Transformation

So, last week, I was diagnosed as having anemia, though my doctor had no clue as to which kind because it was your basic, run-o-the-mill blood screening. (I didn't know there were whole different kinds, either - don't feel bad.) Apparently, the average blood count number is 12.5 for women, and I was all the way down to 8. My doctor told me that 7 is the actual "line" to cross into manditory-blood-transfusion territory. So, yay me. Caught it in time.

It would explain why I've been lucky to stay up past 8 o'clock for the last month, and a whole slew of other "symptoms" that I'd mistaken for pregnancy. Yes, I thought I was with child, and even got scared and excited and started thinking of names. Last Thursday was a real bummer, but I'm also VERY glad I wasn't diagnosed with something off-the-wall, like Thyroid Disease, or Diabetes.

I called my mother after my appointment and told her very calmly that I'd been told I was anemic, and that I'd originally gone in for a prego test.... because honestly, I needed to talk to her about it, but I was NOT going to tell her I was suspicious that I might be expecting. My mom has been looking forward to Grammy-status since I got married six years ago. I wanted to be really, really sure before I told her.

And I was quite proud at how she didn't try to ask about potentially future plans for making her a grandchild of her very own. She kept on-topic - my low blood count. And oh, by the way, almost every woman on my mom's side of the family has been anemic at least once in some point of their lives! Yeah, that's a good thing to know, don't you think? That's right up there with knowing cardio and cancer history, because you can die from it just as easily!

But she'd just found that out herself, so I didn't freak. I just said "Oh, okay. I'll tell my doctor."

Today I got to get more blood taken away - kind of ironic, isn't it? They need to find out why I have a low blood count, so they take more blood out. You'd think they'd try to find another way to test for that, anemia being a blood problem and all. They used a giant frickkin' needle that looked more appropriate for livestock and had to fish - yes, I said FISH - for my vein. (Apparently my veins are very strong and just as afraid of needles as my eyes are)

When they were finally done, I was sent on my way. My arm aches in a phantom sort of way. It only tweaks with actual discomfort if I lift anything or twist/bend it a certain way. It'll stop doing that in a while, though, so I'm not overly concerned.

My follow-up appointment with the doc is next Thursday morning. I look forward to finding out if I have a special kind of anemia, and what hoops I'll need to jump through to correct it. Updates as they become available.... whether you want to know or not.