Reprieved

Yesterday I went in for my glucose screen an hour after drinking the thoroughly disgusting lemon-lime "test beverage". A couple hours later, Nurse Debbie called me with more bad news (as if Tuesday wasn't depressing enough). Apparently the range of normal for sugar in the blood is a count of 140 or lower. My count was 146 points. What that meant was I had to come in immediately for a more extensive test. More test beverage and more needles.

So this morning I showed up at the clinic at 8 a.m., had my blood drawn, drank more vile lemon-lime on the rocks, and then returned every hour on the hour to have my blood drawn three more times. Yeesh. I must say the ladies who work in the lab at the clinic where I go were so pleasant, I almost didn't mind being their personal pincushion over the last two days. I minded even less when Nurse Debbie called me back ten minutes ago and told me that no, I don't have gestational diabetes. She tempered the good news with a caveat that my sugar was at the high end of the normal range, so I will probably have to have another glucose screen (the extended three-hour director's cut) in another month. In the meantime, my doctor wants me to go off sugar. I just smiled and said, "I'm way ahead of you."

Jim made the comment last night that whatever happened with the test, this could be considered as a warning shot across the bow. I completely agree. I've been pretty cavalier in the past about my health, but I simply can't afford to be anymore. I intend to make the most of this reprieve by working on some serious lifestyle changes that I want to be permanent. I'm reminded of a wonderful quote by Goethe taped on the wall above my desk, which seems particularly relevant now:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."

And as Rosie the Riveter succinctly says: "We can do it!"