum required (on the spot, when you turned in ink cartridges). They could be "stacked" (aka, used with 2 more vouchers) and combined with coupons & one's total Out of Pocket costs were very, very low. (and even more weird, the vouchers were all the same so there were no unique codes on the vouchers) It's not like that now, if you turn in ink cartridges it'll be 90+ days before you see the rewards in your "account" and you have to spend $$ at the store to even get the rewards.
But this beauty of these coupons are...that they never expire,so nostalgia aside, I'm going to spend it (one of these days). Maybe not even the manager will know what these were, its been so long since they were in vogue!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
NaPoBloMo- Day #17
Darth Meter Strikes Back....
(with the vast majority of today's readings in the 60's, and one at 209) . Stellar diabetes day, all around.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Banking with Baby
I know it's controversial (and very much in the "experimental" stages)but stem cells already can treat/cure many types of cancers. And I believe that one day,they'll be able to "grow" parts of organs, etc. (from stem cells) Maybe even cure diabetes, or something else.(should they be unfortunate enough to inherit my screwed up genes) So we've made the decision to save our kid's cord blood. (kit goes to the hospital with me)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Days are Just Packed
(does this infant carrier come with an infant? sadly, no,that takes 9+ months)
(the saga of the never ending blood sugar logs..)
Sam Talbot is an fiery chef with ecletic taste buds!
I got my flu shot today. I had to go to TWO CVS's to do so, because the first had an issue with my insurance (& I would have had to pay for the whole thing out of pocket) whereas the 2nd store would cover it (if it were under the guise of being a "Minute Clinic" appointment with a nurse practitioner). It wasn't that inconvenient,really, (there are quite a few CVS's in the area) but flu shots feel nothing like an insulin injection & really,please don't say that they do. And so that's done. (I will wake up tomorrow & feel like I've been hit by a bus, but it's better then being hit by the flu)
(please?)
Monday, November 14, 2011
World Diabetes Day: 2011
Today is World Diabetes Day.
Today, like millions of people all over the world, I didn't get to have the day off from diabetes. (for good behavior) Whether you've lived with it 30 years or 30 days...it is simply there,and it will be there (likely) for some time to come. Today, I awoke (for the 2nd time) with the chalky flavor of glucose tablets still lingering on my taste buds. That is the price for being alive.
Today,there is still no cure. No cure for the millions who have been diagnosed (in the almost 90 years since the discovery of insulin). Babies, kids,teens,adults...we all owe our lives (or if T2...continued health) to the discovery of this one drug. For as much as I'm grateful for insulin,and as much as I realize that future life would not have existed (this baby sponsored by Sanofi-Aventis)..it's still diabetes,& I'd really,really,really like a cure.
Today, the flame of hope still burns...and will burn, until there's a cure.
Today, like millions of people all over the world, I didn't get to have the day off from diabetes. (for good behavior) Whether you've lived with it 30 years or 30 days...it is simply there,and it will be there (likely) for some time to come. Today, I awoke (for the 2nd time) with the chalky flavor of glucose tablets still lingering on my taste buds. That is the price for being alive.
Today,there is still no cure. No cure for the millions who have been diagnosed (in the almost 90 years since the discovery of insulin). Babies, kids,teens,adults...we all owe our lives (or if T2...continued health) to the discovery of this one drug. For as much as I'm grateful for insulin,and as much as I realize that future life would not have existed (this baby sponsored by Sanofi-Aventis)..it's still diabetes,& I'd really,really,really like a cure.
Today, the flame of hope still burns...and will burn, until there's a cure.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
NaPoBloMo-Day #13
Today, I'm going to share with you a YouTube Video...from a talented young artist with T1 diabetes!
I love her illustrations. (toward the story line) I can't draw that well..but if I could, I'd love to do something like that on YouTube.
I love her illustrations. (toward the story line) I can't draw that well..but if I could, I'd love to do something like that on YouTube.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
NaPoBloMo- Day #12
A few weeks ago, we were in California (taking care of the "we won't be seeing you in a million more years" family rounds). Basically, we really didn't do much exciting (I am sick to death of traveling, people) but we did go down to San Diego/Oceanside to wiggle our toes in Pacific Ocean goodness. And it was warm & relaxing on the beach that day. (despite being mid-October)
Pictures below:
I have to say, I love California beaches. Even if you feel like a great beached whale (and not up to the carefree frolicking of bikini-clad models & studly wetsuit surfer dudes) it does improve your mood. Even just for a few hours, it was nice.
