Gestational what?

So the last few weeks have been interesting to say the least. I went in for my one hour blood glucose level test and failed.. miserably. Oops! 😬 So they had me come back for a 3 hour test where they took my blood every hour to see how I reacted to the gross sugar drink they gave me. I just barely failed that one but it was still failing so I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Great..

After getting the phone call that I had been officially diagnosed, I immediately called Cliff and had good cry. I felt like I had done something wrong and I was hurting our baby. 😔 After everything we have been through that was the LAST thing I wanted to do. He assured me everything was going to be okay and we would figure it out. What I didn’t know at the time was what it was going to take to “figure it out”.

I picked up a bag from my doctor the next day that had all the supplies I needed and later that week, went to an appointment with a specialist. Here’s what I found out.. this gestational diabetes thing is actually REALLY common. A lot of women get it even if they are the healthiest person before they get pregnant. So that made me feel a little better. Also, I can’t give our son diabetes which was one of the top things I was worried about. The 2 main things they are trying to control with treatment is the size of the baby at delivery and if he is able to properly control his own glucose levels after he’s born. For some women if their baby gets too big, they are forced to have a C-section. Since we are already having a C-section, his size is less of a concern of mine. What I am focused on is keeping my levels in check so that when he’s born, he can be with us and doesn’t have to go to the NICU to be monitored right away. ☹️

What a punch in the gut is that??? After 3 years of trying to bring this child into the world, the thought of him immediately being taken away from us to be monitored by doctors for a few days before we can even hold him just kills me. 😞Sooooo to avoid that heartbreaking scene, I had to change my entire diet and monitor my blood glucose levels 4 times a day.

I am not sure what was more annoying at first.. being cut off from my mild Dr. Pepper addiction and the deliciousness that is Whataburger, or having to stab my finger so it bleeds enough to get a reading on the monitor. 😠 Luckily my parents were in town when I had to start this epic change and my mom was a HUGE help during that critical first week. We went grocery shopping for like 3 hours while we looked at how many carbs and sugars were in practically everything I typically buy and found other meals and snacks that I could eat. Eating super healthy takes a lot of planning!

I got really good at controlling and keeping my numbers well within range during the day. It was my fasting number (first reading of the day before eating anything) that I was having a hard time getting down. When I wake up, my fasting number is supposed to be below 95 and the lowest I could get it was 96. Most of the time it ranged between 98-105. No matter what I ate/didn’t eat the night before, my numbers were still too high every morning and I started feeling really bad about it. Almost like I was doing something wrong. After crying to Cliff about it (he is such a trooper for putting up with all theses emotions 😋) he helped me realized this wasn’t my fault and it was going to be what it was going to be.

He was right of course. My doctor called after seeing my weekly numbers and decided to put me on a nighttime insulin shot to help. 😩 She also assured me that its not my fault and that my liver just cant keep up with the amount of natural insulin needed for both me and baby so we are going to help it out a little bit. At this point, I kinda just threw my hands up in the air and said, whatever. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Bottom line, I will do whatever I have to do to keep our baby healthy while we share this body for the next 5 weeks.

So now my entire daily routine has changed. It consists of eating at specific times, pricking my finger 4 times a day, and giving myself 2 separate shots every night. 💉 Not to mention the extremely healthy food and mandatory 15-20 minute walks 3 times a day after each meal. I will admit, it has taken a few weeks to get used to and I still struggle with it during those times when I get hangry and just want food immediately. 🤤Part of the fun of being pregnant was getting to eat ALL the things when I wanted! *sigh* Yeah it was fun while it lasted. Here’s a good way to put it into perspective.. think of what your go-to daily meals/snacks are that you love and live by. Now imagine being told you cant eat them anymore starting right now. Its very upsetting right?!?!

Have I mentioned I am still working on not complaining about it? lol I should be excited because this is the healthiest I have been in a long time and I know its really good for both Cliff and I to follow this kind of lifestyle. He goes on my walks with me when he is home and the doggies have been loving our long daily walks. 🐾 They pout at me now if they don’t get to go! I need to take my cues from them and be a better sport about it. Buuuuut it doesn’t help that all the Easter candy is out and going on sale. 🐇 I may or may not have been buying my favorite Easter candy and putting it in our freezer for later. 🤫Only 5 more weeks to go and it will all be worth it. Come on will power don’t fail me now!