“Blood is thicker than water”…..if you have enough!

By Raven Nicolé

I started off my 2024 taking my health more seriously. Keeping doctors appointments I had made and rescheduled, several times. I blamed my many cancellations on the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but really…….I was scared. I did the one thing every healthcare worker forbad me to do, including my Mom whom put on her nursing hat; I Googled every symptom, ache and pain that I felt. I was falling into nosophobia, quickly. I took some deep breaths, prayed and got off the internet.

I needed answers so I swallowed my fears and had some lab work done. My blood was drawn and I went on my way. That was on a Monday, shortly after the New Year. The following day, around 5:27am my cell phone vibrated. I was already a little restless, waiting to hear my results, so I was asleep yet partially awake. I missed the call however, because when I looked at my phone it said: “Private”. Private? I certainly was not going to answer the phone then. A message was left from the private number, and that was unusual. When I pushed play, the person calling was my nurse. That early in the morning, and that quickly…….it was serious. Her message said that there was a critical result in my lab work, and she would try to call me back again.

CRITICAL!??

My heart sank into my stomach. That is exactly what I feared, and had been praying would not happen. Her number came up private and I had no tolerance for patience. Right after I heard her message, I rapidly dialed *69. That did not work. I called the doctors office out of sheer desperation…of course they were still closed. So I Googled her name and found her nursing profile with an out of state number attached. I took my chances and dialed that number. To my relief, she answered. I nervously told her that I heard her message. She then urgently explained to me, that my hemoglobin was so low, that I needed to immediately make arrangements for my son and go to the emergency room. In other words, my body did not have enough blood, therefore my oxygen levels were low; not sending enough oxygen to my organs, including my brain and heart. My hemoglobin was at a 5.4. Anything below 7 is dangerously critical and a matter of life or death. For Women my age and around my age, hemoglobin levels should be between 12-15.

So I got my son together to spend a few days with his grandparents, and I was on my way to the ER for a blood transfusion. The following early morning, which was on a Wednesday, I got up in the morning, by the Grace of God, got myself together, and headed to the ER. I arrived around 7:45am. My body was so weak, that even walking back to my room was the most exhausting marathon.

God bless my Mom; she came to pick me up immediately after her shift. She was still in full uniform. I was checked into a room rather quickly. When I called the ER the day before to ask how long wait times were, I was told about 4 hours. While securely in my ER room I asked my Mom, if it were possible that I was checked in more quickly because the staff saw her in uniform. She replied; “probably”. Whatever the reason was for me to have bypassed 4 hours of waiting…..Thank You Jesus! An attending doctor told me that some had been waiting for 24 hours. That information is a whole different topic of one of the many issues within the American healthcare system. My Mom did not purposely wear her uniform, I just needed to get to the ER incredibly early and she had no time to change. All ER patients eyes were on her…hoping she would check them out, as she tried to be incognito. Her shift was over. It was not even her place of work. They know those navy blue uniforms.

With my iPad and new book in tight grasp, I laid my head back on the most uncomfortable bed. I felt peaceful knowing that I made it to the ER, and not to the morgue….for as bad as I was. The scarier part, was when I had time to reflect on what led me to the moment I was awaiting 2 liters of blood. I remembered how terrible I felt in September. I could hardly walk. Even when making it to the hospital, I felt so much more better at that point, than I did, during that horrible September/November. I said to my Mom….if my hemoglobin levels are this low now, and it’s dangerous, then that means they were even lower back then; I could have died.

God is so good and His mercy and grace kept me alive, because people have had strokes and have gone into cardiac arrest with hemoglobin levels at 6. I was living off of His grace when I should have been dead, and didn’t even realize it. Thank You Jesus!

After seeing a few nurses, an ultra sound of my reproductive organs, talking with a couple of doctors……..I was HANGRY! I wanted a burger and a shake. I also had to use the bathroom, which I was too weak to walk to, and I was sleepy. All of these different situations that needed a resolution. I was not allowed to eat or drink while receiving my blood transfusion. My bed was switched to a more comfortable one……because I was going to be there for a while. The bathroom situation……..no comment.

I got situated and my new blood was giving me some color to my pale skin. My nurse came in to check my vitals as I was reading my book……

She asked; “What are you reading?” So I showed her the title. She then asked; “Oh, you’re learning about Indians?” I said; “No. I’m Indian also, just supporting a fellow Native.”

No one ever looks at me and thinks: “Native American”, unless I’d wearing regalia. At that point, they would just stare. Either case, I don’t make it a big deal. My hair is always curly and white people have always assumed that my Mama must be white and my Daddy, black. Fair skin, where I’m from, has always been equated to being bi-racial……where one’s parents are white and black. It is strange to me that people still get culture shock, or are surprised to know that being mixed can come in a variety of flavors.

I digress.

After getting my blood bank order, I felt a little better. I was able to go home, back to my child, back to my comforts. Thank You Jesus.

During my follow-up appointment, which was on my birthday, my nurse told me that I had iron deficiency anemia, which I had always known that……since I was a teen. I did not know how bad it had gotten until I found myself with an iv in my arm, replenishing my blood supply. A week or so later, I went to a hematologist, and after discussion he scheduled me for iron infusions. Excited, is an understatement.

While I am not at the end of my health journey, and I won’t be, because I want to continue taking care of myself……I am grateful for so many of my fears being put to rest. The rest of my blood work came back great. I have some more things to go through, but I place my health in God’s hands and I’m looking forward to resolutions and better wellness. Awaiting answers concerning your health can be a scary thing, even intimidating……but it is better to muscle through and get answers before you face something you may not be able to reverse. Get your blood work done. Have that colonoscopy. Breathe and pray through that OBGYN appointment. Get your mammogram together. You have one temple. One life. One you. Take care of yourself.