Tag Archives: gestational diabetes

Two Books, Two Days

Posted on November 21, 2008 | 6 comments

I guess I kind of got hooked into the Twilight series after all. I mean, yeah, they’re a little bit slushy-teen-romance-y, but I like a  bit of light escapism as much as the next girl!

So the weather forecast is for cold, wet and miserable this weekend in Melbourne. Great reading weather! You think I should head out and pick up the other two books?

I just checked my Books iRead on Facebook – I’ve been plugging in books this year as I read them – looks like I’ve managed 22 books so far this year – I’d say that’s one successful resolution for 2008. (Ahem… ‘more stitching’ was clearly not such a success).

Ooh, and in other (wonderful) news today – I passed my first glucose tolerance test. Whoohoo! I had to do an early one this time – at 18 weeks – on account of having had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Niamh. I was (and am still) fully expecting to have GD again – there is a fairly high probability, I’m only being realistic. But the 18 week test came back normal. Which means, although I have to repeat it at 28 weeks to see if things change, I won’t be a diabetic for Christmas! Restricted portions, no refined sugar, and four-times-daily finger pricks would not make for a terribly festive Festive Season. (Not that I’m taking this as free rein to be a sugar glutton mind you).

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Posted in Family, General Ramblings, Pregnancy, Reading

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Arse O’Clock

Posted on September 18, 2006 | 2 comments

Like many babes of her age, Niamh often goes through a period of crankiness sometime in the late afternoon/ early evening. If I manage her day-time sleeps just right, we can avoid it. (There must be exactly three naps, and the last nap must end later than 3pm. Who knew you needed to be a project manager for this gig?!) Anyway, if we do hit ‘arse-o’clock’, as it is affectionately known in our house, there are a few options. There is the option of me feeding her to sleep for a (brief) fourth nap. That can take a little bit of time though, and be somewhat inconvenient unless OtherHalf is home early to provide Finn with some distraction. I can stick both kids in the car and drive around for awhile. This has many shortcomings – usually it results in Finn falling asleep, and not Niamh, and what with the cost of fuel just about requiring a second mortgage these days, it’s not my preferred option. I can stick Niamh in the pram and trundle down to the nearby playground with Finn, but again, the pram doesn’t seem to put her to sleep very efficiently, and this option has the added frustration of Finn complaining about his tired legs as soon as we get, oh, about 50m from the house!

Anyway, yesterday – having been out much of the day, and unable to keep to Niamh’s sleeping requirements, we hit arse-o’clock with a vengeance. But lo! I had a bit of a brainwave. I popped her in the sling, and jumped on the stationary bike – voila, multitasking! Not only did I get a spot of (seriously needed) exercise, but the motion of my body lulled her off to sleep nice and quickly (it took 5 minutes and 48 seconds, according to the readout on my bike!) I even managed to catch up on some news, as the bike fits into an alcove-y thing near our television. Ahem… I only managed another five minutes of cycling though, before I staggered off… told you I was in serious need of exercise! (On a somewhat related note, I keep forgetting to mention that I got the all clear on diabetes at my six week follow up test 🙂 )

Postscript: I’m posting this retroactively – I started writing it last Wednesday, finished writing it on Thursday, then got interrupted and never quite managed to post it. See how slowly things get done at Casa de Million Stitches lately?! After last night, I’m hoping that may change soon… of course I can’t tell you what happened, because that would be incurring the curse of the jinx, wouldn’t it?!

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Posted in Family, General Ramblings, The Kids

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One Big Joke

Posted on April 17, 2006 | 8 comments

I knew it was going to be difficult raising a girl… but I had no idea she would be causing so much trouble so soon :giggle:

So intent is Small on defying her mother’s wishes for a ‘normal’ delivery (note I’m just talking about the exit-location here – I’m totally pro-drugs!) that she is taking nothing for granted. Let’s examine the facts:

1. One previous C-section – this already stands me in good stead for a second surgical delivery. My hospital of choice is not anti-VBAC, but their policy states subsequent pregnancies should not progress further than 41 weeks, and, most importantly, no chemical inductions will be performed. I understand the reasoning for this, I do (these drugs are associated with a higher risk of uterine rupture at the previous scar site). But this one factor plays a big part in this whole situation.

2. Blood pressure ‘issues’ – currently my blood pressure has been at normal levels for about 5 weeks. This is good. However the increased BP might make a reappearance. If I do develop pre-eclampsia, making it necessary to deliver early, no chemical induction… so, straight to caesarian.

3. Gestational diabetes – currently under good control – I was not placed on insulin, the few high readings I recorded earlier in the piece were attributed to a ‘learning curve’, and all is OK on this front so far. But simply having this diagnosis means my time-limit is now 40 weeks. No GD patient will be allowed to progress past this point. Again, hospital policy. Again… no chemical induction.

