Whose do I have?

 

Here is the short version:

I went to the doctor for one  thing and came out–

I am critically anemic,

Level is 5.7, should be 12-14

I had a blood transfusion on Wednesday,

           levels should rise 2 points

I am either  vitamin deficient or am bleeding

           internally, most likely a little of both

I am having additional test done to find out

I cannot exercise not even walk for a while,

           maybe up to three months  (craziness)

I really believe I will be fine.

I am taking vitamins and iron.

I  have great  family and friends. (two nights this

     week people brought us  dinner)

My husband has been amazing!  He has been

     beside me this entire week, holding my hand.

I am to rest until Monday.  I should feel less tired with the transfusion.

God is good.

The long detailed version is below. J

My daughter, Kayla, reads my blog and so I have had to be silent about what I have been going through this week because she had two big test in college and I did not want her to worry about me.  So I have told my closest friends what has been going on.  Kayla’s tests are over so I can share now.

When my doctor told me Monday I was anemic she was very upset because my number was a four.  A four means nothing to me, but then she told me normal was between a 12-14.  She asked me if I was tired, been dizzy, fainted, bleeding excessively and/or breathless?  I had blogged the day before and the title of my blog was “I AM TIRED”, so I said yes to tired, I had blogged a while back I could not get my breathe but I thought it was stress related.  Sunday I had worked out and was breathless and almost threw up and almost fainted.  So I pretty much had had all these symptoms but attributed them to working too much, not working out enough, breathless because of being de-conditioned and stress.

I then went  to see my beloved family doctor and he ran more tests.  The more definitive test came back at a 5.7 which he said was nothing to brag about.  He said you need a blood transfusion tomorrow.  That is pretty extreme and then he adds that I can do NO strenuous activities until my number gets up to a 10 at least.  Hmmmm, I AM A PERSONAL TRAINER, I am all about strenuous activities.  I tried to pin him down and said, no heavy weights right?  He said I could not even walk for a while.  He wanted no stress put on my heart.  He said it was having to work hard enough but we would talk later and  maybe I could walk soon.  I really cannot wrap my mind around that one, but the serious of the anemia is starting to set in.  THIS ANEMIA IS A BIG DEAL, I have to take it really seriously.    I asked if people I knew could donate blood and he said,  “No, there isn’t time for that.”  Now I am getting breathless from the his sense of urgency. 

I went to the hospital and got my blood typed and they did more blood work.  Apparently, the hospital did not know my previous numbers because at 8:00 p.m. that night a doctor called and wanted to know why I was not in the hospital with such critical numbers.  The doctor explained her concern, when you are this anemic you are either seriously vitamin deficient or you are bleeding internally.  She asked me a series of questions and made me promise if I saw blood anywhere that I would come immediately to the hospital.  She was very kind but scared the crap out of me. 

Today I went and had the blood transfusion.  On the way there I got this thought, “Whose do I have?,  I wonder if inmates give blood?  What if an axe murderer gave me his blood?  My sister in law pointed out it could be a nymphomaniac or a vampire, my sister said she heard that you took on the other person’s personality within a year.  I texted her back and told her she better sleep with one eye open.  I did not tell my husband about the nympho because I was afraid he would be disappointed by the outcome.

The nurses were great.  One nurse told me it was a small miracle that I was walking in and not being wheeled in.  She said it must have happened over a long period of time and my body had adjusted as time went on. 

It is a small world, a nurse and I  started talking about books we liked, first secular and we then got to Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love and we knew we were both Christians.  She told me that she went to Woodstock First and I mentioned my dad had spoken there a few months back.  Her eyes got big and she started to cry.  She told me that she did not get saved until she was 40 and that my dad’s sermons on prayer were the first time she had heard that she could really communicate with God on a personal level.  We hugged and I thanked her for telling me.  My dad is special to me, but it was so good to hear he had touched someone elses life.

Six hours later I was on my way home.  The doctor and the nurse said there is a chance that I will feel more energy in the next 48 hours.  My number should rise two points and give me a good start back up.  I have appointments with GI doctors on Monday for tests.  They will see if there may be a small internal bleed or if it is just vitamin deficiency.

God is good.  Things could have gotten worse very quickly.  I never fainted, my heart did not give out and I am on the way to better health.  I am sure I will be blogging about the emotions of not exercising but enough for now.