And then, we came home to the East Coast blizzard...on the 6.5 hour flight to Philly, my Omnipod PDM died (two hours in), freaking me out. My "backup" syringe (brand new, in the package) proceeded to snap off as I removed it from the package & by that point,I really didn't see how I was going to avoid having to make a scene(4.5 more hours with no insulin (and an already skyrocketing bg) ? yeah, not happening) as I tried to patch the insulin syringe back into function-a-bility but it was impossible. Finally, I systematically searched through my purse and backpack (praying there would be at least one old syringe)...and there was. And it worked. And I took injections with that syringe, once every two hours as our 6.5 hour flight got pushed to a 7.5 hour hour flight as we circled the airport, as babies and toddlers screamed (and puked) filling the plane with lovely sounds (and smells) into the wee hours of the morning.(while their mothers did absolutely nothing,sans hold them. Did not attempt
to soothe,etc. or to tell them to be quiet) I could not WAIT to get off that plane, & meet up with my luggage.(hopefully) However...when we finally did get off the plane, our flight home had been cancelled(because of the East Coast blizzard) so no luggage was forthcoming.(they said it would be on a flight the next day). Well, by that point driving home had more appeal then spending the next 12 hours in the airport so we rented a car, and drove home.
In the rain. (but fortuanatly, not the snow)
Got home, inserted a new pod,and the PDM actually worked again..but the luggage didn't show up till the evening. I would venture to say that that was my most unpleasant flight,ever. (lesson learned: take at least five back-up syringes,because it was some sort of "communication error" and I doubt that it would have worked even if I'd have had a back-up pod)
Pictures below:
I have to say, I love California beaches. Even if you feel like a great beached whale (and not up to the carefree frolicking of bikini-clad models & studly wetsuit surfer dudes) it does improve your mood. Even just for a few hours, it was nice.
And then, we came home to the East Coast blizzard...on the 6.5 hour flight to Philly, my Omnipod PDM died (two hours in), freaking me out. My "backup" syringe (brand new, in the package) proceeded to snap off as I removed it from the package & by that point,I really didn't see how I was going to avoid having to make a scene(4.5 more hours with no insulin (and an already skyrocketing bg) ? yeah, not happening) as I tried to patch the insulin syringe back into function-a-bility but it was impossible. Finally, I systematically searched through my purse and backpack (praying there would be at least one old syringe)...and there was. And it worked. And I took injections with that syringe, once every two hours as our 6.5 hour flight got pushed to a 7.5 hour hour flight as we circled the airport, as babies and toddlers screamed (and puked) filling the plane with lovely sounds (and smells) into the wee hours of the morning.(while their mothers did absolutely nothing,sans hold them. Did not attempt
to soothe,etc. or to tell them to be quiet) I could not WAIT to get off that plane, & meet up with my luggage.(hopefully) However...when we finally did get off the plane, our flight home had been cancelled(because of the East Coast blizzard) so no luggage was forthcoming.(they said it would be on a flight the next day). Well, by that point driving home had more appeal then spending the next 12 hours in the airport so we rented a car, and drove home.
In the rain. (but fortuanatly, not the snow)
Got home, inserted a new pod,and the PDM actually worked again..but the luggage didn't show up till the evening. I would venture to say that that was my most unpleasant flight,ever. (lesson learned: take at least five back-up syringes,because it was some sort of "communication error" and I doubt that it would have worked even if I'd have had a back-up pod)
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
One and One and One (& Four)
(4 years anniversary today-& I have to say, that he is all of this & more). I am very fortuanete, good guys do exist out there. (which,when you've been through the dating mill makes you quadruple-ly thankful)
-----
The snap of the perinatologist's glove signified that the exam portion was, for all intents and purposes, over.
"How bad is it?"
(its bad, I know it's bad.The tech isn't saying anything, and if it were better, you'd be reassuring me by now. Just tell me, before I lose my mind.)
"About the same. Last time you were at a 26..now you're at a 27. It's the same."
Happy-happy-joy-joy. (NOT) So what does this mean?
