So after my health scare, a couple months ago, which was followed by the ruling out of the major scary diseases (no cancer, diabetes or a long list of other things) I went in to the doctors today, expecting a simple follow up to some blood work that has to be done on me every three months related to an autoimmune disease I've had for eleven years. I get the "abnormal test results" call all the time, and it usually results in slight, very minor adjustments to the tiny pills I take every day and the ongoing fluctuation of too much or not enough adrenalin. Instead I found out I have something unrelated that is also wrong with me. It seems I have not one but two autoimmune diseases, the thyroid problem I've had for so long, and something else yet to be determined related to inflammation (normal range for ESR platelets is 20 for women, I was elevated to 31 on the first test and 57 on the one last week) - my body is attacking itself in two different ways at the same time. Yay! This is not such a surprise since I have a list of joint-related problems that includes almost every extremity of my body, but I'm basically pissed off at the overall failures of my flesh.
So I spent the day getting blood drawn and having many X-rays taken. The blood tec went off on a tangent about his cousins visiting over Easter and drinking over $100 of alcohol. When I said I don't drink much he looked confused and asked "Well, if you don't drink what do you do for fun?" I just stared at him and watched the tubes fill with blood. Later, the confused X-ray technician asked "and why does your doctor want all these X-rays? You're too young to have all these things wrong with you!" So I lay in a room, on a table, in a stupid gown, embarrassed that I was wearing underwear with little strawberries all over them, and looking at a giant stuffed animal hedge hog thing above the counter, as the woman changed films over and over and repositioned me here, there and everywhere, then ducked behind her protective wall and gazed at me through her special window.
So my doctors gone on vacation, and I get to wait til May to find out exactly what's wrong with me, but with my family history, I'm betting on some form of early-on-set arthritis. Fuck you arthritis! Fuck you.