Baby stuff - the yucky parts about it all
some of them anyway.
Thursday I had to do the dreaded glucose test. I don’t know why. I’ve never failed it before and have no reasons or signs that I would fail this time, but it’s not something I call invasive so I do it. GROSS. I hate it! Every time I do this test I get ill at my stomach with that nasty orange soda crap and have to force it to stay down, then I get all agitated and can’t sit still, then I start shaking and eventually the headache kicks in followed by a very heavy drop in energy and lack of ability to move. I would say that it sounds like I should fail this test, but my blood sugar when I’m NOT pregnant stays very low, to the point that at times (though I’ve never tested low) I have had some very scary episodes of very scary low sugar activity. I’ve been tested numerous times because of what happens to me - I shake, I get weak, I start sweating profusely, I feel very faint, and have once or twice. What do I do - I very quickly drink a large glass of Orange Juice and a huge chunk of cheese. I was never really told to do that, but it works and I don’t know which ones is actually working, but they do and quickly. I was tested once at the moment of one of these ‘attacks’ having my blood drawn three times during the process and each result was the same: within normal range, but on the low end. As a result I’ve never really been given a diagnosis, but was told when I had these symptoms to treat myself as having hypoglycemia (not to be confused with hyperglycemia). We’ve charted and logged and done all kinds of things to see if there were ever any consistent relations to why this would happen. In the past six years it has happened to me four times: once with each of the pregnancies when I have to drink that nasty stuff and one other when I could find no rhyme or reason. So, enough about that - the point: By the time we got home Thursday, the doctor had called to leave us the message that my sugar levels were normal (113). And I hated it, it’s over with.
We were also hoping to get another ultrasound done at that appointment (especially with it being a little more than an hour’s drive to get there), but they were so busy we had to reschedule for this coming Wednesday. We are hoping to see that the placenta has moved out of the way enough for a natural delivery. We would like to see that the baby has turned head down and butt up, but I can tell you that as of today that is not the case. If the baby is still breech I will need to have some serious conversations with our midwife about the options. My doc back in Hattiesburg was going to let me deliver CowBoy breech if, IF, he presented butt down and not feet down and only because it was my 5th baby. CowBoy turned just like his big brother had turned so I am praying this one will too. And, of course, if we are able to see all of the baby, we want to find out if it’s a girl or a boy. And, no, we won’t be sharing anything other than the sex of the baby, so don’t ask.
Now on to more serious matters, much more important matters. Do you know what Cankle are? Well, in case you don’t go take a look, please. Then come back and read one. Done? Good. Now presently I am plagued by this cankle thing in only one leg - the left. Why I am not sure. I know that there is some edema as a result of pregnancy and it will go away (once that baby gets here anyway - at least it better), but why just one side, one leg? Does it hurt? No. Does it tingle like it’s numb or asleep? No. Is it ugly? Yes. Is it grotesque? Yes. Is it pleasant to live with my foot looking as if it’s been replaced by that of some other human being? No. Does it fit in any of my shoes? No, unless I put it in there as soon as I step out of the bed in the morning and refuse to take it off until I put my foot back in the bed at night. Does my foot get stuck in my shoe? Why, yes it does. Does the swelling go away at anytime during the day? Only if I hold it above my head in some freakish ballet or yoga manner. And who wants to see a pregnant woman do that? Eww. And even if someone did want to see such a thing, what pregnant woman can hold that pose long enough to relieve the swelling in said cankle.
Truth be told, I am going to coin a new word that describes my sufferings beyond that of the word Cankle. At first I thought of Knankle: the area of the lower leg which has no shape and is the same in diameter from the knee to the top of the foot. Then today sitting in church I realized that my thigh had no definition of which to speak. I looked down at what little lap I had left and realized that my leg right above my knee was the same size as the are in my upper thigh. My right leg still much normal shape. So I have since decided that the word Thankle (not to be confused with anything referring to thanks) is the best definition and new word usage for the description of my left leg. And “NO!” you won’t be getting any pictures.
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Categories: the Pea
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I wish I had read this before church, because I would have had to laugh at your thankle. Alas, I didn’t notice. Remind me to laugh at you next time I see you.
MK, I didn’t have it up before church so you couldn’t have read it in time to laugh at it. Besides, I wouldn’t have shown you anyway. If you need a real big laugh tomorrow for any reason, just stop by and maybe (just maybe) I’ll be wearing a pair of shorts and you can see it. You know, if it’s really worth the drive time. ;)
I feel your misery about the glucose test. I had to have the three hour test and did have gestational diabetes. Oh, and did I have cankles! I love this word!
Traci