Oh man, I walked into that doctor’s office, pounded my chest with great amounts of bravado and announced I am She-Diabetic, hear me roar! Okay, so maybe that’s not exactly how it went down, but in my head that’s how it played out.
As you know, after last week’s appointment with my maternity doctors, I walked out feeling crushed, defeated, like I was the worst mom-to-be ever. But thanks to the advice of my moms and sister-in-law, I decided to take charge. I made a follow-up appointment on Monday with the senior doctor in the clinic who has a pretty good history with my family. I had a page full of notes with me to ensure I wouldn’t forget a thing, and with my voice somewhat on the shaky side (Hey! Even She-Ra didn’t like confrontation without her super-chick costume!) I listed off all the reasons why I had concerns regarding my appointment with Dr. Jackass and why I in no way wanted him to be a part of my delivery.
Throughout my entire spiel, Dr. D’s face was contorted into a grimace – eyes squinted, nose crinkled, lips puckered, and neck buried so far into his shoulders, I was surprised he was able to pull it back out again. He was either thinking a) Holy crap, how the hell did I end up with this one today? or b) Why the hell would Dr. Jackass tell her that?
I’m going with the latter.
So here’s the thing, Dr. D told me that technically speaking Dr. Jackass was following proper protocol. Because I have Type 1 diabetes, I’m automatically considered high risk, which means, following the book, I should be sent to a high-risk obstetrician. But what Dr. Jackass failed to take into consideration is my knowledge, my history, and my excellent control of this disease. He was looking at me as a label, not as a person. Not the first time that’s happened in my 25 years with this disease, but still frustrating as hell!
Dr. D also said that he and the other senior doctor in there had no problem caring for me during pregnancy because in their history they’ve dealt with several high-risk patients (long before the town got a selection of obstetricians) and because I was so well controlled with my diabetes going into pregnancy. And furthermore, he told me I had no need to worry about getting Dr. Jackass, given that Dr. Jackass would be retiring from obstetrics come August – one month before I am to deliver.
Wow.
However, Dr. D recommended I keep my appointment with the high-risk obstetrician. He told me she has a great reputation, I’d really like her, and that she is the highest level of care I can get. As well, because it would solely be her I’m dealing with (not a group of doctors like I do at the maternity clinic) she would more than likely schedule my inducement on a day she could be there, ensuring I had a medical professional there I trusted. And if I didn’t like her, Dr. D said I was more than welcome to come back there, and they’d work it out for me.
The appointment concluded with Dr. D telling me not to take too much stock into the so-called “larger than average” belly I’m sporting, because regular ultrasounds, which I start getting at 28 weeks, are a far more accurate measurement of the baby than my bloody belly. He also said that by all accounts, I’m doing great with my diabetes … which is exactly what my regular diabetes specialist (who’s not handling my diabetes during pregnancy) told me in an email earlier that day after I had frantically fired off an email to him seeking advice.
Here’s an excerpt from Dr. Hottiecrinologist:
I suspect the increase in sugar after breakfast is a strong increase in hormone resistance from the placental hormones at that time of day. It means the placenta is healthy. You may have to increase your basal rate earlier, before breakfast, to get ahead of the glucose surge. (In addition to the CHO ratio change). It sounds like you have been doing very well overall…
So, to all the other medical peeps out there giving me a hard time, treating me like I don’t know my disease, or that I am solely my disease and nothing else, you can all just fugg off! ROAR!!!
She-Diabetic: hear me roar was first published June 7, 2012.