Sitanka

Sitanka [sih-tahn-kah] Sioux, Am Indian "Big Foot" 'Si': "Foot" + 'Tanka': "Big, Great"

It started last week when my boots were so tight on my legs that at the end of the day there were impressions from where it hit my legs and ankles. A gal co-worker of mine went to the store with me in the middle of the day in hopes that I might find some end of season boots, but no luck. There are lots of pretty shoes out but with the swelling in my ankles, all I want to do is hide them. Then I put on my Danskos Thursday, by the time I got to the airport I knew there was no way of getting those bad boys back on if I took them off for security. So I opted to get frisked down. Of course the female TSA agent instructed me to take off my shoes. Um...yeah.... no way.

When I got home, Steven and I went to the mall and a very nice lady in the shoe dept helped me pick out some shoes. She empathized and said her feet grew 2 sizes! I went out today and bought a new pair of boots to take me through the end of the month with my skirts and a pair of slip on Skechers (tying my shoes is becoming a challenge too). I am now about 1-1.5 size larger than my pre-pregnancy size.

Tiptoe through the Tulips

While strolling thru the park one day, In the merry month of May:

I was taken by surprise by a pair of roguish eyes

In a moment my poor heart was stole away.

We went to a store in Gaithersburg called "Great Beginnings" (www.greatbeginningsonline.com) to look at a stroller that we had seen online. This store is the only one in the area that carries the stroller. We definitely wanted to see it and "test drive" it prior to purchasing just to be sure we'd like it. The stroller is by the company Stokke (www.xplory.com).

This stroller is awesome. The seat adjusts up and down so the baby can be higher than a normal stroller. And the seat also can face you or face out. The wheels also can be adjusted so that you can take it up/down stairs (like a hand truck). So we were there looking at TONS of strollers - BOB, XPlory, several others. Too many decisions. Then we looked at car seats. We finally asked the salesman for help to detach the seat from the base. He giggled and said "must be your first child", then with a quick sleight of hand the seat was removed....ah the secret latch in the back. We were ready to leave still undecide about the stroller when another couple came in and had their baby girl with them. They too were looking at the XPlory and placed the baby in the stroller. That clinched it for us. Seeing how engaged she was in the stroller was definitely worthwhile.

We bought the stroller in a nice bright shade of green.

Laughing Buddha

Rub the belly for good luck!

Here is my view at ~26 weeks





30 weeks

Sugar, Sugar

Sugar, ah honey honey

You are my candy girl

And you've got me wanting you.

Honey, ah sugar sugar

You are my candy girl

And you've got me wanting you.

The Archies

I am now diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I went in for my "routine" OB check and knew the glucose test was coming but didn't anticipate that I would take it that morning. So I had my normal breakfast of cereal and yogurt and off Steven and I went to the doctor's office. I decided to take the test that morning since I had some time and didn't want to run around all morning looking for a lab. 50g of glucose.

Such a sweet, easy test.

Stage 1 - Denial. The following Monday, I received a call from my doctor's office that I had failed my test and that I now needed to take the 3-hour GTT as soon as possible. ugh. Needless to say I was upset over this. "how could I have failed? I don't eat that much sugar." I'm sure that test was wrong considering I had breakfast and taking the 3-hour test would certainly prove them wrong. So I schedule my test for that Friday and am certain that I will pass this one. The 3-hour test requires 4 blood draws: Fasting, 1-hour, 2-hour, and 3-hour post 100g of glucose. Also, there is a particular diet to follow leading up to the test (which I did not know until the night before the test). But I'm certain it won't matter. So I take the test and wait for results and am feeling pretty positive. I'm in good shape, haven't gained a ton of weight, have been watching what I eat......

and I fail.

Stage 2-Anger. Now I'm really upset. I get the call during work and am stunned to hear that I failed this test too. How can this be? I am so upset over this that even thinking about it made me upset. I am told I need to make an appt with INOVA Diabetes Center and then a follow up with another doctor... my mind is a fog and I'm trying to hold it together. Diabetes.

Stage 3-Bargaining. So I'm thinking, surely you must be looking at the wrong results. Are you sure that's my result? I didn't follow the prescribed "diet" before the test, maybe I can take it again. If I don't eat that much sugar, then OF COURSE my body will react and I'll fail the test. "Don't you see this?" Please don't tell me to adjust my diet, I eat fine now. What else will you tell me that I don't know? Exercise? Doing it. Anything else? See, I think you are wrong, I don't have diabetes.

Stage 4-Depression. All day Thursday I can't get over this. I try to stay focused on work. The more I ignore this the more it won't be reality. Food. What's the point of eating it. I'm tired of eating and having to watch what I eat. Does it matter. By the time I get home, however, I can't keep it together and cry on Steven's shoulder all night. I don't want this diagnosis. I don't want what it represents, what long-term impact it will have on my life or my baby, nor do I want the short-term impact of possibly having to do things in a more medical way. He tries to encourage me to eat but frankly I was sick and tired of eating. The Bradley Method has a prescribed diet and now I'll have to follow a "diabetic" diet - reduce sugar. I don't eat that much so what else will you tell me?

I call INOVA and they can squeeze me in last minute in a "class" on Friday. Class? Oh geez, a nutrition class. But I don't need it! Can't you see? I'm asked, "Do you have your own glucose monitor?" Huh? Why? I DON'T HAVE DIABETES why would I have a monitor. "OK we'll give you one." (but I don't want one) I watched my father struggle with diabetes and his constant blood checks, I watch my step-father struggle with his diabetes, blood checks, and dialysis, and I watch my mother struggle to keep from the same fate after her initial diagnosis. I really don't want this.

Class is small, myself and two others. Two others who have struggled with their weight prior to the pregnancy. Two others who said they don't know what they are going to do to eat. "but you can still have a diet coke and fries and mcnuggets"... a sigh of relief comes from one. Again, I tell you, I don't need to be in this class.

I leave class with a glucose monitor and diet tracking sheets. I have to check my urine in the morning to ensure I'm not in ketosis. Steven encourages me. I'll prove them wrong and FINE I'll stick my finger 4 times a day to prove to you that I don't have this problem. You will see when I come back in a week. So there.

Stage 5-Acceptance. I'm not there. I'm still going around and around between Stages 1-4. I'm "measuring" my food (!&*#@#*) and "counting carbs". What I have come to accept is the scientific fact that my body is going through a type of insulin resistance from the hormones from the placenta therefore I am unable to produce enough insulin to process extra glucose. So I'll "watch" what I eat and exercise for the health of my baby and me.

That's about as far as I've gotten.