I post my blog around various websites that I belong to here on the big blue marble - so the whole blog post I had written along with any comments that followed were read by all not just your own personal comments on the subject.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to correct my blog title after Kerri had corrected me a few days later on my faux pas (which is noted above in RED for you).  The option of editing blog here at Diabetes1 is only something that has recently been introduced here ;)

Take care - I'm going to be offline for the next few days (that's if I can resist the urge not to take over their PC and check out all the latest and greatest here - that's a wee bit rude of me).  Flapping my wings and heading off to warmer climate to spend some time with my family (late birthday treat).

Posted April 21, 2009 22:43

I can't see the quote from Kerri's response (that you copied) so I'm going from memory.  I can only see your original post.   By the way - maybe you shouldn't have entitled the entry "trying to get pregnant"????  It certainly told me someone is/was imminently considering trying to get pregnant.

If Kerri takes what I said as an attack on her A1C that's too bad  ... and I don't mean that as "tough luck."  I mean that's not what was intended and it's too bad she took what I said that way.  I was feeling empathetic about her inability to lower her blood sugar.  Did you send the entire post or just that quote which easily would be taken out of context? 

I would jump all over any woman who knowingly gets pregnant with A1Cs in the 7's did get pregnant.  That is dangerous for both a mother and a fetus and I find it selfish, reckless and irresponsible.  We don't need any more Julia Roberts' diabetes movies (Steel Magnolias).  If that's not what she's doing ... great.  Get your body where it gives everyone the best possible chance of future good health BEFORE hand.  She's being entirely responsible for both her health and any potential children and therefore, I'm not attacking.

I feel badly when I can't help (I don't mean can't technically) someone get their blood sugar down.  I'll be the first to put my neck out to help anyone who asks and who is willing to try. 

In my eyes, we have the tools and knowledge, if we have the motivation, to get 99% of the population into normalized blood sugar ranges.  We don't always have the funding.  We don't always have the experienced people available to intervene.  And quite honestly, we don't always have the motivation to make change - and make no mistake about it, lowering your blood sugar takes change.  But I firmly believe most people can do it with help.

There are plenty of things I'm not motivated to change by the way - not the least of which is keeping my mouth shut on important topics.  So, obviously, I won't give on the general topic of women and high A1Cs having children.  If we choose to make a baby then we need to choose to prepare our bodies to the best of our ability before starting those cells into production.  Fetuses and subsequent babies need the best start from day 1.

If we compare knowingly making a baby while drinking, smoking, doing drugs etc and we darn well know the negative effects of making a baby with blood sugar in the what - 190/10.6 range (conversion of a 7.5 A1C) ... well, need a give a list of adjectives about the risk? 

Like I said ... I don't want to ever hear the need for another Julia Roberts' semi-biographical movie about a female diabetic.  I know darn well that this is much of the cause of my anger on this topic.  Stupid. Stupid woman!  And poor, poor husband and child.

Doris - I had a bit of a "talk" with Kerri and others about your reply - as it disturbed me abit to the point where I had no words to express myself back to you.   Please note - Kerry would like to point out that she is NOT currently trying to get pregnant - but is working hard on lowering her A1C to a level that will allow her to have a safe and sound pregnancy when she is good and ready.

"I have to ask Anna ... do I want to read her posts? Or will I just get upset I can't help her?"  Kerri's most sincere reply follows and I quote:

Dear Doris, you are free to read my posts and you are free to react however you see most fit. You may find my posts irresponsible. You might take issue with my blog, and you may feel the need to attack me for my A1C level. I know from your comment that you've said you've never been pregnant and you've never had an A1C over 7%. So we're already coming from different camps.

But you might also realize that I'm not a "perfect diabetic" and I'm also not currently pregnant. You might realize that I'm trying to do what's best for me and my future family by being proactive and honest about what's really going on in my diabetes life.

We all need to give the windows in our respective glass houses a good Windexing from time to time. :) I'm going to continue to run on the assumption that I don't need to defend myself for being honest or being less-than-perfect.

* End of quote *

I am in total agreement here with what Kerri has written back and I'm grateful for her response in saying what she did in a much better way then I ever could!!!  Sigh, now if only I wasn't so old to start thinking about a little bun in the oven.  I think I would have made a great Mum!!!!

Anna off to take out the lemon poppy seed loaf that's been baking in the oven ;)

Posted April 21, 2009 16:13

First, I've never been pregnant.  And my A1C has never been over 7 (as long as they've been giving me the test results that is). 

Second, I really hope Kerri (Marrone Sparling) doesn't get pregnant before she gets that blood sugar down - it's just not a good thing for her or a baby in the making. 

Non-diabetic women generally end up (with A1Cs) in the low 4's that's why they want diabetic women's blood sugar in at least the 5's and target closer to 85 than the "normal" recommendations.  Amazing they care more about pregnant women and fetuses than the rest of the population.

If she's got data on that CGMS, someone really ought to be intelligent enough to direct the poor women.  Unfortunately, most can not figure out how to get there.  And then some people don't want to hear how to get there.   Feed thy face and take thy insulin just doesn't cut it I'm afraid.

On the other hand ... if you don't change your target range to 85-100 it's going to be nearly impossible to even get a 6.0.  Think about the math of it all ... My A1C of 5.1 is an average of about 100!  That's an average. 

Not to mention, an A1C is not a miracle number.  It's the amount of glucose that sticks in my body to my cells.  If Kerri has more sugar stick to her cells than me (and we apparently stick at different rates), she's going to have to work even harder.

I have to ask Anna ... do I want to read her posts?  Or will I just get upset I can't help her?