Tracking Gratitude

figuring out my 20s, my self, and what I'm grateful for

The Blood Disorder

12/13/22

like most people, I really dislike blood and needles. one time in eighth grade my science class went on a field trip to a blood and tissue center, and I was watching a lady move bags of donated blood from one drawer to another. like she was literally behind a wall of glass in a lab room and I was in the hallway watching her and listening to the tour guide. next thing I know I have the chills, but I’m also sweating, I have my hands on my knees, there are spots before my eyes, I’m nauseous – my friend Sarah said my lips were literally white and my face was so pale. my teacher Ms. Scruggs RAN me out of there and I almost threw up in the bathroom, and I had to spend the rest of the field trip in the lobby. so yeah – I don’t like blood and needles.

consider it a CRUEL twist of fate when I found out this summer that I have a BLOOD DISORDER!! it’s called Factor V Leiden and it basically means that I’m really susceptible to blood clots, and like there’s no symptoms until you have a stroke. my mom had a stroke back in 2013 so it’s definitely a possibility and something I need to get taken care of. anyway, tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment with a hematologist and I already know I’m going to get my blood drawn and I’m already getting worked about it. I feel weak in the knees as I type this LOL.

I don’t think I have a phobia, but whatever I do have definitely is right up there toeing the line to crossing into a phobia. I would love to ignore my health problems and pretend like I don’t have this blood disorder, but I also don’t want to play around with potentially having a stroke. I will update y’all tomorrow with news of whether I passed out during my doctor appointment or not.

things I am grateful for: getting to sleep in slightly tomorrow since I have my doctor appointment; the new coffee shop that just opened by my job; and my job’s health insurance.

– Mia

6 responses to “The Blood Disorder”

  1. Coalminehospital Avatar
    Coalminehospital

    I used to be squeamish like you, until I went to medical school. I nearly passed out in the OR on my first day of surgery.

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    1. miac0121 Avatar
      miac0121

      There used to be this commercial for Indeed I think – but basically it was an EMT who passes out right when he gets to the scene, and then the commercial is like “let us help you find the job for you” ….. anyway, that would for sure be me

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Coalminehospital Avatar
        Coalminehospital

        Haha! Obviously I didn’t become a surgeon. But actually it does get easier the more you know about how the body works and the more you can intellectualize the experience instead of catastrophize it. I had some serious second thoughts about medicine during that first day in the OR, but it worked out well in the end.

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      2. miac0121 Avatar
        miac0121

        Where did you end up? my appointment was today and I was hysterically laughing from nerves, they ended up taking 20 tubes of blood for testing

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      3. Coalminehospital Avatar
        Coalminehospital

        I’m a neurologist, so I don’t see a lot if blood and guts, but I do poke people with needles sometimes and I look at MRI scans a lot. I do think I could have handled surgery ok, but I do like neurology a lot better.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. miac0121 Avatar
        miac0121

        That’s awesome! Congrats – I can’t imagine the work that must have gone in to get to the point you’re at now.

        Liked by 1 person

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