I'm so damned angry!!!

[Guest guest]

For the past two years, I have been under the care of a hematologist

at one of New York's most prestigious hospitals.

He has blamed my low red cell count and iron malabsorption on my

pancreatitis.

No matter how often I have been injecting myself with Procrit, I have

been becoming weaker and more lethargic.

My B12 is almost non-existent.

Pernicious anemia was ruled out last year.

My condition has worsened and I can bearly get around without running

out of air. I'm not eating and losing weight, the only side effect

that I gladly welcome. But I've known for too long that something's

very wrong.

I had to demand some extra blood work that certainly indicated barely

normallevels.

Well, I called that doctor and told him that I needed some kind

of " magic bullet " as I was really losing ground. I, once again, asked

for iron and B12 shots. And he, once again, said that I cuold not

absorb them because of my guts.

He went on to say, " Like other doctors, Im stumped by your case.

It's a real conundrum. I don't even have a bona fide diagnosis to

give you. And there's nothing more that I can offer hematologically. "

He was simply satisfied with the fact that the Procrit was managing

to keep my hemoglobin in the normal range.

This tough old former Brooklyn board aint no dummy. I sought a

second opinion. And there damned well is help available.

I have already undergone tons of blood tests that screamed iron

deficiency. I will have several other tests done including a bone

marrow biopsy on Monday to rule out any leukemia.

I learned that although I might not have pernicious anemia, I might

have an antibody problem in that part of the GI tract.

And hope to start IV iron therapy very soon.

My entire body and all its organs are oxygen starved!!

Once again, I had to play doctor on myself.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr