It takes a village...

Since being pregnant I've tried more than ever to keep my blood sugars in a close to perfect range for not only my own health benefits, but for my baby's as well. I feel so very thankful for the team of doctors that are supportive of my efforts on a daily basis. I owe many thanks to this team, and as a result, my latest A1c test score is the absolute best I have accomplished since my diagnosis in 1998.

My newest A1c = 5.9%

So what does that mean? Most doctors consider a diabetic with an A1c under 7.0% to be in good control, and have a decreased chance of any diabetic related health issues. In order to really consider having a healthy pregnancy and baby, doctors highly suggest having an A1c under 7.0% and keeping blood sugars under or about 150.

Never being one to really shy away from a challenge and knowing all of the potential risk factors of pregnancy and diabetes, striving to keep my blood sugars under control is something I take very seriously (Sometimes maybe too seriously...).

But at any rate, an A1c of 5.9% is the equivalent of keeping an average blood sugar of 117 (Normal range for non-diabetics is 80-120). These test scores are a true testament to the daily and constant monitoring it takes not only from myself, but from the support of everyone sound me, from my husband to my family to of course the team of doctors that always are available for questions and concerns. The phrase "It takes a village..." truly exemplifies how I feel right now.

Can you have that?

I was having a really interesting conversation with my sister and husband yesterday about several diabetes-related thoughts and feelings. A a big topic of that conversation included how diabetics are sometimes treated by others. This ranged from reactions of people very close to diabetics (i.e. family members and friends) to how we are treated by the general public as well. Interestingly enough, it's often times our family and friends that are the most "annoying" (for lack of a better word), in terms of questions, comments, and reactions we receive.

Most of the time these reactions are natural and inquisitive. But my all time LEAST favorite question, that I get VERY often by a range of people is, "Can you have that?" Every time this question is related to a food item and I'm sure it's mean to be really quite endearing. I truly do appreciate it when you think of me when planning a meal, a party, or snacks. But please know that EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. my answer will be "Yes." I can eat whatever I want, it's purely a matter of insulin. That doesn't mean that most of the time I won't choose a lower carb option, but that's because I generally crave vegetables over pasta, regardless of my blood sugars.

It's taken awhile to get to the point with people I am close to to discuss how I feel about questions like these and I ultimately feel very lucky to have a husband who communicates so well, to the point where we have worked out a system of communication that doesn't bother me or make me feel like he is hovering over me. Additionally, I have several family members who understand the science behind it all, which really helps in terms of explaining this whole things. And the rest of my family have been around it for so long, that our communication has really increased, to the point where I feel like we are on the same page most of the time.

In the end, there are two things that have really helped in my relationships with others in terms of diabetes: education and communication. I think it's been extremely helpful that others around me know how it all works, how hard I work, and also can understand my lifestyle. I also feel very proud to be able to share my experiences, despite my own insecurities, fears, and embarrassment. I think sharing these things has only strengthened my relationships with others.