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December was a wild ride at my house. Between the decorating, gift buying, party attending, and work, I met myself coming in the door a couple of times as I was running out of it.
Honestly, I had been feeling tired for a couple of years, and by the middle of December, I hit a wall that I could neither tunnel under nor climb over, and I knew it was time for a visit to my doctor.
And a timely trip it proved to be. What I had assumed to be the root of my "exhaustion" was a wrong, and dangerous assumption. The doctor called me on my cell phone the day that my blood work came back from the lab demanding that I come to the hospital immediately for a blood transfusion, informing me that my blood count had reached a dangerously low point.
Huh? I had wrongly "diagnosed" that I was entering menopause, and that was why I was so tired all of the time. Instead, it appeared that anemia had paid me a return visit, and with a vengeance. After I gave birth to my last child eight years ago, my blood levels were good, (of course they were, I had been on pre-natal vitamins for nine months), so I decided to go off of my iron pills. And to put off a visit to the doctor for eight years.
Needless to say, when a call from the Doc interrupted my little girl and my shopping trip, all holiday festivities were put on hold for a trip to the hospital, where I was blessed with the gift of someone else's blood. Two units of it, to be exact, which the doctor told me would get me caught up to where a normal "living" person is supposed to be.
Wow! What a difference a day makes. Armed with a prescription for iron pills, and strengthened by someone else's donation of life giving blood, I left the hospital feeling alert and stronger than I had in years.
So why did I wait for so long to go to the doctor? I mean really, eight years! Why did I ignore very real symptoms? Well, here's my list of excuses:
1. I'm too busy.
2. I know what the problem is. After all, I have a degree in Journalism. (uhmmm....NO!)
3. It's just my imagination.
4. There is plenty of time.
5. Did I mention I'm too busy?
Silly reasoning, huh? Hopefully all of you reading this are much smarter than I. But just in case there is some overworked, underpaid, desperately tired housewife, working girl, mommy or daddy out there with health symptoms, do yourself a favor and see your doctor.
I feel like a new woman after a month of being on iron. I'm running circles around my extremely active and high energy husband. I've even started a little work out program every morning. And I think I will probably get around to painting my house this spring. Hey, I feel so good I might even come and paint yours.
But seriously, don't ignore health symptoms. And a very heartfelt thank you to all of you who take the time to give blood. It made an amazing difference in my life, and I am very grateful for your gift. And as always, I am grateful to my God, who, in spite of my ignorance, kept me kicking all those tired days, and who is my healer, redeemer, and friend.
December was a wild ride at my house. Between the decorating, gift buying, party attending, and work, I met myself coming in the door a couple of times as I was running out of it.
Honestly, I had been feeling tired for a couple of years, and by the middle of December, I hit a wall that I could neither tunnel under nor climb over, and I knew it was time for a visit to my doctor.
And a timely trip it proved to be. What I had assumed to be the root of my "exhaustion" was a wrong, and dangerous assumption. The doctor called me on my cell phone the day that my blood work came back from the lab demanding that I come to the hospital immediately for a blood transfusion, informing me that my blood count had reached a dangerously low point.
Huh? I had wrongly "diagnosed" that I was entering menopause, and that was why I was so tired all of the time. Instead, it appeared that anemia had paid me a return visit, and with a vengeance. After I gave birth to my last child eight years ago, my blood levels were good, (of course they were, I had been on pre-natal vitamins for nine months), so I decided to go off of my iron pills. And to put off a visit to the doctor for eight years.
Needless to say, when a call from the Doc interrupted my little girl and my shopping trip, all holiday festivities were put on hold for a trip to the hospital, where I was blessed with the gift of someone else's blood. Two units of it, to be exact, which the doctor told me would get me caught up to where a normal "living" person is supposed to be.
Wow! What a difference a day makes. Armed with a prescription for iron pills, and strengthened by someone else's donation of life giving blood, I left the hospital feeling alert and stronger than I had in years.
So why did I wait for so long to go to the doctor? I mean really, eight years! Why did I ignore very real symptoms? Well, here's my list of excuses:
1. I'm too busy.
2. I know what the problem is. After all, I have a degree in Journalism. (uhmmm....NO!)
3. It's just my imagination.
4. There is plenty of time.
5. Did I mention I'm too busy?
Silly reasoning, huh? Hopefully all of you reading this are much smarter than I. But just in case there is some overworked, underpaid, desperately tired housewife, working girl, mommy or daddy out there with health symptoms, do yourself a favor and see your doctor.
I feel like a new woman after a month of being on iron. I'm running circles around my extremely active and high energy husband. I've even started a little work out program every morning. And I think I will probably get around to painting my house this spring. Hey, I feel so good I might even come and paint yours.
But seriously, don't ignore health symptoms. And a very heartfelt thank you to all of you who take the time to give blood. It made an amazing difference in my life, and I am very grateful for your gift. And as always, I am grateful to my God, who, in spite of my ignorance, kept me kicking all those tired days, and who is my healer, redeemer, and friend.
