When I was pregnant with my son, every blood test was a test in patience and a horrible display of paranoia. I'm not quite sure where all the doubt came from. I'm 30 years old and in great health. What did I have to worry about? The glucose test sent the usual shivers of fear down my spine, but hey...everyone in my mom's group sailed through. I probably would too!  For those of you who haven't had this done yet, let me explain. You're given a bottle of orange soda. It's not really soda, but that's what it tastes like. The drinks I've had for the one hours haven't been to bad, but the one I had for my three hour was horrible. Anyway, you drink this glucose drink (aka - the orange stuff) wait an hour and then have blood drawn.
I got a call back a day later telling me my blood sugar level was too high and I would have to have the three hour test done. Thankfully my husband offered to go with me. The first hour was fine. The second hour was a bit jittery. By hour number three, I was just sick. The walls looked like they were moving, I was nauseous, I was clammy, I was hungry and I was miserable. I walked out of the office feeling sick with track marks down my arms.
About three days after my test was done I got a call from my doctors office...you have diabetes. What!? All at once I was showered with information. I had to make an appointment to see a dietician. I had to call the insurance company for a glucometer. I had to make an appointment with a nurse to teach me to use the glucometer. All I heard was "you have diabetes". I looked gestational diabetes up on the internet and found very little pratical information. I did find the risk factours which were 1. Over 35 2. Overweight and 3. Family history. I'm 30 years old so age was out, I'm definantly not overweight, and there's not a single diabetic in my family either maternally or paternally. So where did it come from? I was confused and scared and my doctors kept assuring me that diabetes was common. If it was so common, why couldn't I find anyone who had it? Out of about 30 women in my mom's group, I was the only diabetic. Common? That's something doctors tell you to keep you from worrying. Didn't work.
Okay, here we go. After fighting with the insurance company, I finally get my glucometer and hop to my appointment with the dietician. She was a very nice lady and gave me a paper listing all the foods I couldn't have. I just looked blankly at her. She asked what I usually ate and I handed her the sheet she had just handed me. It was her turn to look blankly at me now. Most of the foods I could eat were meat which I didn't eat at the time due to horrible pregnancy induced food aversions. I couldn't have fruit or fruit juices which I adored and which also made the baby wiggle. My favourite veggies (peas, corn, limas) I couldn't have since they were starches. Noodles and potatos were out too. Doesn't leave much.
My next stop was the nurse. She took out my glucometer, showed me how to load it, showed me how to alcohol the place of impact (her finger), then showed me how to let it rip. Next she looked up, smiled, and said "simple!". I looked back at her and said "then you do it 5 times a day until May!". After about 20 minutes, I could punctured myself with my new spring loaded spear then off I was sent into the wonderful world of diabetes.
Things went pretty well for the most part. I learned that the less I ate, the lower my sugar levels were. I learned that everyone loves to watch the whole stabbing process and some, namely my husband, enjoyed testing his own blood and revelled in the fact that his numbers were lower than mine. I learned that most of the foods that I was supposed to eat didn't travel well (that means I couldn't take them to work with me) and it's amazing how much I looked forward to my 10 grapes at lunch. I learned you had to eat fast and I couldn't make lunch last an hour or two like I was use to doing (I worked and ate). I also learned that a person can successfully live off Cheerios, taco salad and hot dogs. I lost 10 pounds initally when I began the diabetic diet and my final weight gain during the pregnancy was 22 pounds. What was the bottom line? Cameron. Although I was induced and wound up with an emergency c-section 24 hours later, I had a beautiful son. He was and still remains to be a healthy, happy, wonderful little boy and that is all that really matters...isn't it?
Gestational Diabetes? Did you switch my blood sample?