"I think you're going to have to notify the NICU staff (etc.) about the possability of Bartter's Syndrome, so they'll be able to screen for that.(at birth) And you know better then anyone else about what all that means, you'll be doing some educating. (but you're probably used to that by now.) But it doesn't mean the baby has Bartters..your amniotic fluid levels aren't going up, & are not severely elevated, so it may not be that. You don't need an amnio, or any medication to reduce the levels .(at this point)"
"Will I need a C-Section?"
"Not necessarily. If everything else proceeds normally, you shouldn't."
"My blood sugars have been excellent."
"That's good-that can certainly play a role! The baby's weight is normal, & everything else looks good-have you had any contractions?"
"No."
(Confession: I'm not entirely sure what a contraction feels like, but I think that if I were having them, I'd likely know about it. Yeah, I get random abdominal pains occasionally but I think that with a contraction, your abdominal muscles tense up & that hasn't been the case)
"In a couple of weeks, you can begin Non-Stress tests/Biophysical Profiles(basically the NST plus the ultrasound). (1-2x a week?) "
Non-Stress tests= a whole new experience. As a nursing student, I actually got to explain to an anxious, laboring patient what the tracing meant. (all those peaks and dips and random blips) & knowing me, I'll form a conclusion about it long before the doctor enters the room because that's what nursing students do!
But for as much as I feel lost in the shuffle at the OB-GYN...at the high-risk office, I see the same perinatologist every time and I really like him. He is stellar. (about answering all my stupid questions & calming my fears)
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Dblog Day: An Ode to the DOC
Are YOU participating? (it's not that easy this year..I have no time to create a scrapbook page, and I don't feel like delving into said topic.) But I encourage you to not be like me. Really, if I'd have gotten my ducks in a row (1-2 months before this) , I'd probably be doing it. (it's enough to get my postcard project done for WDD!) I will say that online support (before there was a "DOC",) really helped me feel not so alone, in the early years of D. From the CWD chat I found out about insulin pumps (and rapid acting insulins), which changed my D-care for the better. If there weren't anything like that, I'd be floundering around alone & clueless with my diabetes management. (or who knows where I'd be) I'm so grateful for the fine D-folk I've met on the Internet...(and later, in real life) they have shaped my D-life in positive ways & some feel more like family, then friends. (I appreciate each & every one of you!!!!!!)
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
The Baby Shower
Want to know what completely rocks?
Surprise baby showers. And yes, it was a complete surprise because we get together with this group of friends ever so often..nothing out of the ordinary about that. Only this time,there was an ambush. (they had it all...food,cake,streamers,and presents!) We are so lucky to have a group of friends to put together something of this caliber for us.(any kind of shower just gives the recipient the warm fuzzies,though I wasn't expecting any since my family lives so far away) Despite the Ravens/Steelers jersey clashes, it was an otherwise amicable evening.
Now to get started writing thank you cards...
Surprise baby showers. And yes, it was a complete surprise because we get together with this group of friends ever so often..nothing out of the ordinary about that. Only this time,there was an ambush. (they had it all...food,cake,streamers,and presents!) We are so lucky to have a group of friends to put together something of this caliber for us.(any kind of shower just gives the recipient the warm fuzzies,though I wasn't expecting any since my family lives so far away) Despite the Ravens/Steelers jersey clashes, it was an otherwise amicable evening.
Now to get started writing thank you cards...
Monday, November 07, 2011
From the Newswire
Joslin Study Finds Clue to Birth Defects in Babies of Mothers with Diabetes
Stimulation of metabolism-sensing enzyme that can regulate crucial gene explains how free radicals generated during maternal hyperglycemia cause malformation of the neural tube
BOSTON – October 17, 2011 — In a paper published today in Diabetologia, a team at Joslin Diabetes Center, headed by Mary R. Loeken, PhD, has identified the enzyme AMP kinase (AMPK) as key to the molecular mechanism that significantly increases the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and some heart defects among babies born to women with diabetes.
Even if women with diabetes—either type 1 or type 2— work vigilantly to control their blood sugar levels around the time of conception, the risk of a defect is still twice that of the general population. This finding could lead to strategies to interfere with the mechanism and reduce the chances of such birth defects occurring.
Previous studies published by Loeken's lab showed that maternal hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) causes oxidative stress in the embryo, and inhibits expression of the Pax3 gene. Pax3 is essential to the formation of the neural tube, which in the embryo is the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. Oxidative stress results when oxidized molecules – called free radicals – are created faster than they can be eliminated.
