Being Upright Makes Me Dizzy
Aug. 10th, 2007 08:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tanarillLet's back up.
Today, I woke up at 6.30 AM. This counts as sleeping in. I think it says something about me that sleeping in is until 6.30. However, I promptly fell back to sleep for the 2.5 hour drive to Grand Rapids.
When next I was conscious, with an aggregate sleep of about 9 hours, I was information'd up. They told me all about how it works what happens . . . I learned that the patient (ho is a 10-year-old) will be chemo'd and radio'd enough to kill all of her own bone marrow. Then they replace it with mine. If we were different blood types (a thing I do not know) she might finish her life a different blood type than the started it. I'm AB+, universal acceptor, so this is probably a good thing from the standpoint of someone who might need many blood transfusions.
Then we went to the hospital, where I was weighed (yup, still overweight), x-rayed, EKG'd, talked to a doctor, gave them some blood samples, and freaked them out with the fact that my urine sample was bright orange until I explained that it's just my period. Then a nice Indian doctor came and did regular doctory things, which tickled me extremely because I have sensitive skin, asked me some questions . . .
People kept asking if I was pregnant. I am on my period, and on BC pills :/
Next, I called sorority sister Gen, and we met up with minimal trouble. She led us to the local Olive Garden, where I had very nice portobello ravioli things, MW had the manicoti, annd Gen had a soup and salad. MW thought she was Awesome, and fun was had by all. Since the NBMR was picking up the tab for mine and MW's meals, we paid for Ger's, which is goo because Gen is always short on cash. I ate lots, because the very last thing on the itinerary was to go give some blood.
The idea behind the blood-giving is this: when they remove the bone marrow, there will still be blood in my body but not as many marrow cells around to replace it as it dies. Thus, they're going to remove the marrow but pump me full of my own blood, which will help and also jump-start the healing.
This did not go as planned. They pricked my finger, tested my iron levels (on the low side, another effect of my period), did all the paperwork, and put a needle in the arm they hadn't used at the hospital for drawing. It didn't work. Some blood went down the tube, and then it stopped. The tried to make it go again . . . but eventually, they ended pulling in out, putting another needle in my other arm (the same one they pricked at the hospital, but not the same vein), and drawing the blood from there. Everyone kept saying I have nice veins. I find this slightly creepy, in a vampiric way.
Then they gave me cookies and juice and had me sit down for a while to get used to the dizzy. I slept most of the way home too. Now, whenever I am vertical, I get a little dizzy. But I'm not actually tired, although that's what I feel like, so when I'm horizontal I'm fine. The doctors said to get lots of iron. This means I get to demand Beef :)
Dad says we're going to Shul tomorrow :/ I don't want to. I feel like I've done something worthy already, and they ought to let me rest.
Today, I woke up at 6.30 AM. This counts as sleeping in. I think it says something about me that sleeping in is until 6.30. However, I promptly fell back to sleep for the 2.5 hour drive to Grand Rapids.
When next I was conscious, with an aggregate sleep of about 9 hours, I was information'd up. They told me all about how it works what happens . . . I learned that the patient (ho is a 10-year-old) will be chemo'd and radio'd enough to kill all of her own bone marrow. Then they replace it with mine. If we were different blood types (a thing I do not know) she might finish her life a different blood type than the started it. I'm AB+, universal acceptor, so this is probably a good thing from the standpoint of someone who might need many blood transfusions.
Then we went to the hospital, where I was weighed (yup, still overweight), x-rayed, EKG'd, talked to a doctor, gave them some blood samples, and freaked them out with the fact that my urine sample was bright orange until I explained that it's just my period. Then a nice Indian doctor came and did regular doctory things, which tickled me extremely because I have sensitive skin, asked me some questions . . .
People kept asking if I was pregnant. I am on my period, and on BC pills :/
Next, I called sorority sister Gen, and we met up with minimal trouble. She led us to the local Olive Garden, where I had very nice portobello ravioli things, MW had the manicoti, annd Gen had a soup and salad. MW thought she was Awesome, and fun was had by all. Since the NBMR was picking up the tab for mine and MW's meals, we paid for Ger's, which is goo because Gen is always short on cash. I ate lots, because the very last thing on the itinerary was to go give some blood.
The idea behind the blood-giving is this: when they remove the bone marrow, there will still be blood in my body but not as many marrow cells around to replace it as it dies. Thus, they're going to remove the marrow but pump me full of my own blood, which will help and also jump-start the healing.
This did not go as planned. They pricked my finger, tested my iron levels (on the low side, another effect of my period), did all the paperwork, and put a needle in the arm they hadn't used at the hospital for drawing. It didn't work. Some blood went down the tube, and then it stopped. The tried to make it go again . . . but eventually, they ended pulling in out, putting another needle in my other arm (the same one they pricked at the hospital, but not the same vein), and drawing the blood from there. Everyone kept saying I have nice veins. I find this slightly creepy, in a vampiric way.
Then they gave me cookies and juice and had me sit down for a while to get used to the dizzy. I slept most of the way home too. Now, whenever I am vertical, I get a little dizzy. But I'm not actually tired, although that's what I feel like, so when I'm horizontal I'm fine. The doctors said to get lots of iron. This means I get to demand Beef :)
Dad says we're going to Shul tomorrow :/ I don't want to. I feel like I've done something worthy already, and they ought to let me rest.
