Okie Dokie Artichokie

Gestational Diabetes Screening- What an aweful test!  

8:30 am: Got my blood drawn (left arm) after fasting for about 13 hours, then had to drink a glass of sugar within 5 minutes, which sat in my empty stomache for the next 3 hours.

9:40 am: My left arm was stuck again, but the nurse couldn't get any blood.  She checked my left hand, right hand, right arm. No veins.  Nurse Brenda, "the nurse who can get blood from ANYONE", was called in and she got blood from my right hand.  Total Sticks (at this point): 3.

10:40 am: Nurse Brenda sticks my right hand. No blood.  She tries my right hand again.  No blood.  She tries my right arm and finally gets some. Total Sticks: 6

11:40 am: Nurse Brenda sticks my right arm.  No blood.  She says she has never had to stick someone so many times. (I have terrible veins.  simply terrible.)  She finally gets some blood from my left arm.  I got to take home the stress ball bull that I had to squeeze.  The nurses said I could take it home as a momento, but I think it was because by the time the whole fiasco was finished the poor guy was absolutely drenched in my hand sweat. Grand Total Sticks: 8!!

I told Adry he better appreciate everything I've had to go through (and will go through) to bring him into this world, but I'm not so sure he ever will.  Afterall, I am nearly 23 years old and I am only beginning to appreciate what my mother went through.

What is even worse than 8 needle sticks on an upset stomache is the constant WORRY I have.  Adry was a pretty active little guy for a few weeks- he was constantly kicking, and really hard!  I saw him and felt him ALL THE TIME.  For about a week he just hasn't been moving that much AT ALL.  I mean, every once in a while I feel him but it is only a tiny flutter.  I miss seeing the tummy ripples.  Yesterday I tried to drink juice and lay still to get him to move and I got nothing.  I shook him around a little bit and got a few very tiny movements.  Then these aweful thoughts started flooding into my brain: "What if something is wrong in there? What if he is in some sort of distress?  Can the cord get wrapped around his neck at this point or is that only during delivery?"  So I got online and googled "decreased fetal movement" and the SCARIEST, FREAKIEST sites popped up telling me it was a sign of impending stillbirth, etc.  Yeah, I flipped out and had a panic attack.  Today, while I was at the office for my Diabetes test, I talked to my nurse (who is actually Brenda, the super sticker.  but she really is a fantastic nurse, I like her a lot) who wasn't really concerned at all.  She said it's ok as long as I feel him at least once a day, and I don't have to start doing fetal movement counts until the 28th week.  She also checked his heartbeat and pushed him around a little to get him to move.  I did feel better after that, but I can't get that stupid google site out of my mind that told me Adry's decrease of movement is a sign he will die in a few days :-/.  That's so freakin scary and I don't know what to do to feel better about it.  I HATE WORRYING ALL THE TIME LIKE THIS!!! 

I should be getting the Diabetes test results within the next few hours.