Dr. Day

Appointment #17 was yesterday!

We met Dr. Robert Day, my newest diabetes doctor. He seems a little odd, but he's not the worst doctor I've ever met with... He told us that Dr. Moyes accepted a job closer to her home in Salt Lake, so she is no longer working with the clinic in Provo. I was more than relieved to hear that I wouldn't be running into her!

My HbA1c was excellent this time! It was 6.0%! That's the highest number a non-diabetic person can be before they're diagnosed with diabetes! So I'm actually in the non-diabetic category. I thought that was pretty cool. I'm quite proud of myself! I also had a lower heartbeat than I typically do and my blood pressure was actually normal for once in my life. I don't know what it is about doctor's offices--I guess I just don't like doctors. I'm always nervous at appointments.

My numbers have been running a bit higher than they should be lately, though, so the doctor made some new adjustments for me. I'm supposed to go back and see him again in three weeks, the same day as our next ultrasound.

After the appointment, Ryan and I stopped by the outpatient center by the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center to pick up the screening test my OB wants me to take. So I started that last night and get to go turn it in tonight. I'm not 100% sure what it is they're measuring... My kidney function and to see if I have high blood pressure, I think, so they can be sure I don't have preeclampsia... I'll let you know if I find out!

After that, Ry and I decided to swing by Best Buy. As soon as we walked out to the parking lot and got to our car, it wouldn't start. We couldn't figure out what was wrong... So we called my dad, but he was at work. So we called my brother, Corbin, and asked him to bring some jumper cables. Of course, when Corbin got there with his friend, Riley, there wasn't a spot next to us for him to pull into. So Corbin and Riley pushed the car out of the parking stall and got it rolling down the aisle. Then they went and hopped into Corb's truck and pulled up to Ryan's car just as Ryan's car actually started!

Corbin and Riley went on their way and Ryan and I headed to Pep Boys and had them test the battery and the alternator. The guy told us that the alternator was testing at 13.5, but that it should be testing between 13.8 and 14. They wanted to charge us $220 for a new alternator. I called my dad and he said that as long as it was testing above 12 we didn't need a new one. So we decided we'd bring the car over to his house the next day and see if he could figure out what else it could be.

Ryan and I then went to Kneaders for dinner and the car wouldn't go into park. Obviously if the car isn't in park when you try to start it, it won't start. So we decided that must be the problem. We had dinner and then Ryan's "service engine soon" light came on, so we ran to Auto Zone, where they were too busy to help us. So then we went to Checker and figured out the code. It said something about the airway, and Ry has a wire that's broken on the sensor there, so we figured if we can splice the wire, the car will be fine. We'll try it tonight and see if that works!

Anyhow, that's all I've got to say for now!

Today's our last day in the second trimester, so check back tomorrow to learn more about the third!

-Aubrey

First Ultrasound!

Remember when I asked if there was anything more amazing than hearing your baby's heartbeat? Well, there is. Seeing it hiccup!!

We had our first ultrasound today and the baby was hiccupping! SO cute!!

Baby's heartbeat today was 175 bpm and baby is measuring in at three inches. Right on track for tomorrow's "13 Week Update!"

Below you will find the photo of our cute little baby from our first ultrasound.


Our doctor today was Glenn Schemmer. He gave us a lot of really confusing information... What I did gather from him is that Dr. Willis will not be delivering our baby and so we need to pick a new OB, and that I need to go to a different diabetes care team...

To make paying attention harder, while I was laying on the table with my belt and pants undone (of course it would happen then, right?), my blood sugar went low. I started jolting and spasming. So they tested my blood sugar and it was 28. Last time it was 28 was the first time I ever went into shock when I was 10... So I was a little out of it as it was...

Anyhow, we also met Jill today from the American Fork diabetes care team. Not real sure what I think of her...

We were told today that starting at week 30, I will have to do stress tests for the baby twice a week in addition to my weekly visits to the diabetes care team and my many other appointments... We were also told that diabetics often have pregnancies that result in still births, so we will most likely be induced two weeks early. So that July 28th EDD is probably actually going to be July 14th.

Anyhow, that's all I've got to say for now! Check back tomorrow for the latest update!

-Aubrey

P.S. These were doctor's appointments #5 and #6!

Diabetes Clinic #1

Last time I went to REGULAR diabetes clinic was in October. I saw a new doctor, whose name is Alireza Falahati. He told me the next time I came in, I would see the nurse practitioner, Julie Patterson. That appointment was this morning.

Anyone looking for a diabetes doctor? Because Julie is amazing.

She also has diabetes. She's had it for seven years, she said. She is bubbly, friendly, nice, and helpful. I liked her a lot! And not only was she super excited to hear that I'm pregnant, but the two nurses who got my blood pressure and all that jazz were also super excited to hear it! It was a fun appointment.

Oh, and while at the appointment, I had to hop on the scale. I swear this one's off... It was higher last time and it was higher this time than my most recent weigh-in's at other offices. Anyhow, it said I'd gained three pounds from my previous visit, or about seven pounds from my other more recent visits to other offices. Anyway, I almost had a hard attack when I saw that big number... And of course Ryan started laughing hysterically when he saw my face. The girls just looked at him completely shocked! The one said, "You're not supposed to laugh! I can't believe you're laughing!" But everyone thought it was actually pretty funny once we did tell them that I'm pregnant.

