Friday, January 2, 2009

Treat Normocytic Anemia with Iron?!

I'm sent home with a red blood cell count of 2.8 and told to take iron for an anemia that is not treatable with iron or caused by iron deficiency. I have normocytic anemia and it's caused by severe blood loss. It basically, from my understanding, means I need a blood transfusion.

I feel, anymore, like I cannot go to a hospital without a witness, number 1, a voice recorder, number 2, and a laptop, number 3.

I took a roommate last time I went to GW ER so he was there and heard everything. He's one of the CIA guard guys. Anyway, it's no big deal. But he heard the whole thing between me and Spitzer and everything else they told me. Also, that one nurse, was very concerned about giving me correct information about my blood levels, and first said I was at a 7, and then came back with the real numbers, because she was trying to be diligent. She said my red blood cell was at 9, the hemo I don't remember, and hemocrit was at 2 something.

Now, I find out my red blood cell count was totally abnormal and they discharged me? I am sort of wondering why. I mean, is a 2.89 good enough? And they know why I was low on red blood cell count, that it wasn't from bad nutrition, so why are they telling me to take iron? like that's going to cure me? especially when I'm still bleeding, and, it appears, I've NOT had a "completed miscarriage".

I am not trying to be critical, but I'm trying to be careful. Everyone needs to do this, for themselves. You have to trust yourself, and you have to research, and back up, and ask questions and find out for yourself if what you're told is true. The experts make mistakes, and often, you are your own expert because nobody cares about you and your life and health, like you.

I had someone, again, ask me what my medical background was, when I was at the GW ER. I don't have a medical background. I am like everyone else, but I check stuff OUT. I read, and if you read, you can learn a lot. You can even learn just as much as the experts know, because they get their knowledge from practice, and reading. Anyone can read. But if you read, AND you can analyse and process the information you take in, you can also problem-solve. And YOU can problem-solve anything. You can problem solve legal stuff, medical stuff, anything. You just have to have the vocabulary and reading behind you, and the drive to do it and curiosity, and then be able to assimilate the information and analyse.

More people should do this. Everyone should, I think. Then I wouldn't be viewed as a curiosity for knowing things, and other people can better protect themselves, and their loved ones.

You have to trust yourself. YOU are smart and YOU are just as smart as they are. They have time to do the reading, and that's what makes them experts. They study this stuff, and have time to do it. But if you study and know what you're looking for, you can learn just as much.

What some doctors will do, is appreciate your base of knowledge, and your desire "to know" and they will respect your intelligence and work WITH you to find out what's going on. If a doctor is trying to withhold information from you, about your own health, something is wrong.

A good doctor will work with their patient, and will want them to have all the information, to help them solve the problem. Some egos are secure and this comes easily for them, and others are not so secure.

If a doctor, or any expert, is afraid of your ability to learn and check their homework, there is something wrong. Some experts just want you to swallow anything they say, and never question them.

I'm tired, again. And in pain again, and going to take a nap.

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