In preparation for an annual check up I had to have blood work done today. Used to be I went to a laboratory facility but to my surprise, my doctor's office now will draw the blood and take specimens. So convenient. I'm a little afraid my "numbers" will be bad as my diet has just been terrible lately. Too many breakfasts at McDonald's and too many sweets! Not enough exercise.
Anyway, here's what they look at:
CBC: comprehensive blood panel - checks red blood cells, white blood cells, looks for anemia.
Renal panel: checks kidney function
Liver panel: checks liver enzymes.
Blood glucose: looks at blood sugar levels.
CMP: comprehensive metabolic panel. Tests chemical balance and metabolism.
Vitamin D test: not done every time but a baseline test is becoming popular. Low levels may cause bone disorders and possibly play a role in heart disease and cancer. This is especially important in relation to breast cancer as low levels of vitamin D are associated with it. Ask your doctor.
Not included here are cholesterol tests; HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.
All this was done during my hospitalization in June and except for anemia, all was good. I will be glad to see my blood levels and hope they are back to normal.
I would just be happy to see life get back to normal. It seems as if all I do is go to doctors these days. Every new doctor I "picked up" due to the complications that occurred during my shoulder surgery wants follow up visits. Add that to the other few specialists I had already been seeing and I feel like a hypochondriac. I used to be a person who never went to the doctor! I feel like a stone rolling downhill gathering more and more moss as it grows bigger and bigger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MdFW6dYOJ0&sns=em
Archive timeline: 2014: May and June - preparing for surgery, July - surgery and post op problems, August - recovery and physical therapy, September - thinking medically, Octobe
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