1 October 2024
After yesterday’s post, Danielle, Dr. Velez’ assistant, called and informed me Dr. Velez wanted to do iron infusions. This wasn’t news because I knew it was a possibility. What I didn’t anticipate is he wants 8 infusions of iron. Low levels of iron are indicated by fatigue, tiredness and the desire to constantly sleep or nap. I fit those descriptions to a “T.”
I’m scheduled for 4 pm today at the Cancer Center and then every Monday at 2 pm thereafter until I total eight. The eighth one will have to be rescheduled since that is a day I’ll be in Helen, Georgia for a little R&R with Jimmie and Stephen.
I’ve never had an iron infusion before and Danielle asked if I’ve had any reactions before. When I told her I have no idea, she moved on to another topic. I do know the people I saw getting iron infusions before didn’t look too happy but that could have been the effects of chemo or radiation.
I can only assume my low iron levels have something to do with the long term effects of chemo. As a kid, I had low iron levels and I was given a pill that left a bad taste in my mouth. My low iron levels as a kid was used as an explanation for my nose bleeds back then. I also remember having to eat grapes for iron. I have no idea what reaction I will have today at 4 pm.
The four Advil helped last night. I slept nine hours and didn’t get up once to pee. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Advil PM, simply the regular Advil. I’m still pretty exhausted and I haven’t come up with a solution to the hole in the ceiling and the falling insulation. I can’t clean the closet out until I get that done.
Several years ago when I was going to the opera in San Francisco, I stayed at a B&B convenient to Muni called the Parker House. The B&B had a small tree with very attractive blooms visible from the breakfast room. Apparently every guest in the B&B asked the name of the plant and the owners got so tired of answering, they took a photo and explained the name of the tree and some general info on it and hung the framed picture in the breakfast room. Yes, even I asked about it.
On a morning walk, I noticed a flower similar to the one I saw in San Francisco. My neighbor was in her yard and I asked about it and she gave me several cuttings. Only one survived but it bloomed this week.
The species in San Francisco eventually grew tall enough to reach the second story. Over the years, something must have happened because the tree is no longer there. The species in my yard gets bushy and grows about chest height. The leaves are velvety to the touch. The bright purple color of the flower immediately draws your attention.
It was a nice touch the flower bloomed this morning since I needed a little cheering up. I guess that’s why I majored in biology with a concentration in botany.
Stay tuned!
Getting hit in the nose with a wooden croquet ball when we were playing catch as kids wasn’t too good for your nose bleeds either. I was usually anemic as a kid and had to take some awful-tasting iron medicine in liquid form.