A1C Update!

I had my labs drawn last week and they included an A1C. I was kinda nervous to get the result because, for once, it's more than just MY health on the line here. Pre-pregnancy I generally hung around the mid-6's. When I was on the stressed side, that number might climb to the high 6's and a couple years back (when I was dealing with the job from hell) I even spiked up to 7.1.

(Sidenote: I'm not saying this to brag or to invite criticism. Everyone's A1C is different and I just want to establish my personal baseline. I am proud of the control that I have but have no desire to judge or be judged by others. /rant.)

I have never had my A1C start with the magical number 5. It's been a personal goal of mine, especially since starting to buckle down for a pregnancy. But, alas, it has eluded me. The best I could do pre-pregnancy was very low 6's and my last A1C before conceiving was 6.1.

But this week, I got a call from my endo's nurse. She knew I had labs drawn and I had asked if she could call when she got the results. So she called while I was at work and told me that my A1C was 5.8!?! She was shocked and said that was amazing. I was super happy. Although I must admit, with all the lows I've been having not only can I not claim all the credit but I was also a little surprised it wasn't lower. (More on those lows later!)

I've never had an A1C that started with a 5. For me, that's a huge accomplishment. One that I would have preferred happen pre-pregnancy but I'll take what I can get! I know all these lows aren't great for me but it's the highs that really hurt the baby. So I'm so happy that s/he is safe and sound in there for now. Now, the pressure's on to keep it up for the duration of the pregnancy!! I know any week now this wave of insulin sensitivity I've been riding for weeks will drop and the resistance that you hear about in pregnancy will kick in. So I've been checking my blood sugar like a fiend to stay on top of everything. Not much time for celebrating!

But for a little while, at least, I'm going to bask in the glow of my pretty numbers. They make me happy and keep my baby safe. The big D doesn't give us much to be happy about and I'll take whatever I can get! So I'm not too proud to say that I'll be taking some time to pat myself on the back for a job well done. ;-)

~Layne

Eye Doc

So yesterday I visited my Ophthalmologist. This is my LEAST favorite doctor's appointment of the year. Yes, even worse than the OB/GYN. Not because I don't like people touching my eyes. I know that's a pretty common thing for most people but I've never been particularly squeamish about my eyes. (On the other hand, my husband won't let me near HIS eyes with a 10-foot pole, but that's another post!)

Nope. For me, I hate the Ophtho becuase it's bound to be the longest doctor's appointment of the year. (And I see a lot of doctors!) I'll say it again, I'm the most impatient person on the planet. And, for some reason, those stupid retinopathy exams take FOREVER! The waiting rooms are the most crowded of any doctor I go to, it takes forever to get called back and then once you are actually in a room, they take a quick look at you, dilate your eyes and send you right back out to wait again!! Grrr. This is my kryptonite. . . .

I always bring a book (because I'm always reading something and because I hate sitting in a waiting room bored with nothing to do) but have you ever noticed that when you get your eyes dilated you lose your nearsightedness? As in the ability to read?!? So when the nurse comes to get me for the last part of the exam, I've heard more than one make a comment that goes something like "wow, are you actually trying to read?" Yes, I am the only doofus in that dark room, with their eyes dilated, that is trying their damnedest to read a book. Because I don't have the patience of a 3-year-old and therefore do not know how to just sit down, put my hands in my lap, relax and wait until I'm called for.

Now that I'm done kvetching about going to the doctor, I must say that I have good news! Once again, I feel very lucky to report that the Ophthamologist says my eyes look not just good, but great! I kept asking as he was doing the exam, "do they look ok?" And he would reply "they look great!" I wasn't expecting much more than a "fine" or a "good" but he kept repeating how great my eyes looked! Maybe it's silly of me, but I consider that a small triumph! But because I'm pregnant he does want to see me once a trimester (or every 3 months) instead of the normal once a year.

This was one appointment I was worried about and actually scheduled a little early this year because I wanted to be proactive. I have read and heard of ladies with diabetes who either had retinopathy or developed a little bit during pregnancy who were not given the option of giving birth vaginally. This is something that is very important to me. There are a lot of things during pregnancy and delivery that is out of anyone's hands (including mine), but I didn't want to go into the whole thing with only one option. So the news from this appointment comes as a big relief. I just pray that my eyes continue to stay healthy during the pregnancy!

Other than that, no big news on the pregnancy front except that as of tomorrow I'm officially in my 2nd trimester! I'll be 13 weeks and I'm feeling a lot better overall. My two biggest symptoms seem to still be headaches and tiredness, but hopefully that will pass soon. I also told a bunch of people at work yesterday and they were so sweet and SUPER supportive. My boss was also so sweet and kept saying don't worry about anything, whatever is best for me and the baby is what we'll do. Seriously, I love my job!

