Monday, May 21, 2018

Grey/Gray Monday

It has been such a grey day, today!  By the way, I grew up spelling it as "grey" and tend to keep to that spelling; but, over here, in the US, it is spelled more often as "gray".  Today has been so dark and gloomy, I think it deserves to be spelled both ways, for added emphasis!  Definitely "May Gray" weather and it won't get much better when the month ends and we go into June, for then, we get "June Gloom"!

The forecast called for rain, but, of course, all we really got was a thin drizzle.  I drove through some of it on my way to the doctor's appointment, in the morning, and in places, it was heavy enough to wet the roads and I had to turn on the wipers.  That qualifies it to be called rain, over here.

My appointment was at 10:30 a.m., but, I knew, from past experience, that it was going to take the whole morning.  I woke up at 8:00 a.m., had a cup of coffee, made a phone call I needed to make, and received a text from daughter saying she wasn't feeling too well and had called in sick; she said she was going back to sleep to try and get some rest.

I got dressed and left the house a little after 9:00 a.m.  The clinic is located in downtown; it is less than 20 miles from my home, but, the drive takes one hour due to traffic.  I reached the clinic around 10:15 a.m., checked in at the front desk and settled down to my knitting (doing the sleeves of the sweater).  Eventually, I was called in, my weight and blood pressure checked, and then, was asked to return to the waiting area until an examination room was available.  Finally, I was called in to a room and was seen by the oncology nurse practitioner, who examined me and went over the lab results with me.  Apparently, I am low in iron!  Well, that might explain the fatigue and one or two other symptoms I've been having, recently, which I put down to other reasons.  I am to take some iron supplements and inform my primary care physician assistant, so she can check on it, too.

She also put in referrals for various other tests I need to have, including another mammogram, a bone density scan (the cancer medication can cause bones to become brittle), and a colonoscopy as well.  I am to return in 3 months time for a follow up, which can be problematic as that will be after retirement and I might have a different insurance provider!  I discussed that with the oncology nurse practitioner, as well.  She said, if I do switch insurance providers, to inform the new doctor I'll be assigned to, so they can continue to monitor me on a regular basis.

It was already noon when I left the clinic!  I came home, called daughter to check on her (she's feeling better), had lunch, called one of my cousins (cousin V) and left her a message, responded to blog comments, put away the laundry, and spent the afternoon, well, I'd like to say relaxing, but actually, I was stressing about something.  Later in the evening, I took the trash cans to the curb, put water to the garden (both front and back), vacuumed the house, did a load of dishes in the dishwasher and handwashed a few items I don't put in the dishwasher.  Cousin V returned my call while I was doing the dishes, and I spoke to her for a bit.  I will be writing to a friend and video chatting with daughter, shortly.

Today, I am grateful for:
- A good visit with the oncology nurse practitioner
- My blood test results were mostly good
- The iron deficiency can be remedied with some supplements and dietary changes
- The little rain we had
- A productive day

How was your Monday?  Which spelling do you use - "grey" or "gray"?

10 comments:

  1. I'm glad your visit went well and that your blood results are OK. I hope you start to feel a bit better once your iron supplements get to work.
    It's bright and sunny here this week. I need to get the garden watered. X

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    1. Thank you, Jules. I'm glad you are having sunshine! Enjoy the nice weather and the garden.

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  2. Glad your visit went well. I hope you get the low iron fixed. It can make you tired and as you say, might explain your recent tiredness. It was a horrible day here. Very grey and rainy. It seems to be that way a lot recently. I was hoping for more sunshine once spring came but it's been very wet. Hoping for sun soon!

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    1. I wouldn't mind a little rain, here, myself, but I don't like such dark, gloomy days. Hope you, too, get a little more sunshine, soon!

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  3. Glad they found a reason for your tiredness that can be fairly easy to fix although it may take a little while. Hope your daughter feels better soon.

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    1. Thanks, Live and Learn. Yes, daughter is feeling better, today. She went to work and will be going to her ice skating class, afterwards. :)

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  4. I am also having a gray day this morning. It is overcast here at eight in the morning, and looks as though it could rain. I may have to stay inside and continue to work on a friend's scrapbook. Yesterday I matted all the photos going into the book.

    Doctor's appointments can sure eat up the best part of the day, can't they? I would like to tell you not to worry about the low hemoglobin, but you can't help being concerned. (I worry about my blood sugars going up despite my best efforts) Those iron supplements will have you better in no time, no doubt.

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    1. Sorry to hear that you, too, are having an overcast day, Susan. Hope you remember to bring in your laundry from yesterday, in case it does rain! Scrapbooking sounds like the perfect way to spend a rainy day, in my opinion. :)

      Yes, I am sure the iron supplements will help. Years ago, it was low Vitamin D levels that made me tired! The doctor put me on prescription strength supplements until the levels came up and now, I take a regular, over the counter, Vit. D supplement to maintain the levels.

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  5. Somehow "grey" looks right to me!

    I'm glad your daughter soon felt better. I hope your supplements will perk you up as it is not fun to be tired. Not fun to have tests to look forward to, but that's the way it goes, isn't it? Either it is appointments or tests! My calendar has had a few medical events this year but they come and go and as long as they go that's okay. I just made an appointment with my doctor to discuss vertigo. Funny how I lived so much of my life without knowing what it was like. Now whose crazy idea was it that I should find out?

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    1. Thanks, Bushlady. Daughter is feeling much better, now. I picked up the supplements, today, and, hopefully, will feel more energetic, soon. Oh, vertigo is no fun! One of my cousins just found out she has it and she said she got scared the first time she felt it, as the room kept spinning around her!

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