Labs and other sucky stuff--uggg!!

**UPDATE** I had the labs drawn right before they closed at 5pm but they are done. My best friends who are both doctors (Laila and Laura--twins) were real happy to hear my doctor was not holding back. Besides the new labs and the liver ultrasound, he is also sending me to a liver specialist so he is really covering all the bases. Laura was also happy to hear about the labs he ordered for today as they were pretty detailed and should really get to the bottom of things and at least point us in the right direction. Hopefully this will all be nothing major. Laura says people have elevated liver enzymes all the time and sometimes it is just a one time thing and they go back down-- who knows but she said it could be a number of relatively minor things that cause the enzymes to elevate. I am praying for the minor things.

I hate to admit that the anemia is not a huge surprise to me and I'm sure the tests will direct them but sadly I have to admit the anemia is not a surprise. Most of my blog readers know that I had gastric bypass surgery over 8 years ago (weight loss surgery). I was almost 300 pounds and I think I currently weigh in the 150's range so I lost anywhere from 140 to 150 pounds. When you have the surgery you are supposed to take supplements for the rest of your life. You are supposed to take iron pills because the post gastric bypass body does not absorb iron the way a normal body does. So basically, after surgery there is a very large handful of pills that you are supposed to take daily. I hate pills. I despise pills and have an abnormally strong gag reflex and any odd smell or taste triggers the reflex so naturally taking the supplements (including the iron) was very difficult for me. I lasted taking the supplements for about 2 to 3 years until I just realized I seemed fine without them-- yes I know that is the stupidest thing most have read in a while but I was thin and all my labs were great and I felt great so I thought I could discontinue the supplements and be fine. Well, that may not have been the case and maybe it took 5 to 6 years to catch up to me but I can probably guarantee the anemia is due to me not taking my iron. Then to compound the problem, I eat very little meat. I just am not a meat eater. I pick meet off a lot of my food and I just am not a huge carnivore. Not that I am opposed to meat-- I do eat it, I just don't eat much. I eat a lot of carbs and vegys but not meat. So, that makes the iron thing even worse. Like I said, the anemia thing is not a big surprise but the other stuff is. I guess we wait to see what happens tomorrow when we get the labs back.

By the way I got the approval on the MRI and will be scheduling it tomorrow first thing. I am going to try to work myself into a cancellation so I can get it done ASAP and I'm going to try to get the liver ultrasound moved up as well.

So dear friends, thanks so much for your support on this. It is so odd to be writing this stuff about me. I literally have always been totally healthy-- even at 300 pounds I was still healthy-- just really obese. This is very strange but I know things are going to be just fine. I will update the second I get my labs back from today and let you know when I get my MRI and ultrasound scheduled.

Thanks again for your support!!!

**Previous Text**

Kevin thinks I am absolutely crazy for posting this stuff but it makes me feel better knowing there are people out there who are sharing this and supporting me.

I got a call from my doctor today expecting to hear tests were normal and we would just proceed with the MRI for the sake of ruling out things. Well, labs did not come back as expected. I guess I am severely anemic (I was at 9.7 and normal is 12) and my liver function tests are all elevated. My doctor does not know what or why this is because in the past all these tests have all been normal and nothing seems to have changed so we are a bit confused. Anyway, they quickly scheduled me for a liver ultrasound (actually I think they called it an abdominal ultrasound) on Monday morning at 9:15am. We are still waiting on the approval on the MRI but my hope is to have it right after or before the ultrasound. So, this was not good news and I am a bit freaked about all of this. I have always just been such a healthy person and to all of a sudden have funky things happening is just strange.

I'm going to get my labs pulled right now (literally I found a place open till 5pm so I'm gonna go now to get those over with) and I'm going to stay on the ultrasound and MRI to see if they have any cancellations this week so I can get in sooner. Anyway, I will let you know how things turn out but prayer would be appreciated.