In Dog Years 

trE
Jernee: back from the Groomer’s, about to head to the park for a walk.

I prepare for life as it comes knowing that I have a companion who has been steadfast for ten years. I enjoy peace and quiet and am mostly calm and my surefire supposed “Yapper Mixed Breed” is calm too. Anything one can think of to want in a pet, Jernee is it. She hangs at my heels, my shadow, tracing my steps. I’m severely anemic. I have been for years. Separate from that, I’m one dubbed as “a carrier for sickle-cell anemia”. I.e., I have the trait.

I do not plan on having children, so worrying myself silly about my mate’s health is not a concern. Not in that realm. Plus, there’s no mate. Bloodwork is a normal part of my life; having it drawn every three to six months has been my normal for the last eleven years. If ever I change physicians (which is rare), my medical records accompany me. There’s a lot of history to report and I make certain the new physician is “in the know”. I lack the essentials needed to maintain normal levels of iron and ferritin. At one point, specialists thought I was bleeding out. I had several procedures done to search for the bleed in question. When they could not locate it, they wanted to refer me to yet another specialist, one well-versed in hematology. Just a head’s up, telling someone you believe something is wrong with their blood is a frightening thing to hear.

I was younger and a bit more of a spitfire then, so I told my Gastroenterologist that I was done with all the testing. I felt like a guinea pig, like someone to poke and prod until a resolution presented itself. I wanted a normal life. One with no needles, research, procedures, etc. But now my body still isn’t producing enough iron on its own. My MCV level is almost always at least four points lower than the norm and my iron and ferritin levels struggle to make it just over the normal range. If I do not take my iron pills and eat the appropriate foods, those levels drop significantly.

Jernee is my little helper. Years ago, I would be so fatigued, I’d nearly pass out. Prone to letting me know when I needed rest, Jernee would hover near me without fail. She was like an alert. Nowadays, she follows me around more than she has before. It makes me believe that something is off-kilter. My next appointment for bloodwork and a checkup is at the end of July. I feel great. I do not feel odd, fatigued, nor do I feel as if I am lacking anything. But, Jernee is never wrong. She senses things well before their reality shapes in front of me.

I will not worry, though. I am doing what I should and I am also staying out of the heat when it is far too hot. Staying hydrated is important too. “By the book”, when you live with an illness and you want to be compliant, that phrase and implementing it, is key. “By the book”. As the dog years pile on, I am living my life knowing that not only do I have my health in good hands, Jernee takes it into account too.

38 thoughts on “In Dog Years ”

  • that little monster is truly the bees knees as my ma would say 🙂 nice post here Tre, finally getting round to some catch up. Colonoscopy yesterday threw me off the last few days….starvation is NOT my thing, thank goodness it’s over and got a good to go from the Doc 🙂 hugs and love and eat that iron (no liver for me, ever!!!!) blah! 🙂 ❤

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  • I know so many people with severe iron deficiency and they’re nearly all females. I’m glad you have medical insurance and your little dog, she is very protective and caring. I’m not a dog person but I have friends with seizure dogs who know they’re going to have a seizure before they do. They’re such intelligent and compassionate creatures. But she’s lucky to have you too. I like your posts about your life and what you feel very much. I wish you continued health, you may have a health condition to contend with but your heart and mind are very strong and I know you will overcome 💓

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  • Glad you have Jernee, and sorry to hear about your health concerns. I can empathize! Because of a gene mutation I too am deficient in iron, ferriton and most other nutrients. Supplements don’t help much as my cells can’t “methylate” nutrients properly. It’s hard I know having to be “needled” all the time.
    I hope your appointment goes well. Wishing you good health and well-being, always. (And Jernee sounds like a sweet angel of a dog!) ❤️

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    • Thank you, Betty. After awhile, you just get used to it all. This past year, my Vitamin D took a major nose dive, on top of the iron pills, I had to take prescription Vitamin D. I’d never heard of such. But, those levels are up now and I just have to take a supplement for that, but my iron had tanked so badly, everything else was starting to go right along with it.

      The body is an amazing thing. It all makes me step back in awe of just how much our bodies need us to be on our Ps and Qs for them to work properly.

      Thank you for reading. I’m wishing you better health and abundant sustainability. Peace, Betty.

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      • Wishing the same for you, trE. It took a really good naturopath to finally diagnose me. My docs had given up when they couldn’t find a cause for low levels of everything. You might ask your doctor to do a MTHFR gene test – your symptoms sound so similar to mine. There are various supplements that help – plus I eat a lot of spinach, lol.
        Take good care of yourself, and wishing you peace as well.

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  • Jernee is an amazing angel watching over you! I love that about dogs 🙂 Take care of you Tre 🙂

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  • I am the exact opposite i have Haemochromatosis … genetic iron overload. It is a bugger i have venesections once a week, a pint out to force the body to relinquish the stores of hidden iron, which is now rust. Diet is key hydrating a must sun is a must as the blood taking also takes all the nutrients with it. Funnily enough they took too much last month and made me anemic. Go figure that one. Well as we are opposite bookends we have a connection already so pleased to virtually meet you.

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    • Haha. Pleased to virtually meet you as well. Yeah, trust me, you don’t want to be iron-deficient anemic, full-time. I’m sure I wouldn’t want to produce too much of it. Funny how the body works. Thank you for reading and commenting. 😊

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  • I’m so glad Jernee is there to give you to hints that sometimes go ignored. And let me call Angie and tell her to keep an eye on you from afar! 🙂

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    • Trust me, the last thing you need to do is alarm her. She gets nervous and scared anytime I have a bit of a relapse. Lol. I’m not even gonna tell her anything until after the doctor’s appointment. 💙

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