A crack emerges, leading to more CAD care for this antique

My husband, Mike, and I started our stewardship of the family home in 2004. Mom had died earlier that year and Dad wanted to provide a home for his wandering child.

The house was stuffed with family treasures. Since Mom had been a hoarder in her latter years, there was a lot for us to review. We were overwhelmed by it.

The dresser brought the biggest surprise. It wasn’t an antique like much of our furniture. The surprise was revealed when we hung up, gave away, or folded Mom’s clothes. All of a sudden, a crack appeared in the wood that ran the entire length of the dresser. No idea why.

The most likely cause is a sudden change in the ambient temperatures and humidity. As a cold agglutinin disease (CAD) patient, I tend to “crack” when my system is challenged, too. My fingers turn blue, I start coughing, and hemolysis — the destruction of red blood cells — begins.

At the moment, I am making some adjustments.

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Since my last round of chemotherapy ended on March 7, I have been very careful to stay healthy. I don’t go downstairs when I’m dizzy. I have my food delivered. I take medicine when it’s prescribed. I do not try to “tough it out.”

I’ve gotten much better. Humming Gene Autry’s song “Back in the Saddle Again,” I’ve started working in my garden. Weeds are being pulled, and I planted a Mister Lincoln rose bush.

Then came Friday.

My new garden swing arrived, some assembly required. It was on my front porch in a box. This required some strategy, so I pulled my blue beach wagon to the porch steps and slid the heavy box onto it. Then, with some difficulty, I got it into position.

It was a little more intricate than “Remove the old swing. Hang the new swing.” I had to use bolt cutters to cut the chain of the old swing. Like many neglected things, it had rotted away. That done, I set it aside and ignored it.

I quit work in the late afternoon. As the hours wore on, it became clear I had strained some back muscles. I took a muscle relaxer that puts me to sleep, expecting to feel better in the morning.

I did! At least, I had no back pain. But I began running a low-grade fever. After my experience last January when I was told that a fever of 100.5 F was serious for me, I monitored this one all day — when I was awake. I slept until a little after 4 p.m., the fever still with me.

I dithered until about 8:30 p.m., when I drove myself to the emergency room. Lots of tests, everything negative, except my hemoglobin. I was expecting it to be 8.7 grams/deciliter (g/dL), still well below the normal range for women (11.6–15 g/dL). Instead, it was 6.6 g/dL. That means I will be transfused again.

Yes, this is hospitalization No. 6.

So, this antique is being cared for at the East Alabama Medical Center, where I will be transfused this week. Yes, I’m back in the saddle again, only it’s the wrong saddle and the wrong horse.

My nephew finished hanging the swing. A close friend picked up some medicine. People from my church have texted and offered their support.

“I’m back in the saddle again/ Out where a friend is a friend.”

Note: Cold Agglutinin Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cold Agglutinin Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cold agglutinin disease.