However, Loeken said, it was not known how the cells that express Pax3 could sense the oxidative stress and why oxidative stress, which occurs throughout the embryo, only damages selective structures such as the neural tube.
In the paper published today, Loeken’s team identifies the key to the process as AMP kinase, which is activated by oxidative stress and was found to signal the cell nucleus to block the expression of Pax3.
“The stimulation of a metabolism-sensing enzyme that can regulate specific genes explains how oxidative stress, which is generated throughout the embryo during maternal hyperglycemia, causes malformation of specific embryo structures,” Loeken said.
“We now know that we must do whatever we can to prevent AMPK from being stimulated,” said Loeken, who is a research investigator in Joslin’s Section on Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology.
Trying to keep the mother’s blood glucose levels under control is currently the only way to do that, she noted. “That’s the best we can do right now,” she said. But armed with the findings of this study, she noted, other researchers may be able to come up with drugs or other strategies to inhibit AMPK activity,
Dr. Loeken added, however, that formulating a strategy could be tricky because it is not known if interfering with AMPK activity -- while a good thing in preventing neural tube birth defects -- might also have negative effects on the embryo.
In their study Loeken and her group, including Yichao Wu, Marta Viana, and Shoba Thirumangalathu, used mice and cell lines to test their hypothesis that AMPK might be stimulated in the embryo and that stimulation of AMPK was responsible for blocking Pax3 expression and causing neural tube defects in response to high glucose.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
“We found in this study that AMPK is stimulated in embryo by both high glucose and oxidative stress,” Loeken said.
The study used interventions including a drug that activates AMPK and another that blocks it. The paper showed that a drug that increased AMPK activity mimics the effects of oxidative stress to inhibit expression of Pax3, thus inducing neural tube defects.
This research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
(moral of the story is...just another way diabetes contrives to complicate matters)
-----------------------------
This product looks pretty cool. According to the JDRF "Discoveries" magazine,(fall 2010) preliminary research (at Yale) has been promising,showing increased insulin absorption time/peak levels/increased clearance. This is pretty cool, because with the Artificial Pancreas system that is being developed...faster acting insulins are a MUST. (it can't very well keep your blood sugar in a normal range with such slow-acting insulins) The system that's in place now...its an improvement,but it still has light years to go & I don't think that most people would consider it a "cure" in any sense of the word.(needs much better CGM technology/faster acting insulins) Take it from the person that has to pre-bolus cereal 30-40 minutes in advance...some foods are just glycemic murder. Insulins such as Apidra/Novolog/Humalog start working within 15-20 minutes, but it is very much YMMV. Such technology is years away from being approved (& perhaps decades, if the FDA is involved) but anything that gives that insulin a little extra "boost" start time is a good idea, in my book. (in the meantime,I guess we're stuck with taking hot showers/hot tubs)
Stimulation of metabolism-sensing enzyme that can regulate crucial gene explains how free radicals generated during maternal hyperglycemia cause malformation of the neural tube
BOSTON – October 17, 2011 — In a paper published today in Diabetologia, a team at Joslin Diabetes Center, headed by Mary R. Loeken, PhD, has identified the enzyme AMP kinase (AMPK) as key to the molecular mechanism that significantly increases the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and some heart defects among babies born to women with diabetes.
Even if women with diabetes—either type 1 or type 2— work vigilantly to control their blood sugar levels around the time of conception, the risk of a defect is still twice that of the general population. This finding could lead to strategies to interfere with the mechanism and reduce the chances of such birth defects occurring.
Previous studies published by Loeken's lab showed that maternal hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) causes oxidative stress in the embryo, and inhibits expression of the Pax3 gene. Pax3 is essential to the formation of the neural tube, which in the embryo is the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. Oxidative stress results when oxidized molecules – called free radicals – are created faster than they can be eliminated.
However, Loeken said, it was not known how the cells that express Pax3 could sense the oxidative stress and why oxidative stress, which occurs throughout the embryo, only damages selective structures such as the neural tube.
In the paper published today, Loeken’s team identifies the key to the process as AMP kinase, which is activated by oxidative stress and was found to signal the cell nucleus to block the expression of Pax3.
