[blparent] Happy update

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

I've had type 1 diabetes for 27 years, and when my husband and I decided
we were ready to start a family a few years ago, we not only experienced
a miscarriage, but my doctor told me, point-blank, I would die. I was
healthy with no serious diabetic-related complications (my blindness
actually happened for an entirely different reason, go figure) so we
were a little confused and stunned. We met with two other doctors, one
being a high risk OB and they made similar proclaimations.

So we spent three years coming to terms with this, and we started
researching adoption.

Then my mother kept bringing natural pregnancy up even though she knew
what the docs had said. Finally, more to shut her up, we discussed it
with my new endocrinologist last fall. Surprisingly, she was completely
supportive and on board with the idea. We went home, discussed it and
decided it was worth the try.

As a diabetic, I went on a pre-pregnancy plan which included testing my
glucose levels much more frequently, lowering my A1-C as much as
possible, which is a blood test showing how glucose levels have been
running over a three month period, calculating any risk such as stroke
or heart attack which are more likely the higher an A1-C is
(fortunately, mine has been in a good target range for years) and seeing
various specialist to make sure my organs were in working order, and I
was healthy enough to sustain a pregnancy.

So everything checked out, organs in great shape, and everyone involved
gave us the greenlight in late October. We still expected a long wait,
so imagine our shock when we discovered we were pregers on January 2.

Because any pregnant diabetic is considered to be high-risk no matter
the health, we have to see high-risk OB's plus I'm seeing a special
endoccrine OB for the duration of the pregnancy. I still am testing
glucose levels frequently, 12 to 15 times a day, and I communicate with
a nurse educator each weekly with my glucose levels to determine if any
adjustments need to be made to my treatment.

So, as I said, other than typical pregnancy symptoms and one bout with
mild dehydration (I'm drinking water like a fish now, grin) things are
going well, and most importantly for me, baby is doing good and growing
as he should.

I'm only 30, but there is a question as to if we could do a natural
pregnancy  again, but regardless, we are happy now,and if we can't do
another natural one, adoption is not out of the question for us.

Thanks to all you well-wishers,and I hope to continue with good updates.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 41
Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:25:48 -0400
From: Jodie Riker <xandir at samobile.net>
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [blparent] Happy update
Message-ID: f6d48e98-8547-41cf-a0c5-7bb5699e6462 at samobile.net
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format="flowed"

I was told it would be very hard for me to become a mom. Since I got 
pregnant much sooner than I thought I would based on the medical 
information I was given, I think I might have been misdiagnosed, but 
anyway... I always knew I'd love being a mom and I was right! Because 
of my age, I'm 36, I originally said Kahlan would be my only child. I 
said that because of all the things I'd heard about women over 35 
having high risk pregnancies, but Kahlan is perfectly healthy! I would 
like to have another one in a couple of years, if possible. If I can't, 
than kahlan is my miracle baby. *smiles*