June 18, 2010

Has the Jury reached a verdict?

Your honor, we have...

not.

We need more time to deliberate, play with a few scenarios and then we'll get back to you.

That's pretty much how my doctor's appointment went yesterday.And I'm trilled about it!  Haven't been this hopeful since the initial diagnosis.

No, he didn't drug me in order to make me okay with it either...read on!

He's doing some blood work (sending it off to Mayo so we'll have the results in 3 weeks or so) but in the mean time he's ordered B12 & Iron infusions.  Every other day for two weeks.  They'll make me feel better in the short term, and let us know if we need to do more digging.

He used the example of a cup.  Right now my hemoglobin/iron cup isn't full.  These infusions will fill me back up.  If there is a leak in the cup (internal bleeding) my numbers will go back down. In that case I'll have to swallow a capsule with a camera in it to take pictures of my small intestine to see if the bleeding is there.

 If my numbers go up and stay up, then something along the way just knocked the cup over and the contents were spilled.  No harm, no foul.  No real reason to investigate further.  Who really cares which of your little brats knocked over the grape juice, as long as it gets cleaned up properly?

The best part?  I explained to him about my training going down hill in March/April and how I was anxious to get back at it.  He told me that the guy he had just seen was a VIP in the K-town track club.  "Its funny that today is my day to see athletes."

Yep - you got it.  He called me an athlete.  A medical professional considers me an athlete. 

I mean its cool and all when you reassure me that I'm one, but you're my friends.  You have to say that!!

Then when I pushed him about when I could get back to my routine he said "Its just a few weeks.  I won't hurt you to take it easy for a few weeks."  That statement gave me hope.  This is a small blip on my training schedule.  So tiny I'll look back and have to think really hard what went on.  Just a few weeks I can handle.  Indefinitely was intimidating.

Another thing that made me feel good was the nurse asked if I had to nap when I got home after working a full day.  Knowing my levels, she thought that could be a possibility.  Not only do I not nap, I come home from work, cook dinner, do dishes, and sometimes other household chores before collapsing in bed at 9 o'clock.

It only reaffirms what I suspected after I learned I had completed a difficult marathon (very steep inclines) while anemic.

I'm a bad @$$ motha who don't take no crap off of nobody.  (Cool Runnings anyone?)

They took about 6 viles of blood doing further testing, and one of the tests is for lead poisoning.  That one is a little scary.

Doc: How old is your home?
Me: It was built in the 1890s.
Doc: Anything before 1970 could have lead in it, we need to test you for lead poisoning.  How long have you lived there?
Me: We moved in a month before I started having symptoms.  :-O

So there you have it.  The summary of my day yesterday.  Or at least the interesting part. 

I'm very hopeful that the infusions will have me bouncing off the walls in no time!

18 comments:

  1. I think you'll be feeling right as rain in no time! That report sounds wonderful!

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  2. I heard that just the other day about the lead poisoning thing! I had no idea!!

    Glad everything's looking up for ya...I always get anxious at doctor's appointments. Hope it works like a charm and you can get back at it!

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  3. Hmmmmm lead poisoning? Of course you're a total bad ass. Thinking of you.

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  4. Here's crossing our fingers that everything will be fine.

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  5. Lead poisoning could be a very good possibility. I never even thought of that!

    I am so glad you are feeling more hopeful! You will be back to your bad-ass-athletic self in no time!

    xoxo

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  6. I'm glad you are on the mend, not to mention finally believing you are an athlete!

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  7. I'm glad you had a good appointment. Hopefully there will be some concrete answers/solutions soon after all that bloodwork. Take advantage of the rest period. I have a feeling you're going to be up and at 'em very soon.

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  8. so great to hear you talking bad a$$ again!!! :) whohohooooooooooo

    lead poisoning,, interesting.. I never thought of adults getting it.. just kids who chew on window sills :) can't wait to hear the verdict!!!

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  9. Yeay-yeay-yeaaaaay, SuperBoo! Glad to hear you sounding so hopeful. To be honest, knowing how these things go, I hadn't expected you to have had a definite answer after a first appointment with the specialist, but it sounds like you got a good one, who explains things very clearly. (I'm a sucker for a good analogy. ;-) I was praying for you, and I'll continue...geez, at this rate, I suppose I ought to start praying for that winning lottery ticket. ;-)

    As for the doctor viewing you as an athlete, too cool to hear it from an impartial third party, especially one in the medical profession! (And, yeah, we knew that already.) But how could he not, what with your being so anxious to get back to training like a mo fo. (I suppose I ought to go wash my hands after typing that...shh, don't tell my mom!)

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  10. See, we told you you're an athlete! ;)

    What would have to be done if it did turn out to be lead poisoning?

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  11. Dude, you are an athlete. Own it.

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  12. ohhhh, that IS hopeful. i'm thrilled that you left there feeling so good about things :)

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  14. I have been praying.
    This is the best news!

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  15. This sounds like good news, Brooke! Be sure to keep us posted.

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  16. I'm so, so happy that you are moving forward with this! That's awesome!

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  17. I am so, so, so far behind on blogs! You are an athlete, girl! You were like one of the original Sisterhood athletes!

    Okay, so have they ruled out lead poisoning yet? That's a little scary!

    Okay, your blog is making for some really good coffee drinking reading this morning :P

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  18. I am so behind on reading, Brooke. Lots of reasons- you know most of them- HA!

    You are an athlete, my dear and I am so proud of how you are handling all of this. It is so hard to be held back by your body when your mind is rearing to go.

    You'll be back to it no time!

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what up yo?