The Irony

Upon receiving an EOB from my insurance company for a percentage of the cost of the three-hour glucose test, I called for an explanation of the charges since all maternity care is covered under my insurance plan with no co-pays. My one-hour glucose screening was covered so I was confused as to why this one wasn't. It turns out that because I failed the test and tested positive for GD, it is no longer a "routine" OB cost, so I have to pay the co-insurance. If I had passed the test, however, it would have been covered completely.

On to the new OB and lots of numbers

I met with a new (well, new to me) OB this morning. I liked her. and she has already updated my online chart with results so that makes me happy. I like responsiveness. [Ok, yes, I am rather demanding on this front.] She also told me all my measurements without my having to ask. My cervix was good though and I am meauring 1 cm behind on fundal height so that is actually good given the GD situation. Hopefully, baby won't be sucking up my messed-up glucose and getting too rotund in there.

I have to do a pee test every time now b/c of the GD. I wasn't having to do them before.

She also told me that b/c of the GD, I won't be going past my due date- which is more than fine with me. If I don't need to go on insulin, and haven't gone into labor, then an induction or c-section probably right before my due date. If I do end up needing the insulin, then it will be 39 weeks max. Also, fine with me.

If I have to go on insulin, I will have to go in twice weekly in addition to going to the prgnancy and diabetes clinic at least weekly. I had two slightly high readings today so I am hoping things settle back down.

So, it looks like, God willing, we will be having a baby in ten weeks give or take a day.

Back to the sticks

Peeing on them, that is. As part of my monitoring for GD, every morning, I get the opportunity to pee on a ketone stick. For this one, we are looking for a negative result. I was a champion opker and for the beginning of this pregnancy, I peed on more sticks than I am willing to admit. So, I have come full circle.

The monitoring aspect (a little blood stick and testing my sugar) is not a big deal. It certainly pales in comparison to an injects cycle. The meal planning is much more complicated even for a veteran, like me, of every imaginable diet plan. I feel like I have no leeway. And I can sense the anxiety level in me rising because I now have the possibility of "failing" 4 times a day. I have battled the scale for most of my life and every time I have had to weigh in, I placed a moral value on my ability to succeed or fail. Now, I get to do that with my blood sugars four times every day, with the back drop of knowing every thing I eat can have an effect on my baby. It's like mental torture for the OCD-ish.

Failed

as expected. Now, I have to set up appointments with the pregnancy and diabetes center at the hospital and start with testing strips.

Still waiting

My 3-hour test yesterday was far from pleasant and not just because of the four needle sticks in three hours or the interminable length of time I had to do nothing but sit. The first hour made me nauseated and gave me a headache. While I was waiting for a call back about the results, I received a voicemail about rescheduling my OB appt next Friday. When I called back I found out he is leaving the practice! Just what a pregnant women in her third trimester wants to hear. I called the nurse and left a message because I could easily imagine never getting my results if there is no doctor assigned to review them.


The old busybody nurse called me back this morning. She couldn't tell me my results because no doctor had reviewed them (what are you doing talkign to me then, go get them reviewed already) but she did mention that some things look "abnormal." Not sure exactly what that means. Anyway, I stressed to her how I didn't want it to fall through the cracks so hopefully she will get some random doctor to look at it. But my money is on me having gestational diabetes.

Waiting

I had the three-hour glucose test this morning and am now just waiting for results. Hopefully, I should find out by the end of the day.

And 28 weeks today. Time is flying.

It doesn't go away

At our baby shower this weekend was a friend of MIL's who had adopted two children around the same time as DH and his sister were adopted, so thirty plus years ago. She made two comments that plucked my heartstrings. One was about how excited she was and didn't know about so many things like breastfeeding since she and MIL never got the chance to do it. She also mentioned that when they adopted, so many people told her that now they had adopted, she would get pregnant. [Isn't it amazing how long this myth has been around?] I told her that I am sorry she had been told that and it was a shame how ignorant people are since less than 10% of couples who adopted subsequently get pregnant. I could tell that even now these decades-old comments weighed on her mind.

The losses of infertility do not just fade away.

A little bit of equal time

A new study makes clear that it's not just the age of a mother that affects fertility or resultant issues with baby. I was just happy to see the reference to male infertility being addressed. Bet this one won't be on Oprah though.

This time last year

I was preparing for our first IUI cycle after having to sit out a cycle. That was a terrible rollercoaster of drugs and disappointment.

And now, here I am preparing for MY first baby shower this weekend and celebrating the beginning of the third trimester.

It is so hard to believe.

Exclusive Membership

A woman at church (whom I have seen a handful of times and whose name I don't know but is an apparent mother of two) approached me yesterday and asked if I was expecting. When I answered in the affirmative, she began the barrage of when was I due, boy or girl, names, was I going to work, where was I going to deliver, one and on with the litany. All this from someone whose name I do not know. Who seemed like she was ready to be my best friend. I felt the ringing in my head and what DH likes to term the neverending bitterness rise up. I resent that just because there is now a baby on the way that somehow I am now "part of the club."

I realize that everyone gets excited about babies. And it doesn't bother me when someone I actually know asks me baby questions. But where the heck was this woman when I felt like I was the only one at church without a baby? Why am I suddenly part of the "mommy club?"

As DH pointed out when I told him about my experience, Yes, I AM STILL bitter.

The bottom of the class

So, I failed the one-hour glucose test. And not by a little. Lovely.