~Layne

Expecting

So the big news is out of the bag. Yes, we are pregnant. Well, I'm pregnant and Brad's just waiting. That post was written right after Brad left for work the day we found out. I was so unbelievably happy and excited and scared. All of a sudden my world was this little pea-sized cluster of cells growing inside me. It was everything to me and the day before I didn't even know about it. I wanted to write what I was thinking. I wanted to remember that morning.

But I knew I couldn't post it. So I waited. (And it's been SO HARD to keep my mouth shut! I wanted to tell you guys SO bad!) And officially today is 11 weeks and 5 days. I would have posted on week 10 but we were out of town and I wanted to be around when it went out into cyber space!

It hasn't been all roses and sunshine. There were a couple of scary weeks where we had some bleeding and cramping. It all turned out okay and the bleeding stopped but I had 2 ultrasounds early on just to be sure everything was ok. (This ultrasound image is from about 3 weeks ago and I love looking at it. I can't believe how much he/she is growing!)

Some days it still doesn't feel real. I'm waiting for it to really hit me. Of course, it's too early to feel the baby and I'm not really showing, so some days it feels like it's all in my head. In fact, for the past several weeks I've been feeling more bloated than baby (ah, the joys of pregnancy). I'm just now starting to grow for real an be uncomfortable in my normal jeans (that's a bummer) and I'll have to buy some new clothes soon. Luckily I wear scrubs to work and they are forgiving so those will last me a little while yet.

I want to thank everyone for all your support and congratulations. This is such a happy, exciting and SCARY time for us. It's hard not to think of all the scary things that can happen (especially considering what I do for a living!!) but I'm doing my best to let that go and concentrate on the happy things. It's so nice to know that I have places to go and people to ask all my diabetes/pregnancy/motherhood-related questions.

And Brad has been an absolute blessing throughout all of this. In fact, the more he takes care of me the more I'm convinced that he's going to make an amazing dad. Seeing him with our child is one of the things I'm most looking forward to.

~Layne

The day I knew about you . . .

May 12th:

Today I found out I was pregnant. I'm not going to say I knew. I was hoping, but I didn't know. Each month I was hoping that was the month. And each month I was too impatient to wait until I missed my period to test. And each month the test came back negative. I even tested a few days ago (May 8) thinking that maybe I'd find out I was pregnant right before Mother's Day and what a great story that would have been. Nope, negative.

So I was expecting my period. I had all the signs I normally had. And I had even started feeling crampy the day before. As soon as I felt that familiar soreness, I knew that my period was around the corner. With my period, I'm like clockwork. It always comes overnight to greet me the morning of the 27th day. So this morning when I stirred and felt nothing, I had an inkling.

I tried to go back to sleep but I just couldn't. My mind was racing. I slipped out of bed, grabbed the test and took them into the guest bathroom so I wouldn't wake up Brad. I already felt silly enough (this is the 6th test I've taken in 4 months) and he already thinks I'm obsessed! First, I double-checked to make sure that I really didn't have my period. Nope, nothing. So I peed on the stick in the dark. And I waited the requisite 2 minutes. (Okay, 1 minute and 40 seconds . . . sue me!) The whole time I was thinking this was just going to be another negative. So far I was only "late" by 5 minutes! What were the chances?

But after 1 minute and 40 seconds, when I couldn't wait any longer, I picked up the stick. And even in the almost-dark, I could see the second line. Fainter than the first, but it was still there. I considered, for a split-second, not telling Brad. Trying to hide it for a couple of days so I could plan a surprise announcement. But I cracked. Have I mentioned I'm the most impatient person on the planet? I ran into the bedroom and threw open the blinds. He asked if I was crazy as I yanked on him to sit up in bed. And I showed him the test. He took it and asked if I was sure? But it's so light? I told him I was sure.

We were two idiots, we couldn't stop smiling and I had tears streaming down my face. I just kept saying "Oh my God" and "This is so weird." We hugged over and over again. We spent all morning freaking out, and Brad ended up being a little late out the door for work. He kept saying he didn't want to leave. I kept fretting over a few high blood sugars that I'd had in the last couple of days. We discussed when we could tell people. We wanted to tell everyone that very second but knew it would be more prudent to wait. And we even talked about not getting our hopes up too much in case the worst happened. We settled on 10 weeks, we could announce it once I was 10 weeks. And then Brad promptly started whining that he wanted to tell people. ;-)

So for 10 weeks, it's just the three of us. Brad, me and the little one. And we couldn't be happier.

~Layne