“The stimulation of a metabolism-sensing enzyme that can regulate specific genes explains how oxidative stress, which is generated throughout the embryo during maternal hyperglycemia, causes malformation of specific embryo structures,” Loeken said.
“We now know that we must do whatever we can to prevent AMPK from being stimulated,” said Loeken, who is a research investigator in Joslin’s Section on Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology.
Trying to keep the mother’s blood glucose levels under control is currently the only way to do that, she noted. “That’s the best we can do right now,” she said. But armed with the findings of this study, she noted, other researchers may be able to come up with drugs or other strategies to inhibit AMPK activity,
Dr. Loeken added, however, that formulating a strategy could be tricky because it is not known if interfering with AMPK activity -- while a good thing in preventing neural tube birth defects -- might also have negative effects on the embryo.
In their study Loeken and her group, including Yichao Wu, Marta Viana, and Shoba Thirumangalathu, used mice and cell lines to test their hypothesis that AMPK might be stimulated in the embryo and that stimulation of AMPK was responsible for blocking Pax3 expression and causing neural tube defects in response to high glucose.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
“We found in this study that AMPK is stimulated in embryo by both high glucose and oxidative stress,” Loeken said.
The study used interventions including a drug that activates AMPK and another that blocks it. The paper showed that a drug that increased AMPK activity mimics the effects of oxidative stress to inhibit expression of Pax3, thus inducing neural tube defects.
This research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
(moral of the story is...just another way diabetes contrives to complicate matters)
-----------------------------
This product looks pretty cool. According to the JDRF "Discoveries" magazine,(fall 2010) preliminary research (at Yale) has been promising,showing increased insulin absorption time/peak levels/increased clearance. This is pretty cool, because with the Artificial Pancreas system that is being developed...faster acting insulins are a MUST. (it can't very well keep your blood sugar in a normal range with such slow-acting insulins) The system that's in place now...its an improvement,but it still has light years to go & I don't think that most people would consider it a "cure" in any sense of the word.(needs much better CGM technology/faster acting insulins) Take it from the person that has to pre-bolus cereal 30-40 minutes in advance...some foods are just glycemic murder. Insulins such as Apidra/Novolog/Humalog start working within 15-20 minutes, but it is very much YMMV. Such technology is years away from being approved (& perhaps decades, if the FDA is involved) but anything that gives that insulin a little extra "boost" start time is a good idea, in my book. (in the meantime,I guess we're stuck with taking hot showers/hot tubs)
Sunday, November 06, 2011
The Weekend Green Clean
Yay-day #6 of NaPoBloMo. But as Colleen pointed out, no one much reads blogs on Saturdays/Sundays...unless its some other blogger in the same boat!
So yesterday, we had our carpets cleaned. This involved eviscerating the contents of the basement onto the outside deck,moving the dining room contents into the kitchen, etc. Project Nursery had to be stacked in the Junk Room (aka, the only room in the house with carpet that wasn't being cleaned)...basically, it was pretty chaotic. (beginning the evening before)
The next morning,(around 10 AM) they showed up and commenced to cleaning the house. As you're probably aware, carpet cleaning chemicals can be pretty nasty (read: lethal) stuff, & you're supposed to be out of the house while they're doing the treatments. Well, with this place (using nontoxic stuff) it wasn't quite that imperitive to be out of the house...you just had to be in a room that wasn't undergoing treatment. (that room would be the kitchen) We have two cats, a baby on the way,& the toxic crap they use to clean carpets is decidedly NON-APPEALING. (say what you may) And the cost, comparitively, was about what it would be with the traditional method.
I ran some errands, getting back about noon. The cleaning team they sent out was composed of two guys...one of whom did the actual work, the other one did the talking. (the instant I walked through the door, he started talking, and didn't "finish" until 2 solid hours later) It was like listening to a Billy Mays infomercial. What did he talk about? A little bit of everything...the evils of large carpet cleaning corporations (in particular, ChemDry, who was apparently resposible for the death of Jett Travolta), the physiology of cat puke/urine/etc. & how to treat such stains to GET THEM OUT FULLY, past horror stories of the houses they had cleaned,(that had gone the traditional cleaning route) the state of the economy, what products we needed to get(that were Au Natrale), how Gerber/Mott's is poisoning us (and the babies)with arsenic-laden apple juice from China(64 parts per million,vs the "safe" 3 per million) , Dr. Oz, how talc based powders will give you leukemia/etc., and on and on and on. In the meantime, it's not like we could go anywhere...the cleaning was still going on. So we sat in the kitchen, ate lunch,and listened to him talk. Two hours, people.
