I Drank The Kool Aid.

I want one day to look back on things I've written about my pregnancy. The problem is, I can't exert any more effort to keep up with myself. Then I convince myself I'll remember, and five minutes later I can't remember what I was supposed to remember, and two minutes after that I've forgotten I had told myself I would remember anything at all. So here is the blog about today's appointment - for my own future reference.

I woke up after 4 hours of sleep. Four non-consecutive hours. I haven't had many of those nights, but when they happen they're pretty brutal. My husband thought he would pull a fast one on me, when I trudged down to the basement at 4 this morning to find he was still up and watching t.v. I saw the glow from the screen as I was at the top of the stairs. On my way down the light went away and he was mysteriously "sleeping" in the dark. I busted him, though. I'm not delusional. I know what I saw, and what I was hearing that prompted me to go down there in the first place. I hate it when he works the late shift because he stays up until ridiculous hours and it's almost like I'm single again. With someone renting my basement and watching television until 4 a.m. He's a sly one, that hubs. But I can't get enough of him regardless.

I finally started to get ready for work, and had my glamorous breakfast of three scrambled eggs, no salt, and a glass of milk. I literally choked the eggs down. Trying to cut back on my salt intake (because I tend to swell up to three times my normal size) makes for gross eggs. I also don't like to eat breakfast until I've gone to work, so having to eat beforehand threw me off. I didn't have my usual of fruit and Kashi cereal, because I was trying to keep carbs and any sugar intake to nil. After all, I had to "stay away from all sugar" for the next two hours. I didn't even want the natural sugars to show up. So no fruit or good-for-me cereal.

I've been anxious about today's appointment. I knew it was my glucose screening. I wasn't nervous about the drink, the taste, or the process. I'm nervous about the "what if" - what if I have to come back and do the 3 hour test and they tell me I have gestational diabetes? Yuck. No thank you. I don't want to deal with that, or take more sick time from work to have my blood drawn every 30 minutes for three hours, while being ravenously hungry. Freaky stuff.

I left work at 10 - not really remembering anything about my morning because I was so stinking tired. I checked in at the hospital and went with my "labels" to lab/radiology. I got settled in the waiting room and a few minutes later my husband walked in to join me for my appointment. After about 15 minutes, they called me back to pee in a cup. Selfishly, that is my favorite way to start the appointment, because wow emptying my bladder feels good. Afterwards I was given the glucose solution - which tasted like I was drinking about 40 non-frozen freeze-pops (we called them Otter Pops growing up, because I think that was the brand name). It was syrupy sweet. But not horrible tasting. I had about three big body shivers after I got it all down. Whew! It was a bit of a shock to my system. I had to get it down fast and go upstairs to my appointment, though, so it felt kind of cultish. "Trust us. Drink the fancy tasting syrup. Quickly! Then look for the comet!"

We trudged upstairs and checked in for my doctor's appointment. I was called back within five minutes of sitting in the waiting room - which was a first! They weighed me (weight = that of a small military tank vehicle), took my blood pressure (which was slightly higher than previous appointments, but still within the normal range), and told me the doctor would be right in. So we waited. And we waited. And normally I wouldn't have cared, but I had to be back downstairs to have my blood drawn at 11:30. At 11:15 I asked Brent if he would poke his head out in the hallway and ask if we were going to see the doctor, or if I had to go back downstairs. Wouldn't you know it, 10 seconds later, the doctor walked in? I love our doctor, so it's okay, but now my appointment was going to be rushed.

We talked about Haiti. Doc had gone over on a medical mission trip and was there during the earthquake. She's a believer, and a doctor, and she loves Haiti. How could I not love this doctor?? I wanted to hear and be interested in her stories of involvement in Haiti, but I had to go back downstairs in t-10 minutes. We needed to get on with it. I hopped up on the bed and she checked the heartbeat. The very loud heartbeat. Little Ziggette's heart was just pumping away! She only hit the Doppler once. I think it was her way of protesting us having to wait so long. Like mother like daughter. :o) Doc helped me to sit up and I huffed and puffed and blew the hair out of my face. I whipped my shirt down and asked her about a funny spot between my newly developed cleavage. No, it doesn't itch. Oh, it's just another weird pregnancy thing? Fancy that. I also asked her about a weird thing I get under my nose once and again when I'm sick, because I just had it last week. I forgot to ask about driving to Wyoming for a baby shower for me, and also forgot to give her paperwork to fill out for my FMLA anticipated leave once the babe child arrives. Sigh.

She told me the next appointment would be in two weeks and I caught my breath. Are we really at that point now? I'll be going every two weeks. Oh mercy me, I'm going to be a mom. Soon.

We trekked back downstairs quick like, and waited to have my name called to go back and have my blood drawn. The woman who took my blood today did amazing. I didn't even feel the "small poke" they always warn you about. She got the two vials she needed and I was done in about 30 seconds. Fantastic!

So now it's hurry up and wait. Depending on if, or how bad, I "fail" the screening, I'll get a call. If it's not so bad, then I'll go over it with the doc in two weeks. Two weeks - I still can't believe we're at that point.

I had a horrible-for-me lunch, of an amazing cheeseburger and some chili. Followed promptly by several Tums. Then for dessert later that afternoon I had a 3 Musketeer's bar. Now it's bedtime for this tired momma. 27 weeks and counting, I cannot even believe it! Or this cleavage!