Why is everything so complicated?

Once upon a time, I was going along fine resigned in the knowledge my time on this earth is some what limited. Even knowing I was anemic didn't seem to phase me. Except for some fatigue [possibly more depression related], I was still feeling reasonably well. At least as well as an anemic, 61 (soon to be 62) year old with a terminal illness could feel.

So why in the world did I have to notice the word "hypochromia" on my latest blood test? It was on the two previous tests, and I didn't notice it. So why now?

If I hadn't noticed it, I would still be merrily rolling along [pun intended] riding my bike 150 to 200 miles a week, drinking 4 to 5 cups of green tea a day, working 2 days a week, even planning some vacation or what not, with the sole intention of trying not to focus on anything negative.

But now that I have, it's hard not to focus on the negative. Especially the colonoscopy, and likely endoscopy, needed to help determine the cause of the iron deficiency. I've had both procedures before, and neither were the most pleasant to endure, and which will be made even more problematic due to my enlarged spleen. (For all you doctors out there, it extends 4 fingers below my rib cage.)

So while I wait for my colonoscopy consultation (for which I'm not in any hurry), I've started taking an iron supplement, in the hope I can reverse the deficiency, knowing full well that any improvement may only be masking the real problem, and that a colonoscopy will still be required. But even that is presenting some issues.

I've learned, after doing much reserach, that taking an iron supplement is not such a simple a task. For one thing, the body only absorbs about 10% of the iron it consumes, and that many things can interfere with the absorption, including green tea, chocolate, and even wine, 3 things I partake in quite often, just to name a few. And then there's vitamin C, something I have avoided (at least in supplement form) since my diagnosis with MCL, which aids in the absorption of iron.

Consequently, I now keep track of when I eat (and drink green tea), so I know when to take the iron (determined to be 1 hour before and 2 hours after eating) to maximize absorption.

Unfortunately that has caused another issue. Like the fact, it's 10 AM and having just finished a cup of tea, means I can't take an iron tablet until noon, and can't eat lunch until 1 PM, but I'm hungry now.

This is when will power really comes in to play. I just hope I can hold out till noon, when I can at least eat the orange I brought with me (remember Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron) when I take the iron.

Oh well, if nothing else this should at least aid in my quest to lose some more weight.

Vaccine Mandates, what are they good for?

Not much, that's for sure! Simply showing evidence of receiving a Covid-19 vaccine (whether fake or not), does not mean you are protected from getting Covid-19, nor spreading it, if infected. We are all different, and too many of us, i.e. people who are immunocompromised/ immunosupressed, the elderly, or others for various reasons, do not [cannot] mount an immune response as good as younger and healthier individuals. What is evidence of immunity is a quantitative antibody test showing you have developed antibodies, and to what degree, either from natural immunity or the vaccine. That is what we should be testing for. That is what is important. But for too long, many, i.e. the FDA, doctors, and other health experts discouraged people (and still are) from getting antibody tests, because there was little knowledge about what level of antibodies are needed to impart immunity to the virus. That of course is true, to some extent, but how can we ever find out [learn] the answer to that q

History IS repeating itself

I didn't grow up during the rise and fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany, so for me to claim it feels like those are the times we are living in now, must be taken with a grain of salt. But I have seen enough movies, and read enough history to know, if the times we're living in now are not akin to the rise of a Nazism and Facism in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's, then we're not far off. If you can't see the parallels with Nazi Germany, then you must be living in a different country than me. Republicans and other right wing extremists will stop at nothing to subvert the will of the majority, forcing their beliefs, that they are the superior race and have been appointed by God, to impose their will on America, while they blame all our problems on immigrants, blacks and Jews. As I speak, Mitch McConnell, and his minions are raising roadblocks to all legislation designed to help average Americans under the guise of fiscal responsibility. They condone violent and verba

Open letter to all Democrats

Stop the nonsense! Continuing to go after Trump, without any hope of getting a conviction, does nothing more than provide Republicans with an obstructionist dialogue (now that they have come up with the unconstitutional talking point) in addition to giving Trump much needed publicity, when we should be ignoring him. It's the pure definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result! Instead Democrats need to be laser focused on what is important to all Americans, i.e. healthcare, Social Security and Medicare, infrastructure reform, the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, to name just a few. And when you do talk about Trump, simply steer the conversation as to how the Trump administration botched everything, how Trump is responsible for the deaths of 400,000+ Americans, due to his inaction and the down playing of the pandemic, plus the deaths of 2 Capitol policeman during the insurrection Trump provoked and incited on January 6, 2021.

LIVING WITH MCL

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