Quick update

I spent most of last week in Edinburgh on a work-related trip attending an academic workshop. I decided not to fly, since the hassle involved isn't worth the time saved. Instead I took the train up on Sunday, and back on Wednesday. It was good to see the fruition of something I've been working on for the last three years, but all in all the trip was pretty draining and I didn't have a moment's time to myself what with workshop sessions, side meetings and meals out with colleagues. Travel's usually tiring, but with an (as yet unannounced) pregnancy in the mix it was even more so. It didn't help that at 1.30 am on the night I arrived the hotel fire alarm went off, which meant we all had to spill into the street. Nothing like meeting all the workshop participants in your PJs and overcoat! I also found it challenging not to be in charge of my diet and eating times. The food was too rich for my taste, and being out of my usual routine I put on a couple of pounds and my average sugars slipped a little higher than they've been (7.5 mmol/l for the week). Grrrr. (Still, all in all I've only put on three pounds since I found out I'm pregnant, so that's not too bad). I also had my first (and let's hope last) taste of morning sickness on Tuesday morning, when someone walked past my breakfast table with a full fry-up including slab of black pudding. Eeeek, did my stomach lurch. I'd have forgone breakfast altogether, if I hadn't already had my insulin.

Whilst I was away the dreaded thrush returned. I took the three pessaries prescribed by the obstetrician on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and on Sunday all the symptoms had gone. Hurrah, I thought, until they came back with the associated spotting on Tuesday afternoon. Grrrrr again. I toughed it out until Friday, when I had an appointment with a locum at my GP practice. She was very supportive, and we decided to try a totally non-evidence based approach (based on gut instinct). So, I came away with a prescription for 14 (yes you read it right) pessaries, and instructions to take 7, and repeat if that didn't work. At least it will see me through to my next hospital appointment when we can regroup if necessary. The problem is that the symptoms disappear when I'm treating it, and come back within a couple of days of completing a course of treatment. Anyway, 4 down, 3 to go, and then we'll see. It might just be worth taking out shares in Bayer, the makers of Canesten, however!! :)

I think my poor system has had enough this week, what with the tiredness, peeing all the time, not sleeping through the night, the thrush and on top of all that a nasty cold. I've had a low grade dose of the lurgy for a couple of weeks now, but on Saturday I began coughing and sneezing like a good'un, and have had a very runny nose. I decided that it would be a bad idea to try to go to London for work on Monday (it would have been a long day, with meetings finishing at 7.45pm), so have been laid up at home for the last couple of days. I've slept practically all the time, so I reckon I must have needed the rest. Am feeling a little less stuffy today, although I'm still needing more than my usual insulin, and I have a horrid taste right at the back of my mouth. Ick. I'll probably go into work tomorrow, and see how I go. I have a fairly quiet week workwise next week, and then S and I have a well deserved and much needed week off - I can't wait. We're planning to visit friends down on Dartmoor over the weekend, and meet their new baby (and flock of sheep) - I'm more excited about the former, S about the latter! Then we're going to slob out at home and enjoy doing nothing. Hooray! I'm planning to tell work about my pregnancy once I go back to work on 1 November.

The only other thing I have to report is that I finally met J, the midwife, yesterday. She works for my GP practice and seems lovely. I spent about two hours with her altogether, filling in the computerised history which makes up the backbone of my maternity notes, discussing how things have been going, and having some routine bloods taken (just pregnancy related stuff, as she won't involve herself at all in my diabetes care). We agreed that it was a slightly strange situation as I've already had lots of contact with the diabetes/obstetrics clinic up at the hospital and therefore wasn't doing things in the usual sequence. Most ladies see J before they ever have a scan or book any screenings, whereas I'm already well and truly within the system. For me she's going to be more of a back up than anything else. I'll see her on and off throughout, but my main care will come through the hospital. I left with a pile of booklets and leaflets to absorb, and I booked another appointment to see J at around the 15 week point (in mid November). I need to go back into the surgery to collect my yellow pregnancy notes tomorrow afternoon. So, next time I go to the hospital I will no longer feel like a defaulter!! I'm back at the hospital next Thursday for appointments with the various specialists (diabetes, obstetrics) and for my nuchal translucency scan and official dating scan (after last time's shenanigans!) Fingers crossed all will go well. I'm looking forwards to seeing my little passenger's progress since the last scan. Hopefully this will be transabdominal rather than transvaginal, and I'm also pleased to say that it should be the last 'bladder full' scan too. I'll leave you with a update on baby's size.


Tomorrow I reach 12 weeks, and baby will graduate to a new fruit (plum). Actually I always thought limes were bigger than plums - one of life's mysteries, huh?!