Typically, I have these appointments every three months. Because I'm pregnant, however, she is having me come back to see her in two months. And it will probably be even more frequently after that.

They drew my blood to get my A1c, but they did it in the lab today rather than in the office. So I'm not sure when I get the results, but Julie said they'd call to let me know what my results are. So, I'll let you know when I get that call!

I'll post again Wednesday with the 12 Week update. My Tuesday the 12th appointment for the coming week was moved to Friday the 15th, so I will also let you know then if they found the baby's heartbeat!

-Aubrey

PS - This is my third doctor's appointment during my pregnancy (I didn't write about the first one on December 15th because I hadn't started this blog yet or gone public with the pregnancy, but it wasn't a big deal--they drew my blood, had me pee in a cup, confirmed that I was pregnant and started setting me up with new doctors). I'm going to keep a log because I know I'm going to have a ton!

Pregnancy Diabetes Clinic #1

Ryan and I went to my first pregnancy diabetes clinic this morning. There are a couple of doctors I'm supposed to be talking to at these clinics, but I only met one today. The doctor was okay, nothing special. Her name is Elise Christensen. She's a dietician so she wanted to focus on my eating habits and make sure I was getting enough of the foods I need. And guess what? I'm not!

Turns out I am supposed to get 9 to 15 one-ounce servings of protein per day. At most, I am currently getting 3 servings!

So, I am upping my protein intake. This is supposed to help my low blood sugars.

Speaking of which, I have not yet reported to everyone my recent horror stories...

My blood sugar has been going low a lot lately. I read that this is because while the placenta is being made, blood sugars run lower. Anyhow, this last weekend has been the worst by far. On Saturday morning, I went to work. I'd been there for an hour when all of a sudden, I got the worst stomach ache ever. It was awful! It hurt to walk and it hurt to have my belt pressing on my stomach. So, I removed my belt and stuffed it in my purse at work. This sucked because I was wearing some pants I just bought a size too big in preparation for outgrowing my current size of clothing, so my pants were falling down all day. I bought some chewable Rolaids and they just made my stomach gurgle more. So I went to the breakroom to be miserable for a while. I couldn't leave work because not only were we short-handed for truck day, but someone else had called in sick. Anyway, after sitting there for a while, I realized I was going to throw up. So I walked to the bathroom and threw up my breakfast. I felt better for about two minutes and then my stomach ache came back. I was miserable for most of the day and didn't feel better until around 2:00. I got home from work around 4:00 and got on my laptop. I hadn't even been on for an hour when my vision started going weird. Note: this is a symptom of low blood sugar for me. However, that didn't pop into my head. What did pop into my head was that I'd been on the computer for too long (why I thought that, I don't know--I've been on the computer for 12 hours straight before and have had no problems with my vision). Finally my vision was tripping so bad that I shut my laptop. Ryan was playing xBox and I decided to go upstairs. This was around 5:00. I don't remember making it all the way up the stairs, so I must have gone into shock on my way up. The next thing I remembered, it was 7:30 and I had orange juice all over my shirt and in my hair. I was freezing cold from being drenched in orange juice. Ryan told me I'd gone into shock and that he was trying to force me to drink orange juice and glucose gel, and as I typically do when I'm low, I viciously fought him. I can get violent when I'm in shock. I bite and spit and throw things given to me. I refuse to eat, which is what I need to do to come out of shock, so things can be pretty scary. Ryan didn't even let me shower and insisted we go get something to eat the minute I was fully conscious. So we did. I showered when we got back and before I went to bed, all the sugar finally hit me. My blood sugar was up to almost 500. So I gave myself some insulin to get it down (not even as much as I was supposed to, though) and tested again a couple hours later. This time my blood sugar was in the 200's. Again, I gave myself some insulin to get it down (and again, I did not give myself as much as I was supposed to). I figured since I was as high as I was going to bed, I wouldn't have any trouble during the night. WRONG! I again woke up in shock. My manager at work called me at 8:15 Sunday morning wondering where I was, since I was supposed to be there at 7:30. I wasn't even fully conscious until 8:30 or so and didn't make it to work until 9:00 a.m.

Anyway, that little side story being told, the increase in protein in my diet is supposed to help. Also at this doctor's visit, we found out that I have to go these pregnancy diabetes clinics at least once a week for the entire pregnancy. Supposedly as hormones change, so do blood sugars. And they change constantly during pregnancy. So I have to see a doctor every week to adjust my insulin levels. In addition to these weekly visits, I also have to see my family physician, who is also my obstetrician, at least once a month for now. So far I still see my regular diabetes doctor only every three months (I have an appointment with him tomorrow--I'll let you know if once every three months changes), and I have not yet met with my perinatologist, and I'm not sure how often I will have to see her.

Anyhow, that's about all there is to report from the doctor's appointment today. My next appointment is tomorrow and I'll let you know how that one goes.

Hope everyone is doing fantastic!

-Aubrey