What if Sadie Hawkins Day made me the doctor?

“Let’s get some blood work done,” my doctor suggested.

A minute later, the nurse appeared, tray in hand. I saw the yellow rubber tourniquet, the syringe, and a tray of vials. I looked for the baby heel warmers to wrap the blood vials as soon as my blood was drawn.

Sometimes they’re not there. Because I have cold agglutinin disease (CAD) and CAD blood hemolyzes — that is, red blood cells are destroyed — when the blood cools, specific procedures must be followed, such as pre-warming the blood tubes, maintaining that warmth as the blood is carried to the lab, and processing the blood immediately. If they aren’t, the lab values will be worthless.

There aren’t many of us with CAD, and doctors may also not be aware of the latest findings concerning this disease. I think sometimes I know more about the disease than many doctors do.

Recommended Reading

April 22, 2024 by Mary Lott

I prepare for a doctor’s appointment by compiling a list of concerns

What I would do

On Sadie Hawkins Day, which is tomorrow, women reverse the traditional roles and become the proactive ones, inviting their sweethearts on dates or even proposing marriage. The day made me think about if there were a day to reverse the roles in medicine — a Sadie Hawkins Day for patients.

So, if I were the doctor, I’d explain blood values in detail. No more vague “everything looks good.” I’d pull up the last three labs side by side and point to pertinent values, saying, “Here’s what worries me and here’s what is encouraging.”

I would also make a vein finder available to my nurses and phlebotomists. On one awful day, it took more than five sticks to find my vein. Five sticks aren’t just five bruises — they’re five reminders that my body is already fighting a war it didn’t start.

I would get to know my patient beyond just their chart. I would find out about their family, their children, how they live. Knowing my patient as a person rather than a clinical challenge would help me make care more personalized.

Sadie Hawkins Day will go by this week without much notice from me. I am preparing for yet another round of blood work and doctor appointments in December. While I’m there, I will take more initiative in eliciting information from my medical team. I will stress my desire to communicate more fully. Perhaps this will lead to me taking better care of myself.

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.