PLEASE no more health problems in 2011, Lord...

Ten months have passed without me every really talking about this. I've decided it's time because I really would like you to pray for me. I'm not sure why all these things have happened to me. I've always been a really healthy person (thank God).

I cannot believe the year I've had. Getting married was WONDERFUL. But I have had ALOT of health problems that have put a damper on things. Soon after I moved to Washington on Dec. 28, I started having skin problems. I got weird, flaky, ugly skin around my mouth. Then, some time in January, I fell down the stairs at Brandon's parents house and hurt my back. A week later, I got a hemorrhoid for the 1st time in my life (TORTURE).

Also, in January, my hair started falling out. I estimate that I lost 30-40% of my hair content. This was REALLY disturbing because I am vain. Just being honest. Truth'll set ya free...

Next, my mouth started breaking out with sores, all around around my lips. That was in March, before the wedding. Thankfully, it cleared up before the wedding.

To continue the skin problems, I got some rashy patches on my chest, near my shoulders. I was nervous they would show when I wore my wedding dress, but they didn't. PTL!

After we returned from our honeymoon, I started feeling bad right away. By the 3rd week of May, I was having big problems with fatigue, aches and pains, sleeping for very long periods of time, etc. I thought I was pregnant. Thank goodness, I wasn't. That would have been WAAYYYYY to soon.

Then, a new skin problem popped up. I got an ugly, oval patch/rash on my neck that looks like a hickey or an eyeball. I first noticed it in July. It itched like crazy and has really bothered me. I still have it even today, although it's going away with medicine FINALLY.

So, I finally went to the doctor on July 22. She did 7 different blood tests and a urinalysis. We discovered that I was "Severely Iron Deficient". Let me tell you folks... NOT FUN. This has been one of the hardest seasons of my life because all of my energy was drained and I felt depressed. So... Guess what the symptoms for Iron Deficiency are? Weakness, joint pain, belly pain, hair loss, blue mood/depression, skin-color changes. Perhaps my rashes were attributed to this.

So, now it's almost November and I'm STILL taking 65 mg of Elemental Iron every day (this is 361% higher than the recommended daily allowance RDA). I had bloodwork done again on Sept 26 (2 months later). My iron was still WAY low.

Iron in July: 29 (normal range is 50-212)
Iron in September:44

Iron Saturation July: 8 (normal range is 20-50)
Iron Saturation Sept: 13

Ferritin (iron binds to Ferritin) July: 4 (FOUR) the normal range is 11-307!!
Ferritin in September: 9

So... enter my latest health problem... on Wednesday this week, I started itching really bad on my upper thigh. It was annoying, but I didn't think enough about it to look at my leg later that day. On Thursday, my leg was itching like crazy and really hurting. At lunch time, I went to the restroom to inspect it. HOLY COW.... My leg was covered in a horrible, ugly, scary rash! I thought it was a staph infection!!! I was really upset. I knew I was going to have to go to the doctor. My insurance got an emergency appointment for me on Friday morning with a different doctor (my regular doctor wasn't available).

I went in Tuesday morning at 11 am. The doctor looked at my leg and gasped! She started consoling me. Her exact words were: "Oh, you poor thing!!! That looks terrible! I know you are in pain! You have hives!" Well, I was actually GLAD they were JUST HIVES. Hives aren't contagious and hives are semi-common. So, thank God it wasn't something worse.

Last night before bed, I noticed that hives were starting to break out under my arms, near my arm pits, too. Holy cow!!! I started crying. Poor Brandon held me while I cried myself to sleep last night. I'M SO VERY TIRED OF BEING SICK!!!!!!
I would really appreciate your prayers.

So, now I'm taking Prednisone and 2 other medications to help with allergic reactions. I'm very happy to report that my hives are much better tonight (Saturday night). Please pray for me. I don't ask for prayer for myself alot, but I'm ready to be healthy and feel good again. On top of it all, I've gained 40 lbs since our wedding on April 2nd. I'm getting ready to start some kind of weight loss plan. The low iron really prohibited exercise by zapping all my energy. I have to get motivated again.

Thanks for reading. :) I appreciate your friendship!