Grade A Fuel

I haven't posted since my radio interview I have been feeling a little tired and run down lately and blamed it on working and the heat. This has been a hot summer so far in Cleveland but we tend not to complain about the heat since the winters are so cold and long here.

I decided it was time for a checkup to make sure every thing was okay and my tiredness was only from working so hard. That wasn't the case, seems I needed a top-off of new blood to get the motor running and back up to fuel level.

When your doctor calls with test results you aren't expecting, there should be a way for them to ease into the conversation instead of saying "your blood work sucks you need to get back here now." That kind of statement can pretty much ruin your day especially when your sitting at work and you can't scream in the phone 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY BAD!' Then you ask for an elaboration, they want to stutter around the subject with the privacy crap. Excuse me! You called me to tell me its bad now tell me why! Well in my case, my anemia was extremely low and I needed a top-off to make things right with the world again.

I admit this was my fault. I have to remember to take care of myself first putting my other activities in line behind me. I really didn't want to do it after being told it was too late to get blood from a relative. I got a bad case of the jitters, I had never had blood before and didn't know what to expect. Where did this blood come from? Would I get a batch that wasn't properly screened. Would I get weird cravings that I never had before? All things I'm sure that run through the heads of many people that have never had this done before.

Didn't matter how much of a tantrum I threw or stomped my foot saying I wouldn't do it, I came to the conclusion that if I wanted to stay on this side of the grass then I needed to go this time and make sure not to let it happen again.

Before getting my oil change, I enjoyed a nice breakfast with my big sister and then a nice evening with friends at the park for a cookout. Although I was tired and worn out, I did enjoy myself and I'm glad I went.

When the doctor's office called early Monday morning with instructions for me, the jitters returned after she said to report to the cancer center for the treatment. I don't know why blood transfusions seem to take place in the cancer center of most hospitals but I personally think they need to move this to another area just for mental reasons if nothing else.  You don't go to the cancer center to give blood why go there to get it? First, I felt silly, after complaining about not wanting to do this after seeing how many patients were getting chemo for a much more serious illness. Second, I felt I was taking space from someone that really needed it. It was busy and the patients coming in had nowhere to get their treatment done. I kept offering my chair but the nurses wouldn't let me give it up.

My sister was kind enough to sit with me the five hours it took to fill me up with two bags of grade A positive fuel. She bought me food and kept my spirits up and my mind off the actual procedure. I'm very grateful to her for that. Also I'm blessed to have wonderful friends that offered me support during and after the procedure. Without that lifeline of support, I don't know if I could have done this. Even though my illness wasn't as serious as those that came and went at the cancer center, I now know I have family and friends that care about me and will be there for me if I ever do face a more serious situation, rather it is a illness or anything else. I made a promise to take better care of myself and hopefully I won't need another oil change in the near future.