How I’m like Mr. Spock: Cold logic and cold agglutinins
But embracing 'Live long and prosper' is a challenge with CAD
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Thursday was a good day for watching TV in the mid-1960s. I would rush through my homework and piano practice, and settle in from 7 to 9 p.m. to enjoy wonderful sitcoms.
But little did I realize that on another network, on Sept. 8, 1966, a science fiction show called “Star Trek” was debuting that would leave its mark on us Boomers — those of us born between 1946 and 1964 — and lead us to “explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
From the series’ most popular character, Mr. Spock, emerged the saying: “Live long and prosper,” which became an expression of goodwill.
‘Live long’ is a challenge with CAD
I find it a bit challenging these days to focus on the “live long” part. Recently, my blood pressure plummeted, and then my hemoglobin levels slid well below the normal range for women, which could have meant not living long and definitely not prospering.
I have cold agglutinin disease (CAD), a type of autoimmune, hemolytic anemia. This means there is a civil war within my body, as my white blood cells attack my red blood cells (RBCs), resulting in low energy and constant fatigue.
As I’ve considered the saying, “Live long and prosper,” I’ve thought about how Mr. Spock and I are alike.
Spock, the son of a woman from Earth and a father from the planet Vulcan, works to suppress his human emotions, project an emotional coldness, and utilize pure logic. He embraces the cold!
On the other hand, it is logical for me to avoid the cold and stay as warm as possible. I have prospered in this by living in a tropical climate or by remaining indoors when I’m in a temperate climate. Low temperatures cause antibodies called agglutinins to clump red blood cells together, resulting in fatigue, jaundice, and Raynaud’s-like pain in the extremities. When I’m hospitalized, intravenous fluids, blood products, and operating rooms have to be pre-warmed.
Other ways I seek to live long and therefore prosper include visiting a hematologist regularly. By working together with my medical team, my roller coaster of symptoms can be charted, and more specific lifestyle adjustments can be made. Even in the summer, I have a space heater in my room, in case other family members need the rest of the house to be cooler.
I learned the hard way to stay out of mountain streams and to check the temperature of a swimming pool before I dive in. When I shop at grocery stores, I wear a sweater, and at football games, I sit in the sunshine.
Both Spock and I manage coldness in our lives. He uses rigorous Vulcan training and meditation to suppress his human tendencies. I enforce discipline to either avoid or adapt to physical cold. For the two of us, it’s a lifelong endeavor.
March 26 is the birthday of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played Spock. It is recognized as Live Long and Prosper Day. I’m glad we’re recognizing Nimoy’s work and celebrating his life, and I hope we are all striving to live long and prosper each and every day.
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.
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