Next time I'll go with a midwife

Doctor: So, you didn’t take the diabetes test.
Me: No, and I’m not going to.
Doctor: (immediately turns around and snaps at me) You are going to have gestational diabetes, your baby will have diabetes, you will have a lacerated uterus. (She also listed off three other things but was talking so fast I couldn’t catch them).
Me: I have my reasons for not taking the test and I’m sticking to my decision. I’m not taking it.
Doctor: What are your reasons?
Me: (shocked that she was being so rude and attacking me, I got really mad. At this point we were both pretty much using offensive tones and raising our voices) I didn’t even fail the test in the first place.
Doctor: You did fail the test. You failed my test.
Me: I understand that you have a cut-off of 135 but I also know that to fail the test you have to have a 140. The tech at the hospital and my last doctor and the internet all say 140 means you fail. Besides, the lab tech and my friend that is a nurse told me I should’ve fasted for the first test, not just the second.
Doctor: The second test.
Me: No, they told me I should fast for both.
Doctor: Oh, so all my schooling makes me dumber than the lab tech and the nurse?
Me: No, but when multiple people tell me the same thing, I think I can take it as true.
Me: Second, I know the other symptoms to look for. I’m not measuring big, I don’t have sugar in my urine, and 25 lbs isn’t an excessive amount of weight to gain. If I am measuring large or you have found sugar in my urine, you haven’t communicated that to me.
Doctor: You are measuring perfectly and you don’t have any sugar in your urine. Just because you don’t have those symptoms doesn’t mean you don’t have it.
Me: If I did have it what would you have me change anyways?
Doctor: You would have to see a councilor, go to a nutritionist, and take your blood sugar four times a day.
Me: I have no problem doing any of those things. I’ll go buy myself a self test. I’ve done it a thousand times before on my dad’s.
Doctor: And what were your levels?
Me: They were always normal.
Doctor: Well, since you’ve looked on the internet and know everything, what is a normal level?
Me: Are you kidding me?
Doctor: 135 is my cut-off and so you failed my test.
Me: Look, I’m not going to argue with you about this. I am responsible for my body and baby.
Doctor: I am the doctor and if you don’t take this test, you need to find a different doctor.
Me: Fine. I’ll find myself another doctor.
Doctor: You don’t have to find yourself another doctor. I’ll help you find someone.
Me: Are you kidding me? If you aren’t willing to help me, why would I have you find someone for me? If I have to have this baby by myself, I will.
Doctor: (with a look of horror). Why would you say that? I’m telling you I’m willing to help you. I’ll check with so and so and tell her your results from the test. If she is ok with those levels then she will see you.
Me: First, I’m not going to see anyone you refer me to. Second, I won’t see anyone if this building.
Doctor: Why? You obviously have other problems with us then just this test.
Me: Because I’m not impressed with this office at all. You have been so concerned about this test and ignored me when I tell you my concerns about the baby coming early. You have brushed me off over and over.
Doctor: I haven’t made you feel like I’ve brushed you off. (Shocked)
Me: You might not feel that you have done that but I do and I’m the one that’s important. Your nurse has brushed me off as well. I’m not some fat pregnant lady that just sits around all day eating junk, never exercising. I am concerned about gestational diabetes. The first appointment I ever had I told your nurse I was concerned about this test and my levels on it and I wanted to know what I could do to prevent my levels from being high. She told me not to be worried about until the time came to take the test. I told her I didn’t want to wait until the end of my pregnancy when I was hormonal and anxious to deal with it. She again told me not to worry about it. So I have spent this whole pregnancy exercising and watching my weight and trying to eat better.
Doctor: Just having a good diet doesn’t mean you won’t get it. If you are predisposed you will still get it.
Me: Wait, I know that for normal diabetes you can exercise and eat right and prevent it from happening. So why is it any different when you are pregnant?
Doctor: Well, if you are predisposed…
Me: (thankful I had read my family blog and read the comment by my brother about cancer) Right, but just because I have a gene doesn’t mean I’ll get it.
Doctor: (starting to calm down) Well, you are right. I’m sorry that you had to wait so long in the lab. We didn’t know they were making people wait.
Me: It’s not just the lab. I come here and wait for two hours before I see anyone. If you are gone, they don’t tell you until you’ve been waiting for an hour.
Doctor: They are supposed to tell you.
Me: Oh, they do—just an hour later.
Doctor: Well, I know they also sometimes check people in and get you in a room and then don’t tell you once you’re in the room either.
Me: Look, I don’t blame you for the wait in the lab or in the waiting room. If I were having my baby I would want you to come to the hospital and deliver me. I just think it’s rude to make people wait here for you without telling them you are gone. I’m not the only one with this problem. I have friends that come here and they experience the same thing.
Doctor: I am sorry. Look, I’ll continue to see you if you will come to a compromise. What do you want to do?
Me: Do you honestly think I have gestational diabetes?
Doctor: (hesitant) Well, the chances are slim but I can’t say you don’t have it because your levels were high. I’ll send you to a different lab. You fast over night and then go get your levels taken. Go home and eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Then come back in two hours and take your levels again.
Me: That is part of the problem. They make you stay there. I can’t make my kids stay there and my husband can’t take another day of work off.
Doctor: Ok, well, I’ll write it as two orders and they won’t have to give you the drink so they can’t make you stay.
Me: Ok. I have no problem doing that.
Doctor: Alright. If the levels come back fine, I’ll never bug you again. Are we ok?
Me: Look, I’m didn’t mean to make you feel like I thought my nurse friend and the lab tech were smarter than you.
Doctor: Well, they actually are right. The level is 140 but depending on where you go to school or what area you practice in you have to go by a certain level and in this area the level is 135. I know you would never do anything to intentionally hurt your baby. I see you are a good, informed mom. I just have a lot of patients that come in and are noncompliant so I have to have rules and if someone doesn’t follow them I can’t see them. So that is why I said I couldn’t see you earlier.
Me: Well, I tried to take the test twice already so I’m obviously not noncompliant.
Doctor: Ok, are we all good? (with a smile) How are you doing? Is your blood pressure back to normal?