Tethered to Spinach

I think my regular nurse would be an awesome poker player. I never know exactly where she’s going with my latest blood test results, she’spretty good at hiding any concern with her voice.

Mmmmm......

That being said – I spend about five seconds at the beginning of each phone call (usually a weekly occurrence, but lately more often) – trying to guess where my PT/INR aka “coumadin” levels are at. I know it’s bad when she pauses slightly before reading my doctor’s orders.

I know it’s really bad when she asks me questions like, “Have you had any unusual bleeding or headaches lately?”

For some reason, my coumadin levels have NOT been cooperating. Ever since my knee surgery, it’s been frustratingly difficult to get me (and keep me) therapeutic (meaning…. my blood needs to stay at a certain viscosity, in order to keep from forming new blood clots…. if I’m too high I could bleed to death… if I’m too low, I could clot. Win win situation, right?). Weekly blood tests are no fun, although I’m grateful that such tests (and medication) exist, otherwise I wouldn’t be here today.

Perhaps I’m going through a rebellious stage?

It’s been nearly a year since my Pulmonary Embolism, and 10 months since my lupus diagnosis, and the constantly watching my Vitamin K and dietary intake is less and less “fun”. The novelty has worn off, and I realize I’m in this for the long haul. I feel tethered to my medication and tethered to blood tests. I’m hoping the next stage is acceptance – as in, I just need to accept the fact that I need to eat green, leafy, spinachy vegetables on a daily basis to balance out my coumadin dosage. Moreover, I need to accept that this is just how it is.

But I’m not there – yet.

I know I will… it’s all part of the process. In the mean time, I should probably put down the bottle of whine and HTFU. And yes – it’s great to write “HTFU” in a clinical sense.

Speaking of HTFU, I ran today. It went really well…. it was one of those “4 minutes running + 1 minute walking” deals. But I did it 9 times! And even though I am super aware of every step I take, I also realize that each moment that I get to do this, is a gift. I will NEVER take things for granted, that’s for sure. Blood tests included. Life takes on a new meaning when you almost loose it all.

For now – more spinach and green leafy vegetables. And a follow up blood test on Saturday morning.

Love it while you live it – and eat your spinach!

There is nothing good I can say about this. And yes - that is the view out my kitchen window.