Clots Of Fun!

 So, I had my appointment with the hemotologist today - I had the bloodwork drawn two weeks ago as some of the labs were not the garden variety. No plain jane CBCs for me! Nope - lupus coagulant panels, ANA, etc - 11 vials of blood in all. Thank goodness for my amazing veins, I've had plenty of student nurses over the years practicing thier first blood draw on me - and not one has missed. The tech that drew my blood was amused to say the least at how efficiently I filled those tubes. So I was at the Cancer Center today because that's where hemotology hangs thier hat of course.  It's always interesting because as they do my vitals I get asked about my appetite, meds, any unusual bleeding, if I've fallen lately. The last one makes me crack up as I fall at least once a month - between reading/walking and not paying attention it's a frequent thing. Dr. Mag is amazing, she's one of those specialists you wish was your PCP. So. The results. Concerning. I tested positive for the lupus coags again so it is for real, there were a couple of other ones too. What this means is it will not make me form a clot but if I DO it will be a clot of the most epic proportions. It will form with super speed - heck, I'll probably be coughing them up like hairballs. So - well, that was pretty much it.

 I am still on a baby aspirin a day but now I have to REALLY take it. Every day. I did not mention that sometimes, when I can't remember the last time I took one, I will take 3 or 4 of those tasty orange candy flavored suckers. And yes, I do have a degree in nursing - that's why I can somehow weirdly justify such behavior.  If I have any surgery I have to call and will be aggressively be anti-coagulated for a week or two. I am not allowed to sit for hours on end on long trips, any signs of a clot - call and go to the ER. But I am not being put on coumadin, etc.. because once I start that it is for life and the doctor feels since I have had no problems it's not necessary at this point.

So once again I find myself in that familar yet weird grey area. Aside from having to lose weight I'm in excellent shape - no high blood pressure, no diabetes, don't smoke, social drinker, exerciser fairly regularly, I take calcium because I love it, a vitamin, and those orange baby aspirins which I've just about written poetic odes about - that's my entire medication list. I have glaucoma that like the coagulation issue it's there but just followed. A little laser surgery about 4 years ago and that's it. I've had two masses, calcification of the chest wall, a hysterectomy - all benign but I am predispositioned to tumors.But lurking in the background is my genetic demons - high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, macular degeneration, glaucoma. So in a nut shell - I'm a perfectly healthy genetic hot mess.