30 weeks, 2 days: Gestational Diabetes--Negative

weight: up one half pound (3 and a half pounds total)
blood pressure: 136/84
uterus: 30 cm
baby's heartbeat: 145-150 bpm
urine: no protein
no swelling in feet or hands

We saw Dr. W today, and he is even more laid-back than Dr. T. He wasn't worried about the blood pressure, especially after hearing that it is lower than that at home. We went over the results from the glucose test, which was normal for all four measures: 78 fasting (95 limit), 170 one hour (185 limit), 150 two hour (155 limit), 79 three hour (can't remember limit, but I was well under it.)

We also talked about the migraine I had two weeks ago, he wasn't concerned. He said that everything looks fine, that the braxton-hicks and pressure I am having are normal, and that as of now, everything is going great. He said that there is a chance that we will do another ultrasound, but if everything is going this smoothly, we will probably skip it.

Next appointment: December 13th, 3:15.

3 hour glucose test: 29 weeks 1 day

I took the glucose test on Tuesday before leaving town for Thanksgiving. My blood pressure has been normal at home, so we stopped taking it.

The test was OK. I got a little lightheaded, but I think it was from hunger and dehydration. I felt much better from this test than from the one hour test.

I called the doctor's office twice on Wednesday, and never heard from them on Friday, so i am guessing that everything is OK. Hopefully, I will hear for sure on Monday. I ate like everything was fine...

29 weeks 5 days: Life Returns to normal...

We're back from Thanksgiving with the family. My mom's car was totally loaded up with all the stuff we were given for the baby. It is unbelievable how much stuff we now have: the snugride, a baby bathtub, crib bumpers, clothes, swaddling blankets, jillions of toys, bottles, bathstuff, towels, pacifiers. My brother and SIL gave us a gift certificate to Buybuybaby, which we spent on Friday (breaking our rules about not shopping on Black Friday). They also gave us a ton of their old baby stuff. My father and stepmother gave us a basket full of baby stuff for the baby, as well as two maternity shirts and a pair of maternity pants for me for my birthday. My stepsister and BIL cleaned out half of their old baby clothes and gave us two huge shopping bags, and have more to send down in February when my dad and stepmom meet the baby. Seriously, we are now scared of what will happen with the showers, since we have so much stuff now.

It was a kind of bittersweet holiday. It was wonderful to see everyone, and so much fun to have all three kids running around. But, my mom's parents are closing up shop at the family home. They have owned it for 49 years, and it has been the site of countless family gatherings. It was sad to think that by the summer, they won't be there anymore. And, my stepmom's dad had a stroke about 3 weeks ago, and he couldn't come for Thanksgiving. It was strange to think that the end of that generation could be coming soon. My mom's parents are 87, and my stepmom's dad is 93, so it isn't like life is being cut short, but still, an era is ending...

I can't wait for the next set of holidays next fall, when our little baby will be adding to the chaos.

28 week appointment: I love my doctor...

blood pressure: 136/88 (yikes!)
weight: +3 and a half pounds (3 pounds from beginning weight)
uterus: 30 cm
baby's heartrate: 143 bpm
urine: normal, no swelling in feet or extremities

Can I just say how much I love my doctor?? He is this great man from Sri Lanka, so he has this wonderful accent, and even though he is a high risk doctor, he totally doesn't get worried. I asked him about my blood pressure, and told him it was 120/70 on Saturday. he said, "It's a little high. if it stays that high, if it is consistently 90, 91, 92, we'll put you something, a little something, to bring it down. Now is the time when your blood volume and pressure increase. Worry, or don't worry, your numbers will be what they are." Since my urine was normal, and my feet aren't swelling, he isn't too concerned yet. He asked us to take my blood pressure at home and see what happens. We think it is just because I was nervous about the appointment.

We talked about the glucose test, and he agreed that I should wait until next week to take the test. Next Tuesday I will take it, and then we talked about the person I will go to if I am diabetic. it is the same diabetes educator that we saw for Dyke Two last summer. Somehow it made us feel better to know we already know her. He also said that it is very likely that the bacterial infection caused the high readings.

He asked to see me in 2 weeks for a 30 week appointment to discuss the blood sugar. He also said that if my blood pressure is still high, and I am still measuring big, he might do another ultrasound to make sure everything is OK.

Next appointment: November 30 at 2:45.

28 weeks 0 days: Feeling like garbage...

