Cold weather and long hours challenged this ‘CADdie’ on the job

Creak, groan! This time the complainer is my 2003 car. Apparently, it doesn’t like a temperature of 30 F any more than I do. In spite it all, I put on my lined gloves, double-check my purse for plenty of chemical hand-warmers, and cover my face to make the 957-foot walk from my parking spot into Neville Arena here in Auburn, Alabama.

I stop several times along the way to catch my breath. Meanwhile, crazy college students scurry past me. They want to be first in line, hoping to appear on a TV show. I think, “What’s your hurry? It’s 5 o’clock in the morning! We don’t open the doors for another two hours.”

My next thought addresses the college students: “How can you survive wearing shorts?” It’s all envy. I must be careful in this kind of weather. Already there’s a slight tingling in my fingertips that signals danger.

I have cold agglutinin disease (CAD). We “CADdies,” as those of us with CAD sometimes call ourselves, must be careful to stay warm. We avoid breathing cool air and also keep our extremities — fingers, toes, and ears — warm. Another danger we need to manage is overexertion. CAD causes our red blood cells to be destroyed, which causes CADdies to have some level of anemia.

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Managing my work environment

With these cautions in mind, I prepped for work. I have a part-time job here with a crowd-management company. I help direct people to their correct seats and provide instruction to people who may be out of place. It’s not a physically demanding job, but a long workday can still impose challenges to a CADdie.

I clocked in at 5:15 a.m. There were two separate events on Saturday, Jan. 25, widely spaced by time. For this first event, the TV cameras would only show half of the arena. My job was to encourage spectators to sit only on the camera side and to ensure no one entered or exited via a stairway to that other side. I was able to tell people where to go and what to do!

Getting ready for a TV show at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, where I was part of the event staff. (Photo by Mary Lott)

This event ended without me having to deal with a negative situation. The main thing that happened is that I took off layers of cold-weather clothing as I warmed up. Soon after starting I didn’t need the gloves or face covering. I hung my padded jacket off the back of my chair. I’d use it again shortly.

I clocked out at 11 a.m. along with the rest of the crew. I could go home then and rest, but I’d likely lose my parking spot. The game was expected to be well attended, and parking would be tight. I didn’t want to walk any farther than necessary after the game.

I chose to stay in the arena. I found a quiet, out-of-the-way spot where no one would bother me. Wadding up my jacket to use as a pillow, I stretched out for a nap. The next shift would begin at 4:30 p.m.

CADdies must think ahead. Managing cold and energy levels is important for preventing hemolysis, which begins a chain reaction leading to other complications: breathing difficulties and heart irregularities, as well as kidney and liver damage. Controlling the beginning of the process avoids having to treat the results.

The basketball game was everything it was predicted to be. The arena was packed, with the crowd noisy and enthusiastic. The game was close, and in celebrating the home win, people remained far longer than usual. I wasn’t leaving work until my assigned section was cleared of everyone.

Completely worn out

It was about 11 p.m. when I trudged back to my car. Again I stopped, perhaps four times, along the way to catch my breath. I was more tired than I’d been in a long time. My eye felt as if someone had poked it. I couldn’t wait to become horizontal on my bed.

On Sunday and Monday, I realized that I’d stretched my endurance as far as it would go. I saw signs of jaundice in my eyes and hemolysis in my urine. These symptoms need to be addressed, first by me, in giving myself more care and personal adaptations. If that doesn’t resolve matters, I’ll need to speak with my hematologist and receive treatment.

I tried to plan this day carefully, but CAD is an adventure with new twists and turns all the time. I’m storing this experience into memory to help me better plan my tomorrow.

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.