glucose test results

I failed the glucose test! My results came back "high". Bummer, but apparently a lot of people fail this one and have to do the extended one. I just made my appointment for 8am on Thursday (Argh!!!) and for that one I have to fast as of midnight the night before, then get my blood taken, and then drink the drink, then have it taken after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd hours. I guess I'm not totally upset about this, as I don't think I have it. I eat pretty healthy, I don't eat too many carbs as it is, and I have been working hard on getting more protein into my diet. I think if you get diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you then are sort of on the atkins diet...low carb, low sugar, high protein. It would be good for me to have some structure - but I would rather not have it. My blood test also came back with the news that I am slightly anemic. I am RELIEVED to hear that, as it explains why I am tired all the time. Before I was pregnant I was taking an iron supplement, and I stopped when I became pregnant. Now I am on it again and hopefully in a couple of days I'll have some good energy!

CVS - done!

I'll be 12 weeks tomorrow! What a milestone - YAY!

OK...so yesterday was the big CVS test. I managed to get an appointment with one Dr. Wapner. My genetic counselor said he was the "guru" of CVS tests and she doubted I would even be able to get an appointment with him, but get an appointment I did.

So yesterday my hubby and I headed to Columbia Presbyterian East-side and arrived at their fancy offices. I filled out miles of paperwork again....oh, and an aside - why on earth isn't there a national healthcare database so I don't have to keep filling out all this junk! SO annoying. Anyway - the people there were all SO nice. I finished the paperwork and then a genetic counselor saw us, yes - again, but that is their protocol. It was good though, because my husband had been unable to come to the previous session I had with a counselor. That was fine, but she made me a little nervous by disagreeing with my doctor and the previous counselor about the jewish screenings. She thought I should be tested for the whole panel, which would mean they would take 4 tubes of blood, and we didn't want to do the CVS and take more blood on the same day since we know what happens to me when my blood is taken. Anyway - I think I'm going to call my doc on Monday to discuss having more blood taken and if it's necessary.

After the session, we were brought to a room and I was given 2 gowns to put on. Then a super nice lady came to bring us to the procedure room where she did an ultrasound on me. This was our first one, so it was super exciting, especially since hubby didn't get to see the baby squirming around last time. She was doing the ultrasound to determine a bunch of stuff I guess, but most importantly if they were going to do the test vaginally or through my stomach. Since my placenta is attached from the front, they determined I would have the needle through the stomach. I was actually hoping for that since it seemed less invasive than the catheter through the vag and then a needle through the catheter. That seems like trouble.

The doctor came in we got started. First, tons of bactine on my stomach. I mean a lot. Then he stuck the needle in, with the ultrasound guiding the whole thing. It went by quickly. I felt a pinch - well, a continual pinch and then some strangeness in my back/rectal area which they said would happen due to some nerve thing. I was squeezing my hubby's hand HARD the whole time, and it took about a minute and it was done. Then I got a shot of Rogam, which was apparently necessary since my blood type is RH- and that shot will ensure that if my baby's blood type is a positive one, that my blood won't fight it if things get at all mixed up during the test. I then got dressed, wiped the bactine off and went home! I rested the rest of the day and napped and my husband took care of me. They recommend resting for about 48 hours. No aeorobic activity, baths, sex, etc. I am well rested, and feeling 100%. No problems, spotting etc. I look forward to Tuesday when we will hopefully get our initial news...and ideally it will be good. We will have full results in about 2 weeks.

bigtime ups and downs

I'm 11 weeks! YAY!

Last Friday I had another doctor's appointment and it definitely had it's ups and downs. First of all, we drove there - and parking was a bitch. My husband dropped me off and continued to look for a spot, and because of that - he missed the sonogram. I apparently had the first appointment that day, and unlike our last appointment, where we waited for about 20 minutes, this time I was whisked right in. Anyway - I think I lost a pound, which I guess is ok - she didn't say anything. The sonogram was amazing. It was SO different than last time. Last time it was a blob, and this time I could definitely see a tiny baby inside of me, and it even moved! It was pretty monumental and I was sad my hubby couldn't be there. He made it in just as the doctor's appointment was ending, and just as it was my turn to give blood....A LOT of blood.

I'm pretty sure that there were about 10-12 test tubes lined up. This was the blood for all the tests like Tay-Sacks, Fragile-X, etc. This is where things went downhill. I sat down and they started taking the blood. About halfway through, I started getting woozy, so I asked if it was almost done and she said "yes, just let me know when you can't take it anymore". I did. I said I felt sick and then I said I was going to pass out, as if you've ever passed out before, you know when you're going down. SO....pass out I sure did, and they had gotten my husband who helped me walk, but I couldn't walk, so I kind of fell and he caught me and he and the 2 nurses worked together to somehow get my dead weight into an exam room to sit or lay down. I sat, and then came to. I felt fine, but they made me lay down for a while and gave me some apple juice in a juice box. My husband was telling me what happened and said he came in and I was catatonic - I guess I had mostly passed out, but my eyes remained open, which freaked him out a bit. So that was a big downer. I wasn't surprised, as when I was in 12th grade I tried to give blood and they told me to never try again as it resulted in me feeling woozy, but I don't think I passed out - I just had to lay down, drink ginger ale and eat cookies until I felt better. I guess some people just react differently when a lot of blood is taken. I don't have a fear of needles or blood, still I choose not to look, and I haven't had a problem in almost 20 years, but then again, no one since then has tried to take that much of my blood! SO........it was a BIG day!

This will be a big week, as I have a CVS test on Thursday with Dr.Wapner, who apparently is the "guru" of CVS tests, and was instrumental in the development of said test! Hopefully the removal of that fluid will go better than the removal of the blood! I hear that many people are so distracted by watching the ultrasound used to navigate the tools, that they barely notice the procedure. I'm hoping for that!