Feeling a bit less lethargic.

Okay, so you might not be aware of this, but I've headaches most days for the last couple of months, along with feeling tired and generally energy-less - even though I've been sleeping. You also might not know that I finally went to the doctor about the abominable abdominal cramps I experience when I get my period.

So, at the doctors, got sent for blood tests. Three. Once for a full count plus assorted hormones, one for progesterone about a week before my period, and one for FSH between the 2nd and 4th days of my period. So I've had the full count done, the first blood test. My doctor ordered tests for practically everything.

Late Tuesday morning I got a phone call from the nurse saying that my results were back and that my iron level is really low, and the doctor's written a prescription, come pick it up and take the pills. It turns out that the level my iron is, is indicative of iron deficiency anaemia. It also turns out that my doctor wants me to take folic acid as well as iron.

So I asked what my level is. The tested the "light" iron level (whatever that means), and my level was 9ug/L, with a normal range being 20 - 170ug/L. Apparently (I learned this from wiki) levels under 15ug/L are considered anaemic. I also found out that pernicious anaemia is B12 deficiency, which I've had before, and that a deficiency in iron, folic acid, and B12 is indicative of a range of things but mostly gluten intolerance or coeliac. Given that I eat a fair amount of meat (so heme iron, which is easily absorbed), I'm now kind of interested to know why I'm anaemic. I would suggest the period thing but actually they haven't been that heavy lately, and I haven't been self-harming so it's not due to blood loss from that. Further to that statement, I don't really know what losing a lot of blood actually looks like as I only have my own experience.

Anyway I'm torn between finding out the cause of my anaemia and fear that it may be a food thing . . . I don't think I could live without bread and cereal. Anyway.

So now I'm on iron tablets twice a day for the foreseeable future, folic acid once a day for a month then once a week after that. Wtf.

I'm at three weeks self-harm free!
Which means, if I make it through the next week, I get to go mountain biking! I'm a bit apprehensive because I know my psychologist is fitter than me, but hey, if she was going to hate me or judge me for my lack of fitness I'm sure she'd already be doing it. She's lovely so I'm trying not to get too anxious about it.

I did get my car started on Wednesday! Turns out the portable jump-starter was a very worthwhile $90NZD investment. It started the car, but then I needed petrol (as you do), and so I had to turn off the engine less than 10 minutes after I got it started. The result? Well my car wouldn't start! So there I was at the petrol pump. I asked a guy to jump my car as I have jumper leads, but for some reason that wouldn't work. So I put the jump-starter back on, waited the suggested 5 minutes (feeling like a douche the whole time and arguing with a man who thought he knew more about my jump-starter than me - he tried to put BOTH leads on the battery, I moved the black lead back to the metal of my car as it specifically states to ground the black lead and NOT connect it to the battery), and hey presto! Car going again! I drove to Huntly and back, then got my groceries. My car started nicely after I finished my grocery shopping, and I'm going for a drive tomorrow just to make sure the battery's still charged. I still have quarter of a tank of gas.

In other news, I've been eating breakfast most days and cooking dinner also. Dinners this week: I've had dippy eggy bread, cajun chicken and pasta, devilled sausages, smoked chicken and rice risotto. Tonight and tomorrow night I have left over devilled sausages then left over rice risotto plus more smoked chicken. Plus I still have eggs and sausages, so I can have fun with Sunday/Monday/Tuesday. I think I can do this. I feel better for it anyway.

Debbie suggested yoghurt instead of milk with cereal, because I've been having trouble working out just how much milk my system can handle. So I got some yoghurt, haven't used it yet but plan to.

Wheeeeee!

I think I am in a middle place. Not high and not low. I quite like it. I wonder how long it will last

Also the spring weather is nice.