Many of you have graciously followed at least part of my quest to find out why I’m sick. You’ve been understanding, compassionate, loving, reassuring, and supportive. You’ve been a shoulder to cry on, a rock to stand on, a hand to hold, and a ray of light to brighten even the darkest days. You’ve shared in my joys, stresses, depressions, and fun. Those of you who have been there when I needed you, well, you know who you are. And so do I. I love, appreciate, and cherish each of you.
I had an appointment with the endocrinologist on January 26th. At that appointment, he ordered a plethora of blood work, and the results came in today. It’s some bad news, no good news, and no *real* answers.
My red count is extremely low, meaning I’ve become quite anemic. My white count is also rather low, with a high percentage of autoantibodies. (Autoantibodies are antibodies that your immune system creates which attack your own organs and tissues. These are bad things.) My thyroid levels are still low.
I’m now taking an even higher dose of thyroid hormone, still trying to push my thyroid into overdrive. It’s important that I don’t get sick at all, as even the most minor cold or infection could be disastrous for my system. It’s possible that my low blood count is related to the fact that I was on very strong (chemotherapy-grade) antibiotics for the last month. For now, we need to proceed with caution, hopefulness, and patience. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that for very long…
As always, I’ll keep you all informed. Smooches!
<3 XoXo <3
Julie Ann
