We had lots of fun, lived in Sumter for a year, then followed my job to the "big city" of Columbia. We lived in an apartment for three years, then bought our house. We had all of the things we had said we wanted before having a child - a house, stability in our jobs, and stability in our marriage. Even so, I guess we were just having too much fun - traveling, buying toys, and we began to become more involved in our careers, so we put off starting a family until, in 1991, we began to realize there was more to life, and something was missing in our lives.

Cathie wanted to be free of birth control pills for six months before becoming pregnant, which we managed to accomplish. Then she became pregnant right away. We got all the right prenatal care, and Cathie's was considered by her doctor to be a "no-risk" pregnancy. We enjoyed all the things all parents do - planning the nursery, becoming very excited. Health problems with the baby was the furthermost thing from our minds. We had ultrasounds at 8 weeks and again at 3 months, which showed us a very active, healthy little girl. We could not have been happier!

Along about her sixth month, Cathie began to rapidly gain weight and size. We had no experience with pregnancies, and Cathie was seeing the doctor at the recommended times, with no problems. Then on the next visit, the doctor began to show some concern for the accelerated weight gain. We had some tests and it was determined that Cat was borderline for gestational diabetes, so the doctor put her on a very low sugar diet, and told her to rest. Well, rest was not to be had - appointments with the doctor to get the test done, then follow-up, then the dietitian, then the family doctor - all really took a lot of energy out of Cathie.

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