Seriousness is not welcome here

I got my pre-surgery packet in the mail yesterday. I've been trying to be lighthearted about the op, but all this paperwork is causing a lot of unwelcome seriousness to edge in.

Insurance info, blood draws, medical equipment (can you believe I have to have a hospital bed once I'm at my parents' place?), prescription authorization, hotel/transportation info ...

Yech.

Of course, I was expecting it. And I'll be able to handle it, one step at a time. One step at a time.

My biggest fear right now is having to take 325 mg of iron (ferrous gluconate) twice a day starting two weeks before my blood draw ... hmmm, that would be this week sometime. Anyway, I've had some pretty uncomfortable side effects when I've take iron supplements in the past, and I'm not really looking forward to having to take so much for so long. Any suggestions?

In the meantime, I'll grudgingly be going through my paperwork. :)

Comments

LH said…
Hi Cassie,

I totally ignored the iron supplements before my blood donation because of the digestive turmoil they cause me. What I did do was add a lot of iron-rich foods into my diet during the week prior - mainly raisens and spinach, spinach, spinach... I'm a vegetarian AND I got my period the day of my donation, but my iron count still managed to be high enough.


I'm no doctor, but I think you can get your count high enough through diet alone if you work at it.

Laura
Sam said…
Hey Cass...I'm surprised you need a hospital bed when you get home, did they give a specific reason as to why?

Also, if you have the time, you might want to try and donate at least three units. I believe at least one will be used during the surgery and the other two are a great help getting you back on your feet afterwards. Turned out I probably needed a fourth, but I went without it (not wanting to have someone else's blood, especially after going thru the bother of having my blood donated). Anyway, just a suggestion.

Also, I have a very sensitive stomach and as long as I took the pill about 5 minutes before I ate lunch and dinner I did okay.

Best of luck!
Sam

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