Friday, February 16, 2007

good blood, bad blood

Being done with school the only tests I really want to pass are my health tests. My first blood test in forever showed inordinate amount of undifferentiated white blood cells and a low blood iron. The excessive white blood cells were due to the bruises on my legs after a rambunctious kali week. And the low blood iron is from a dual family history of it.

I've known since high school this was the case when I tried to give blood and my drop of blood floated on top of the water. Blood is supposed to sink. Blood is truly thicker than water. Well, except my blood. And I just never took the daily iron pills I should have even when running track and doing all the sports I did growing up. Imagine how much faster I could have run in cross country or basketball if there was oxygen going around my body. At the same time I wonder if acclimating to say a higher elevation like Denver would be such a big thing for me, then again, it might make me pass out.

But the hubby and I are both working on health as what tends to happen when one starts family planning, as in having one. So I picked up several bottles of pre-natal vitamins with extra B vits, iron and calcium, plus a calcium pill for added measure.

After a few months of those things, I took the blood test again after making sure I didn't get overly bruised in kali,...AND white blood cell count is back to normal parameters and iron saturation is a strong 47% out of 50%. I don't know what that means exactly, but it's within parameters too. whoo-hoo!

However, we continue to be Jack Sprat and his wife, which means the hubby has to live vicariously. But since diets don't work, we're trying a different tack, and trying to add things to his life so he doesn't feel like he needs to snack or fill time eating. Alot of his old eating habits came out of depression and boredom, which means his prescription includes happiness and activity. Which is good, because as we start a family, we hope to have plenty of both.

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