But they did a good job, I'll give them that much. The huge yellow splotch that resides in the future Baby Nursery has at least, significantly shrunk. They seemed to think it was from cat urine (and I was duly scolded never to treat such a stain with an OXY based product, but I didn't know what it was from) . I don't think that stain will ever come out fully, we'd have to "patch" swap it out if we ever sold the house. (it's not very large, 2" x 1", perhaps) I think I have permenatly leached the natural color out of the carpet.And they know what they're talking about...they know how to do their jobs. (as well as educate the masses about carpet care) I'm a firm believer in "going green" when it comes to cleaning your house (if possible). It's much safer for your pets. (and for human beings as well)
The carpets took awhile to dry (about 16 hours), so we had to put on plastic booties to walk around till this morning. (and then, we put everything back as it was) As per the carpet warranty, you actually have to have your carpets cleaned every 2 years (at least)...and if you have cats, you're probably going to be doing it 1-2x a year. (at the least) Our cats are getting older, but one of them still pees (not in the litter box) and the other one pukes, so heck yes the carpet is getting constant action. (I can only imagine what it will be like with a child in the mix)
So yesterday, we had our carpets cleaned. This involved eviscerating the contents of the basement onto the outside deck,moving the dining room contents into the kitchen, etc. Project Nursery had to be stacked in the Junk Room (aka, the only room in the house with carpet that wasn't being cleaned)...basically, it was pretty chaotic. (beginning the evening before)
The next morning,(around 10 AM) they showed up and commenced to cleaning the house. As you're probably aware, carpet cleaning chemicals can be pretty nasty (read: lethal) stuff, & you're supposed to be out of the house while they're doing the treatments. Well, with this place (using nontoxic stuff) it wasn't quite that imperitive to be out of the house...you just had to be in a room that wasn't undergoing treatment. (that room would be the kitchen) We have two cats, a baby on the way,& the toxic crap they use to clean carpets is decidedly NON-APPEALING. (say what you may) And the cost, comparitively, was about what it would be with the traditional method.
I ran some errands, getting back about noon. The cleaning team they sent out was composed of two guys...one of whom did the actual work, the other one did the talking. (the instant I walked through the door, he started talking, and didn't "finish" until 2 solid hours later) It was like listening to a Billy Mays infomercial. What did he talk about? A little bit of everything...the evils of large carpet cleaning corporations (in particular, ChemDry, who was apparently resposible for the death of Jett Travolta), the physiology of cat puke/urine/etc. & how to treat such stains to GET THEM OUT FULLY, past horror stories of the houses they had cleaned,(that had gone the traditional cleaning route) the state of the economy, what products we needed to get(that were Au Natrale), how Gerber/Mott's is poisoning us (and the babies)with arsenic-laden apple juice from China(64 parts per million,vs the "safe" 3 per million) , Dr. Oz, how talc based powders will give you leukemia/etc., and on and on and on. In the meantime, it's not like we could go anywhere...the cleaning was still going on. So we sat in the kitchen, ate lunch,and listened to him talk. Two hours, people.
But they did a good job, I'll give them that much. The huge yellow splotch that resides in the future Baby Nursery has at least, significantly shrunk. They seemed to think it was from cat urine (and I was duly scolded never to treat such a stain with an OXY based product, but I didn't know what it was from) . I don't think that stain will ever come out fully, we'd have to "patch" swap it out if we ever sold the house. (it's not very large, 2" x 1", perhaps) I think I have permenatly leached the natural color out of the carpet.And they know what they're talking about...they know how to do their jobs. (as well as educate the masses about carpet care) I'm a firm believer in "going green" when it comes to cleaning your house (if possible). It's much safer for your pets. (and for human beings as well)
The carpets took awhile to dry (about 16 hours), so we had to put on plastic booties to walk around till this morning. (and then, we put everything back as it was) As per the carpet warranty, you actually have to have your carpets cleaned every 2 years (at least)...and if you have cats, you're probably going to be doing it 1-2x a year. (at the least) Our cats are getting older, but one of them still pees (not in the litter box) and the other one pukes, so heck yes the carpet is getting constant action. (I can only imagine what it will be like with a child in the mix)
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Hope
Have you met Hope?
Hope wears a medical alert, the latest Keds tennis shoes...and a smile that will melt your heart.
Hope is in the "All clear" from the eye doctor.
Hope travels thousands of miles to meet up with 40+ DOC'rs. (sight unseen)
Hope is a virus, & I wish everyone could catch it!
Hope beats strong on the fetal Doppler.(& in your own heart as well)
Hope is in the research labs...it's a fine time to be a mouse or a rat!!
Hope is painful,hope can't settle for status quo.
Hope gives up Saturdays to walk,bike,& walk for a cure.
Hope sells sugar-free lemonade(& Girl Scout Cookies) towards that cure.
Hope never dies..but it can disappear for weeks/months/years on end.
Hope & I are not best buds...but we need each other,more then words can say.(we are more then casual aquantinces)
Hope needs its own RX pad.
Hope savors each victory, & forgives past mistakes.
I hope you've met Hope...cure or not,we all need to believe things will get better.
Friday, November 04, 2011
29 Weeks
Dear Baby,
Wow, 29 weeks? I barely remember those early weeks of bemoaning that it would never, ever,be obvious that you are in there...because in the past 5 weeks, its now become that(to the world). Ah, the joys of the third trimester.(most notably:back muscles turned to silly putty,heartburn,and random strikes of shortness of breath) As for low blood sugars,they aren't really much of a concern these days...I'm not going to say they're non-existent,but the likelihood of a serious one is slightly higher then the likelihood of getting hit by a random meteor. Daily TDD is 50 units and climbing. (it should continue to climb for the next 6-7 weeks)
And...the never ending doctor appointments. Now that it's the third trimester, I go to the OBGYN every two weeks. (starting around week 32,that will be switching to weekly with the OBGYN) As for the perinatologist, up to this point I've gone in every four weeks but depending on the results of next week's ultrasound I may be going in every week from that point onwards. (non-stress test, biophysical profile) The last ultrasound showed normal weight,etc.but the amniotic fluid index was elevated (which could be due to diabetes, and could be due to genetic diseases...such as Bartters Syndrome)I wasn't happy at all to find that out but the perinatologist told me it could be from many different reasons,(sometimes unknown)none of which could be determined at this point & the important thing was to monitor it closely. Sometimes it just goes away on its own,& if the levels greatly increase by the next ultrasound its most likely to be from a genetic cause.(he didn't seem to think that the cause was from diabetes.And I might beg to differ,given that I'm still no diabetes angel cc "results of last a1c" but still,the 'betes control is in the "fair" category) The important thing is to monitor the whole package(any signs of swelling,high blood pressure,contractions,movement etc)and to try not to freak out too much about this one finding. (and I don't have any of that...to date) Baby X is still pretty active in there. (he's always been active,which is comforting, in a world full of uncertainty)
There have been no references to the C word (CSection)...actually,there have been no references to labor, period. (I'm guessing that with diabetes,there's just no way to say "you'll likely be able to due this naturally" when the world can turn on a dime,& the most important thing is deliver the baby,ASAP. I guess that in the next few weeks that Csection word is going to become a reality if my amniotic fluid volume doesn't go down. Which, after you've actually been in an OR and seen all the gory details live is not a comforting thought.
But the most important thing is a healthy baby.
Wow, 29 weeks? I barely remember those early weeks of bemoaning that it would never, ever,be obvious that you are in there...because in the past 5 weeks, its now become that(to the world). Ah, the joys of the third trimester.(most notably:back muscles turned to silly putty,heartburn,and random strikes of shortness of breath) As for low blood sugars,they aren't really much of a concern these days...I'm not going to say they're non-existent,but the likelihood of a serious one is slightly higher then the likelihood of getting hit by a random meteor. Daily TDD is 50 units and climbing. (it should continue to climb for the next 6-7 weeks)
And...the never ending doctor appointments. Now that it's the third trimester, I go to the OBGYN every two weeks. (starting around week 32,that will be switching to weekly with the OBGYN) As for the perinatologist, up to this point I've gone in every four weeks but depending on the results of next week's ultrasound I may be going in every week from that point onwards. (non-stress test, biophysical profile) The last ultrasound showed normal weight,etc.but the amniotic fluid index was elevated (which could be due to diabetes, and could be due to genetic diseases...such as Bartters Syndrome)I wasn't happy at all to find that out but the perinatologist told me it could be from many different reasons,(sometimes unknown)none of which could be determined at this point & the important thing was to monitor it closely. Sometimes it just goes away on its own,& if the levels greatly increase by the next ultrasound its most likely to be from a genetic cause.(he didn't seem to think that the cause was from diabetes.And I might beg to differ,given that I'm still no diabetes angel cc "results of last a1c" but still,the 'betes control is in the "fair" category) The important thing is to monitor the whole package(any signs of swelling,high blood pressure,contractions,movement etc)and to try not to freak out too much about this one finding. (and I don't have any of that...to date) Baby X is still pretty active in there. (he's always been active,which is comforting, in a world full of uncertainty)
There have been no references to the C word (CSection)...actually,there have been no references to labor, period. (I'm guessing that with diabetes,there's just no way to say "you'll likely be able to due this naturally" when the world can turn on a dime,& the most important thing is deliver the baby,ASAP. I guess that in the next few weeks that Csection word is going to become a reality if my amniotic fluid volume doesn't go down. Which, after you've actually been in an OR and seen all the gory details live is not a comforting thought.
But the most important thing is a healthy baby.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
It's impossible to stay mad at someone offering you a diet coke...(or,these days, a diet caffeine less coke!)
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
The Babies R' US Marathon
And so,on Monday night (partially to avoid the roaming throngs of sugar-crazed Trick or Treaters, many of whom were adolescents(and not cute at all) my husband & I took a trip to Babies R' Us. (for the first time) It was a kind of "get your feet wet" trip, to see what was out there...but we ended up spending about 2.5 hours in there. The game plan was NOT to make any major purchases until we know what some friends are giving us.(rumor has it, a bassinet & they already did give us a stroller thingie,car seat,& several other odds and ends,which is really nice of them because my family members are still using all their baby stuff) But apparently, there isn't any separate infant carrier that snaps into the car seat...which presents a real problem,because every single one of the 3 aisles(and 200+ options) of infant carriers also had car seats attached. I guess we'll have to look up that particular model online(and see if you can even get the infant carrier separately) In the meantime, we roamed around putting various odds and ends on our registry (in a mostly deserted store...since all the other parents were out doing Halloween stuff with the kiddos(except the first-time parents-to-be) and got a few essentials that it was highly unlikely anyone would buy for us.(like a changing pad,which we'll put on my desk to convert into a changing table,& a baby bath mat to fit into the sink) When you go into Babies R' Us though,you're pretty much going to BLEED money (and find "essential" items that you absolutely cannot live without. (even with the best of intentions) I also intend to get a breast pump,but looking at all of those options put my brain into complete shutdown...all those options/prices/not having a clue what I'd need. I'm sure I wouldn't be the first person to have a mental breakdown in the middle of that store though. (or to spend too much) All in all, I think we controlled ourselves pretty well though. (on the spending) Even my husband,(your own spouse may vary...most of them would probably rather stay home and watch Monday Night Football)who is less-then-enthusiastic about shopping/spending money got into it.(and appeared to have fun)
And now I know how much I absolutely don't know about all of this...yet somehow,all of these "essential must-have" items that kids 40 years ago didn't have (and turned out just fine) that they encourage somehow turn up on the vast majority of parents-to-be lists. Of course, there are the basics...and the things that really,really,make it easier to keep your baby happy(like swings,etc) but deciphering what you really need is kind of difficult when it's your very first kid.(you could walk in there and blow a couple of grand, I'm sure)
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
November Follies
Every year, I say I won't do/can't wait for NaPoBloMo to end..and yet every year,I feel suckered into doing it. Last year,I forgo it(due to arm surgery). But November is such an interesting month,chockful of significant diabetes related events,personal anniversaries,birthdays,holidays, etc. (if ever there was a month that I could pull off 30/30, this would be the one)I've yet to recount my experiences with the NYC trip "Simonpalooza" several weeks ago..and I'm sure the world really,really,really wants to hear about the never ending litany of medical appointments that I go to, these days.(as well as nursery pics) As well as last week's "pump failure at 32,000 feet" fiasco.
So, if you choose to stick around, I'm sure it won't be all boring. Because I certainly have plenty of blog fodder. (due to being severely delinquent in said posting duties)
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