Thursday, April 01, 2010
In the age of instant messaging, text messaging, emails and 4G networks, I do not have the patience to wait a week for blood test results.
They took 8 vials out of me this morning--while fasting (and waiting 35 minutes past my appointment). I sat up and felt a little woozy, but she had me sucking down a Coke and some crackers right away, so I recovered quickly. I asked what all was being tested for. "Pretty much everything." she said. No joke, eight vials of blood looked like it was about 3/4 of a pint! She gleaned over most of the tests, thinking I wouldn't know what any of them mean--little does she know I was glued to WebMD last night reading about what tests might be taken. The RH factor, for example, tests for signs of inflamation in the blood. That number would be high for any number of diagnoses, though. My doctor's top two theories are Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. Let me be clear, I don't want to have either. From my reading, a close third would be Lupus. Also don't want, thank you. Perhaps she just forgot to get a brain scan to see if they could detect if it's all in my head. WebMD also made it clear that diagnosing either of those things can take several MONTHS as they have to rule out dozens and dozens of other things. I do not have MONTHS' worth of patience. On an interesting note, she's also checking my vitamin D levels and my thyroid--and yesterday on the way to work I was listening to a report on NPR about how vitamin D deficiency is a "silent epidemic" these days.
I am fearful of the possibility of RA. First of all, the drugs that treat it are immuno-suppressants. This is not something that sounds like fun "for the rest of my life". Secondly, RA tests show the same antibody present as with Type 1 Diabetes. Both are autoimmune diseases caused by beta cells being attacked (in the joints or in the pancreas). If I were to turn up having RA, that would be a big red flag that DD's T1 actually WAS genetic, that she got it from ME. There's enough guilt in that for a lifetime, but what that also means is that my son could very likely end up with it as well. That is NOT something I would handle well AT ALL.
So now I have to busy my head with other things for a week. Then I expect a call to make an appointment so the doctor can explain the results to me. And who knows how long THAT wait will be. Now would be a good time to be swept away for a week in Vegas with lots and lots of gambling comps, right? *sigh*
They took 8 vials out of me this morning--while fasting (and waiting 35 minutes past my appointment). I sat up and felt a little woozy, but she had me sucking down a Coke and some crackers right away, so I recovered quickly. I asked what all was being tested for. "Pretty much everything." she said. No joke, eight vials of blood looked like it was about 3/4 of a pint! She gleaned over most of the tests, thinking I wouldn't know what any of them mean--little does she know I was glued to WebMD last night reading about what tests might be taken. The RH factor, for example, tests for signs of inflamation in the blood. That number would be high for any number of diagnoses, though. My doctor's top two theories are Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. Let me be clear, I don't want to have either. From my reading, a close third would be Lupus. Also don't want, thank you. Perhaps she just forgot to get a brain scan to see if they could detect if it's all in my head. WebMD also made it clear that diagnosing either of those things can take several MONTHS as they have to rule out dozens and dozens of other things. I do not have MONTHS' worth of patience. On an interesting note, she's also checking my vitamin D levels and my thyroid--and yesterday on the way to work I was listening to a report on NPR about how vitamin D deficiency is a "silent epidemic" these days.
I am fearful of the possibility of RA. First of all, the drugs that treat it are immuno-suppressants. This is not something that sounds like fun "for the rest of my life". Secondly, RA tests show the same antibody present as with Type 1 Diabetes. Both are autoimmune diseases caused by beta cells being attacked (in the joints or in the pancreas). If I were to turn up having RA, that would be a big red flag that DD's T1 actually WAS genetic, that she got it from ME. There's enough guilt in that for a lifetime, but what that also means is that my son could very likely end up with it as well. That is NOT something I would handle well AT ALL.
So now I have to busy my head with other things for a week. Then I expect a call to make an appointment so the doctor can explain the results to me. And who knows how long THAT wait will be. Now would be a good time to be swept away for a week in Vegas with lots and lots of gambling comps, right? *sigh*
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