Life As I Know It

So, I experienced a little cruise interruptus this week.

I went for a blood draw last Friday to make sure that my iron levels were coming up as a result of taking the iron.  And then I blithely skipped off to the Caribbean with my friends.

I didn't think too much about it; I knew Monday the offices would be closed for Memorial Day.  I was busy buying jewelry in St. Thomas.  Hee hee. 

So I figured it would be Tuesday or Wednesday before there were any results to be had based on the tests before. The doctor was supposed to call Brian.  I emailed Brian on Wednesday and prepared to explore Aruba on Thursday. 

I checked my email on Thursday and never expected to see a reply from Brian begging me to call home (it's 7.95 a minute!!) because the doctor has been frantically trying to get in touch with me.  (They had finally seen the note in the file to call Brian.)

His email said my iron levels had continued to drop despite taking the iron every day and that indicated internal bleeding somewhere.  I have to see a gastrointerologist first thing Monday. 

I sat at the computer on the ship, crying in the middle of paradise.  This is a mistake, right?  I took some deep breaths and wiped my face. 

I went to guest relations to ask how you call home.  The young man at the counter looked at me like I was a little crazy.  "It's 7.95 a minute!" he whispered in his South American accent.  He started to explain to me how to call from my room, and then seeing that I was crying, he asked, "Is it an...emergency?" 

I wasn't exactly sure how to answer that.  Emergency in that I needed medical attention right then?  Well, no.  Emergency in that I physically have something wrong with me and I don't know what it is and my husband is frantic to speak with me?  Yes!!  I explained it that way.  He motioned me to move down the counter with him as he reached for the tissues.

"What's the number?"  he asked.  He was going to let me call for free!!  Soon I heard Brian's relieved voice on the other end of the phone.  He repeated what his email told me and just confirmed that for now I was all right. 

Trick question, right?

After I called Brian, I ordered a drink and sat and looked at the ocean for awhile.  Cried a little more.  Then I had to go tell my mom what I knew.

Suddenly I didn't feel so guilty for buying jewelry...

My appointment with the specialist is tomorrow morning first thing.  I am pretty scared.  Not going to lie.  No matter what, life will be different when I enter that office.

Can't catch a break this year, I guess.