I just realized just how crappy the last two weeks have been. I was at the doctor Saturday morning because my throat and ears hurt so much that I was sobbing Friday night. The nice doctor on call put me on amoxicillin for tonsilitis. I feel so much better than I did for the last two weeks!

I am still stressed about the glucose test, since amoxicillin can cause false positives on urine screens for protein and for glucose tests. I am going to try and make a deal with the doctor. I will get tested for it after thanksgiving and until then I will check my blood sugar four times a day with Dyke Two's meter. I am hoping he agrees to this, or else I will get tested first thing next tuesday morning...

My mood is much better. I think I hadn't realized how sick I actually was. It really can sneak up on you. I also seem to have pulled a groin muscle. It hurts so much to walk right now. The scary thing that happened today was that I had a migraine while sitting in class. I've only had two other migraines, and luckily, my migraines are mainly ocular, with little headache pain afterward. However, as my vision got worse and worse, and the room got darker and darker, I was getting more and more freaked out. I almost called Dyke Two at the break, but once I got up and walked around a little, the vision stuff got better, and the headache kicked in. My head hurt for about an hour, and then everything was OK, though it still hurts when I cough.

The icing on the cake is that I have been having a combination of braxton-hicks contractions and intestinal contractions from constipation. Saturday I had to leave Lowe's because I was having such bad cramps. Turns out, once we got home, that all I really needed was to pass the mountain that was sitting in my intestines...

All in all, I am really glad I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.

My father and stepmother called over the weekend to tell us how excited they are to see us next week. Apparently, they have a box of stuff waiting for the baby. My father told us he wants to give us "Goodnight Moon" but that my stepsister said not to, because everyone gives "Goodnight Moon" and she got three copies for her son. So, my father tells my stepmother to take one of the copies from stepsister's house. My stepmother told him that she didn't feel comfortable asking for one of them. My father responded, "You don't have to ask or tell. She'll never notice." I guess I will have to ask my parents if the box of stuff is all legit. Who would have thought that I might be receiving stolen goods from my parents?

I also found out that my stepsister is having a girl this time. Since her son wore all very boy clothing, there is no way that they can re-use his baby clothes for the little girl. My stepmother told me that she is going to make her give us a bunch of her infant clothes.

Crazy family, the stress of finals, a horrible upper respiratory infection: it's beginning to feel a lot like Festivus!

27 weeks 1 day: and the phone rings...

I was lying in bed half asleep from a nasty cold this afternoon when the phone rang. Assuming that it was another automated phone call about the election, I didn't get up to answer it. It turns out it was the nurse practitioner from the OB's office.

She told me that my one hour test came back high with a 157. Our office uses 130 as their cut off. Now I know that GD is not the end of the world, but I am freaking out anyway.

As a vegetarian, I know that the diet changes for GD will be almost impossible without eating meat again. I haven't eaten chicken since 1992, and i stopped eating red meat and pork in 1988. I can't imagine going back to eating them now.

i have been whiny and weepy all evening, and completely unable to focus on the reading I was supposed to be doing. Dyke Two keeps telling me that my numbers were probably high because of the cold I am fighting off. I know she is probably right, but it still is really hard for me to think that I might not be providing my baby with a good in utero environment right now.

I will call the doctor tomorrow and see what they want me to do. I don't want to take the 3 hour test until this cold is gone, but I don't want to sit on this unchecked for too long. Next week is crazy busy for me since I have to do all of my final observations of my student teachers, as well as finish up a ton of work before finals start right after Thanksgiving. And, of course, I want my results before Thanksgiving, so I have to figure out how to squeeze in a morning of glucose testing along with a morning of class and four mornings of observations. My calculations show that as 6 mornings in a 5 day week...

I'm sure I can figure out how to make that happen...

26 weeks 2 days: Sugar High...

I went for my glucose test today, and there were about 5 other women all having theirs done too.

I was handed the orange drink, and the woman who was there for a 3 hour said that the one hour drink is delicious in comparison to the 3 hour drink. I felt a little lightheaded during the test, but I am not sure if it was due to the sugar or the fasting.

I also got pre-registered for delivery! yikes...

They told me that if I arrive in active labor to go through the ER entrance, but if it is scheduled as an induction or C-section, to go through the entrance I used today.

I am a little nervous about passing the test, mainly because I don't want the hassle of going through the 3 hour test, but also since the baby is so big already, I don't want the added complication of GD.