These three factors considered are enough to make you (and me) fairly confident that I won’t be having a normal delivery. However, clutching at straws, I’ve requested a ‘stretch and sweep’ – kind of a ‘manual’ induction, if you like. Just to see if I can go into labor at all. (As I doubt I would go into labor naturally before 40 weeks – I was late with Finn). They have consented to do this… at 38 weeks. That early, it probably won’t make an iota of difference. Grrr.

Anyway, just in case all of this wasn’t quite enough, there’s a 4. Wait… you’re gonna love this. I did. (I think I’ve finally reached the point of a slightly resigned ‘what next…?’)

4. She’s breech.

Ahahahahaha….. hmmmm…. :blank:

(Petulant child)

We’re booked for a June 20 (surgical) birth-date. Nine weeks tomorrow… and counting 🙂

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Posted in Family, Pregnancy

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Forewarned is…

Posted on April 7, 2006 | 2 comments

In her book “On Death and Dying” in 1969, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross proposed these ‘five stages of grief’:

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

Apparently it is not unusual for patients diagnosed with chronic illness – not just terminal illnesses such as cancer – to progress through these stages (not necessarily separately or in order).

I believe it. It became apparent to me sometime early last week that I had progressed neatly from ‘denial’ to ‘anger’ over this whole diabetes debacle. I don’t recall any ‘bargaining’, but that could be because I don’t subscribe to any Higher Power with whom to bargain? Regardless, these last few days, I seem to have landed squarely in ‘depression’. Despite my best efforts of the last two weeks, I seem to be headed straight for the insulin, probably by the end of next week, would be my best guess.

I know, I know… technically I have not been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Technically, gestational diabetes mellitus is most often just that – gestational, therefore a transient problem. I think the main problem I have is that I tend to over-educate myself about anything that’s going on in my life. And all that I’m reading points to a fairly huge risk of me being diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic in the next 10-15 years. As in, a 30-50% risk.

So the changes I’m making now, to my diet and exercise regime, must be made for life, in reality. Knowing I must do this is not really the same thing as feeling like I can do it. Knowing something is only for the next 10-12 weeks is entirely different, and entirely doable. (And for the record, I am doing it – I’m eating well, exercising, and have been losing what little weight I’ve put on through the pregnancy). Changing my habits for the rest of my life involves overcoming years of poor eating and exercise habits, and years of the crap self-esteem which lurks beneath. It strikes me that forewarned is not always forearmed. Sometimes, to be forewarned is to be burdened with excess stress and anxiety, both of which add their own little risk factors to one’s health.

Right now, I’m having a hard time coming to the ‘acceptance’ stage 😥

Meh. Must stitch…

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Posted in Family, Pregnancy

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Retail Therapy

Posted on March 25, 2006 | 1 comment

When in doubt, spend money :giggle: Yep, yep, yep.

This is not the fun kind of retail therapy that involves a LNS or Lush, mind you, but it was fun all the same. We’re preparing for an upcoming kitchen renovation. I already mentioned I’m not much into home-improving, especially of the DIY variety, but sadly our home-buying budget only ran to the kind of house which needs a good dose of TLC. Luckily my father-in-law used to be a Joiner, and he’s done a good share of house building and renovation, so basically this is going to cost us materials and appliances only. And much nail-biting terror on my part. OtherHalf suggested today that perhaps I should move myself and Finn out to Mum’s place for the duration, and if she weren’t 90 minutes drive away, I might be tempted. As it is, I’m going to have to be elsewhere for the part which involves KNOCKING DOWN A LOAD-BEARING WALL 😯 😯 :shock:. Don’t worry, there’s an extra beam going into the roof, but it scares the bejeebus out of me still!

So today we went ahead and ordered an oven, cooktop (also white, just not in this pic), and rangehood, and brought home a sink and mixer tap. Wheee! We still have to choose laminate for the benches, tiles and paint, and order all the timber required, but at least we’ve started the ball rolling now.

Thanks for all the good thoughts following my last post. I’ve stopped freaking out for now… my ‘education session’ is on Tuesday, so that’s when I’ll learn all about the can- and can’t-haves, and how to measure my own blood sugar levels (fingerpricks, owwweee). Should be fun… :blank:

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Cancel Those Chocolate Eggs

Posted on March 24, 2006 | 6 comments

Right now I could go a glass of good red wine or three, but cancel that too 🙁 I’ve just had a crappy phone call to top off a pretty blah week. I have gestational diabetes. Just fricking fabulous!

Sorry. I know it’s not the end of the world, but it’s just one more thing to add to my list of ‘why-I-wish-this-pregnancy-was-over-already’. And three weeks before the annual chocolate-orgy that is Easter… that’s just cruel and unusual punishment, wouldn’t you say?!

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Posted in Family, Pregnancy

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