Here's a repost from the WEGO Health's blog challenge from where I speak a little from the heart, as Type 2 snuck into my life in a way that really scares me...
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Today we are prompted to write about "What’s a lesson you learned the hard way? Tell us a time when you made a mistake and promised never to make that same mistake again."
I should and do know better. How did I let this happen? Sometimes unconditional love is not, it is just pure ignorance when I allowed my fear to get into the way. A hypocrite I am. I swore to myself I would always practice unconditional love, even if it is tough love. Fear should NEVER get in the way.
"Roughly half of women who've had gestational diabetes — the pregnancy kind — go on to develop full-fledged Type 2 diabetes in the months to years after their child's birth. Yet new research shows fewer than one in five of those women returns for a crucial diabetes test within six months of delivery. That's the first of the checkups they're supposed to have every few years to guard against diabetes' return, but no one knows how many do."
"Women can have either Type 2 diabetes or the insulin-dependent Type 1 variety at the time they become pregnant. That's a separate issue, and those women are urged to have their diabetes tightly controlled to avoid a range of risks to baby and mother" - Source NBC News
My Daughter's first pregnancy came along with a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes. No medication was given. It was thought that there was no diabetes after she delivered. Was she tested...nope, not that I am aware of.
She is now pregnant with our 6th Grandchild., and another diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes AND Type 2 diabetes. How was this diagnosed? There was an A1c (average blood glucose for 90 days) of 10.9%. To put that number into perspective, an A1c of 10.9 equates to an average daily Blood Glucose Level (BGL) of 300. For those whom may be reading this, an average of 300 is WAY to high.
This was classified by her Doctor as a double diagnosis, of Gestational diabetes AND Type 2 Diabetes, and she was admitted into the Hospital to monitor her BGL while beginning a regiment of both Fast acting and Long acting insulin's, and find those magic numbers and calculate dosage levels of injections (MDI).
As a self proclaimed Advocate for those affected by diabetes, I should not have allowed this to happen. I have lived the life as a Caregiver for more than twenty years, and an/Advocate for about six years. I failed in a terrible way. I never urged her to get tested after delivery. Truth be told, I was scared to urge her to get tested because I knew the outcome was 50/50 either way. I did not want to scare her into testing because as a Parent, I did not want to imply harm in any way. I screwed up.
All these things are and were WRONG on my part.
GUILTY as charged.
Girly Face...I love you and will guide you best I can throughout this pregnancy, while urging you to remember that those of us in the Diabetes Online Community (DOC) often say that "Your diabetes may vary, and it's just a number". You are already showing the signs of being able to control your diabetes destiny in a GREAT way.
Rock on Jennifer...
