GD Update (36/almost 37 Weeks)

Another week down and another to go...

Here it is Week 36 and 6 days and I am so ready to have this little guy! I did want to take a moment and update you all on my GD (Gestational Diabetes) journey so far! I have to say the last 3 weeks have been even bigger challenges, and even more information! I wanted to say how it really shocked me, once I announced I had GD, how many people messaged me or commented saying they had it, and started to give me valuable information! I was frustrated a little too, because even with the good you get the bad; and  I had nasty messages from some people who were basically saying I was eating all the wrong food, and drinking the wrong drinks. Its a hard balancing act when you have a one year old, and to find that extra time to make his meals, his drinks, change him, clean him, play with him, educate him; and then make and eat all the correct food and drinks for yourself! Yeah thats a challenge.

Jared at 34 Weeks, yes thats a foot in his face!

Well, anyways... the last three weeks. Geesh, lets start where I left off last time. Last time I was talking about how I had to do a food log for the week to avoid taking the 2nd pill of my medicine. I believe that was week 33. Well, after a week, my numbers were still TOO high, and my fluid in my uterus was at a larger amount then my Dr. would have liked. After all that hard work, doing what I thought was healthy, correct, and the right way; I still had to take the 2nd pill a day. I was crushed. I was so good about not taking medicines or drinking coffee with my first, and now I am a coffee drinker (once a day, as we shouldn't have any more then that while pregnant), I am now taking 2 pills for my GD a day and I often take tylenol for bad headaches. I just feel like I am letting this little guy down some how.

34 Weeks

Now with my heart broken because I need to take the medicine twice a day, I had to tell my husband the news too. It was so hard to look him in the eyes and say "My body isn't doing what it needs to do, so I am failing for our son, now I have to take the medicine twice a day and on top of that the fluid I have is too much and could harm our childs health". Yeah, not exactly what every Dad wants to hear. Its hard to be this Mom who is giving life to a baby, and your body just wont work correctly. Its like your doing everything you can, but its failing you in so many ways. Its a daily internal struggle that I think only a GD mom would understand. This is my childs health, my growing baby, the baby I want to have naturally (that might not happen), the baby I want to hold in my arms right after birth (that might not happen), and so many other things.

35 Weeks Pregnant

Yes, its true. I was told that because my fluid was at a large amount I might have to be induced if my son was measuring large. Especially, if I wanted to have a vaginal birth and NOT a c-section. Trust me after several surgeries I am all for vaginal, no c-section if I can avoid it at all costs. Well, thats not even the worst news, I was told at my 34 week appointment that the 36 week appointment will be a very important one and that my husband should tag along. I was going to have an ultrasound that would measure the baby, measure the fluid in my belly and check on everything going on. This was a huge appointment because it could mean if Jared was measuring too big, the Dr. would want to do an amniocenteses test and check the lungs to see if he could be induced. Yes if he is too big, and ready to come out, then his lungs needed to be checked for their ability to function on the outside world, then if needed steroids and then induction. WHAT? This little man could be here in 2-3 weeks if this is true... um now I am scared! I went home from my 34 week appointment with my head in my hands, confused, exhausted and sick to my stomach.

35 Weeks and some days!

35 Weeks was not even a big deal. Too much fluid, sugar levels suck, but keep working on it. I also had blood work done which is a normal thing. I went home, and began my weekend as normal. I woke up the following Saturday after my 35 week appointment and felt miserable. I felt like a truck had hit me; my head hurt, I had a head cold and felt like I could sleep all day. I was dizzy when I stood, my eyes hurt with the light, and all I wanted to do was lay down or sleep. Thankfully, my husband stepped in and took over watching Brian most of the day and also cleaned the house as much as he could. I love when he does that! I ended up in bed most of the weekend, blowing my nose 24-7, and taking as little amount of tylenol as I could stand... Monday came, and I had a missed call on my phone, as I was putting my son down for a nap. I called the number back, informed them they had called, and sure enough my blood work had come back with an extreme low number of platelet counts. With my first pregnancy I had this as well. Now this time my platelet count was down to 113 thousand. Not too low, but low enough to be of concern. I simply was going to repeat the blood drawing/blood test at my next appointment and see how that looked. This low of a count would explain the extreme fatigue, the dizziness and the headaches. It all was making sense now.

Jared at 35 Weeks and some days!

36 Week appointment had arrived... Oh my goodness, I was a nervous wreck. I just needed to know what was going on and I just wanted to know now. The past week I had been having more and more Braxton Hicks, back and hip pain, as well as feeling just blah or ucky. To me, those were my signs of possible labor around the corner. Well, after the long ultrasound, and the long wait in the waiting room and doctors room I finally had a doctor in front of me. Here it was, the moment I had been waiting for for two weeks. This information was the most important information I was going to hear and it would be the information that would either give us a day when Jared was going to be here or give us the positive news that we could still have him naturally.

Jared at 36 weeks and some days!

The doctor started with my platelet count and how I now have gestational thrombocytopenia. Its a fancy word for you have a low platelet count during pregnancy! Tell me something new... I was okay with this information as I had it with my first and just took iron to help make myself feel better. However, I wasn't going to be giving iron that day, I first had to repeat the blood work. Thats frustrating, another week of feeling like a slug, bummer. Then the news, the real news. Jared was measuring at 7 pounds, and that was just in the range of a NORMAL baby size at that stage! Oh yes, thank goodness. Jared is not measuring large, he is right on track. I still have a large amount of fluid, but because Jared is looking healthy the amniocenteses test is out, which means steroids is out, and so is; yes, the induction!!!! I could go home, and attempt to get this labor started, and do this all the normal, old fashion, and healthy way! I was on cloud 9!!! My husband and I then got my blood work done again, set up our next week appointment and headed out the door with smiles on our faces!

The end result was exactly what we could hope for. Even though my belly is full of fluid, my son is healthy, measuring normal and not too big, and we could attempt to have him normal like any other pregnancy! Now its time to walk, bounce on my ball, and do my squats! Baby Jared is good to go, so now I am too! Lets do this!

The past few days all we have done is walk, walk, walk. I have been sitting on my ball as much as I can and doing my squats as daily as I can remember to do them! I really hope to see Jared with in the next week or two. Hopefully no longer then that. I honestly am not sure how much more fluid I can carry around, as my back and hips are killing me, but I am totally happy with it because it just means more pressure and hopefully my water will break this time!

Its the, almost, end of my story, and we are on a high note... lets hope we end this pregnancy with a happy blast of positivity! Come on Jared, were all waiting!

Happy Friday,
Sarah
(P.S. My birthday is tomorrow!!! Just more exciting news!)