Oops!...I did it again!

We've long suspected that I would develop gestational diabetes with this pregnancy as I did when I was pregnant with Josh. A small part of me hoped that I may escape the diagnosis, but a much larger part of me has been on the look out for it to onset. Diana gave me a heads up that I should start checking my blood sugars as soon as 20 weeks along, so I borrowed Marti's glucose meter and started right at 20 weeks. All good. Wow! I decided to take a break from testing. My fingers hurt.

I resumed testing at 22 weeks and the results were entirely different. In retrospect, the second half of week 21 did exhibit signs of diabetes. Last weekend, after lunch at Firehouse subs (a.k.a a carb crazy lunch) I checked my blood sugar - game on! I immediately started to follow my diabetic food plan from 3 years ago and within a couple of days felt a lot better. Thankfully my blood sugar is currently controlled by diet alone. I had an OB appointment today, so last night, to ensure that I really am diabetic, I performed my "Wendy's #1 Combo Meal" test. I blew that one out of the park! My blood sugar was 171 two hours after the meal (the goal is to be less than 120). I spent the next 30 minutes walking laps around the house to lower my blood sugar before bedtime.

Since I masterfully proved my diabetic status, my OB is allowing me to skip the glucose test and is accepting the diagnosis of gestational diabetes without further testing. Although I'll miss that last sweet drink in the lab, I am thankful that I can avoid a long lab visit with Josh and will not have to work at bringing my blood sugar down after the test. Honestly, the way that I feel when my blood sugar is too high is motivation enough to stick to the diet. Of course, that doesn't stop me from planning my post-delivery feast. With Josh it was a 14 inch Delaware sub. We'll be in a different hospital with different restaurants nearby this time so I'll have to find something else. I could always repeat the "Wendy's #1 Combo Meal" test. Yummy!

Today, as I thought about the next 18-20 weeks of low-carbing it up, I thought about my pregnancy with Josh. I entered a contest with Dryer's Ice Cream and won enough ice cream for a 100 person block party. In the summer of 2005, 8 months pregnant, I served ice cream in our driveway to our neighbors. It was so funny because I couldn't eat a spoon full of it due to the diabetes and my milk allergy. I wonder what ironic circumstances we will experience this go round. Back to my carrot sticks....