Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Human Pin-Cushion

Yesterday, Michelle had to take the dreaded 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test.  Her 1-hour test results came back 9 points too high... which could have been the result of a number of things (sugar-free gum, poor timing, or a large piece of cake she ate in the morning).  Regardless, when your 1-hour comes back high, you are asked to take the 3-hour test to rule out gestational diabetes.  
So, like a trooper, she headed in to the lab around 8:00.  She had to give a urine and blood sample as a baseline (after fasting for 12+ hours).  Then, she got to drink a big bottle of what she describes as melted orange otter pop syrup.  She then, over the next three hours, gave 4 more urine and blood samples.  She has some great bruises to prove she took the test, but overall she had no problems with the morning.  The hope is that none of the levels are high, but if two of her tests come back high, she is then diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  Depending on how high the levels are, and the recommendation of her doctors, she will treat it with diet and exercise and possibly medicine.   Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of premature labor, and we are working hard to lower that risk! 
We should know by the end of the week the results of the test... but in the mean time, think happy thoughts and pray for good results.