Friday, June 29, 2007

All better, sort of.

I talked to four people whom I trust: one is an athletic good friend dietician, two are athletic moms (one of them being my own), and one's a best friend. All said pretty much the same thing, which was reassuring to hear that no matter if it's a dietitician or my best friend with no kids. My doctor probably spoke without thinking a bit, which might explain why when I started throwing things at her like "zero refined carbohydrates" and "high-fiber" and "low-glycemic" and "light but sustained physical activity" she started backpedaling and looked very confused. When she asked me if I "drank a lot of pop" and I said I haven't had pop in probably 15 years, or that I know not to drink juice because of empty calories she seemed lost. She sees me more as a piece of paper, which is just the way our medical system is set up right now, and she's probably trying to cover her ass. I can respect that, but I've had some philisophical differences and this just might be the straw that broke the camel's back. Next time around, I think I'll be going with a doctor who understands athletes more or is at least willing to entertain the possibility that someone might be doing everything right and still not fit into the "recommended chart."

I will still write everything down like she suggested, and I will BRING it next month. Yeah, that's right. BRING IT, DOC. I'm coming prepared. And she said she "might need me to see a dietician" if things don't change and I might grow a pair and tell her thanks for the suggestion, but that's unecessary. I already have a good friend dietitician who is an endurance athlete that thinks my doctor is overreacting.

And I just did that blog rating thing last night that TriEric had on his blog and mine was PG because I had the word "ass" 4 times on my blog. So make that 5. Or actually, 6.

ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS ASS.

Ha!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go for a nice long walk with a few podcasts.

16 comments:

Eric said...

I re-rated your blog and you are now NC-17 because of ASS x 30. Your doc obviously doesn't know your background well enough.

Hang in there Sara, you have battled many things and this is yet another. You will survive and prevail.

It's in you.

UltraMamaC said...

you go, girl! obviously the doctor is so concerned with shuttling folks through the office that she hasn't taken the time to get to know you, your athleticism and your history. She caused more unnecessary anxiety and anguish in one short conversation than she had any right to do. You are doing everything right -- I only wish I"d been so active with my pregnancies. Hang in there -- it will all be worthwhile when you hold Baby Z in your arms for the first time.

Wes said...

All the doctor is trying to do is optimize your health until the baby comes. For him/her that means keeping you inside the statistical standard deviations. It's only when you fall outside the standard dev by 2 to 3 times that you need to start worrying. Wow! I've been waiting to use that for 20 years :-) You are doing great Sara! You are an individual, not a statistic. How you FEEL is just as important.

jbmmommy said...

I'm so sorry your doctor gave you that reaction. I really think that OB/GYN doctors should take the weighing in part out of the visits. They should ask people how their nutrition is and what sort of exercise they do, if any. I know that some women will lie, but I really think your body is going to gain a certain amount of weight and that's that. No one should tell a pregnant woman she's gained too much weight. Knowing the hormonal storm we're going through anyway, really, adding stress about every bite you take in just isn't reasonable. You are doing a GREAT job, your doctor should do a better job of finding out the details and not go by a number on a scale. Take care, sorry you're not enjoying it as much as you would like.

21stCenturyMom said...

Yay for the voices of reason!!

You are fine. Your baby is a total rock star for making sure you have enough extra weight to sustain him or her through a famine.

You might want to have a frank dicussion with your doctor on your birthing thoughts/choices before the big day to make sure you are in alignment. There are many options and these days doctors tend to take the most clinical, least humanistic ones. If you have ideas about how you want this birth to go now would be the time to put them on the table.

greyhound said...

ASS ASS ASS ASS

BRAVO

That's fun.

Carrie said...

I wanted to give you a hug after your previous post to let you know it's all very natural. I'd say the doc is just generalized concerned about gestational diabetes. They do seem to jump all over you about weightgain and I know I ate well and was very active through the pregnancy. The body's gonna do what it wants to do. Let it roll right off your back- you are healthy and strong and active. I presume you may be more sensitive to weightgain discussions because it is something that already weighs on your mind...so you don't need the doctor telling you as well!

I say: Eat it, you've earned it...it's tough growing a kid.

ShesAlwaysWrite said...

I can't believe your doctor did that to you! Wow, I guess I never realized just how lucky I am to have one who's gone out of her way to understand my situation in regards to personal diet and exercise habits.

I'm so sorry you're having a Prozac Patch with this! You're totally right to listen to the people who know you and I'm glad you're getting support because I know first hand it's a HUGE emotional pressure point.

Jodi said...

Remember how hard the build for IMWI was? Things got crazy, emotional, but you knew the end was in sight? Hang in there girl, you're almost done with this journey and it will be the most rewarding one EVER. And NONE of us doubt that all that weight is just going to disappear as soon as you get that precious little thing in it's running stroller!

:-)

Jodi

Sara_J said...

As a life-long "turn your back to the scale at the doctor's" proponent, let me just say that despite all the training doctors have and all they can do--in the end the only person who truly knows what's best for you is you.

Yes, that was a rhyme...

Unknown said...

Glad you let the doc know you weren't to be trifled with. I know I went through several during my anemia nightmare who just didn't get it. To have one of those throughout an entire pregnancy must be a nightmare.

Keep on rocking those swims!

JenC said...

Doctors don't have a clue when it comes to people like us. Whenever I get my cholesterol tested, I am told to "exercise more". My reply "I can't do that."

I know I'm one of your friends with no kids, but I do wish you luck and I know you are doing all the right things. Don't listen to the HYPE!

Tracy said...

Remember, 30 stays in the delivery room, you watch.

Until then (hell this will even work during!), something familiar for you: Deep breath... total calm...total calm...total calm... ;)

hak said...

For what it's worth: My wife gained quite a bit of weight during both pregnancies. She was a toothpick prior and ate quite well. Her doc pulled her aside during the first trimester of the first pregnancy and told her what she told you: You're gaining too much weight.

She gained most of her weight at the beginning of the pregnancy and then leveled off. Just the opposite of what's "supposed" to happen.

The human body is an amazing thing. It does what it wants, when it wants. Docs who've never been through the same experience as their patients seem to have a limited understanding of this. If it's not on the checklist, they get worried and order more tests.

Hang in there. You'll be just fine.

hak

H said...

Ass ass ass! Shout it!

I agree, the doctor = ridiculous. Just keep taking the pregnancy thing healthy, and don't worry about it... I mean, why expect you'd fit perfectly in the charts, when you are exceptional in every other way-- I mean, you are a friggin ironman.

Put a smile on your face, and rock on.

H said...
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