Change Now for the Better

It is better to change now than to suffer later. This is one of the hardest lessons I've learned in my life, but it has also been one of the most valuable. I've learned that the discomfort involved in the disciplining of self is preferable to the consequences of not applying that discipline.

I was hospitalized last year because my blood was sadly inadequate to maintain healthy bodily functions. My blood iron count should have been around "13". Instead, it was a paltry "4". I hadn't realized that I'd been sick. My skin had been slightly yellow. My doctor had mentioned that there might be something going on with my liver, but I assured her that it was only due to my Asian background. I had required several naps per day, but I had assumed that my work load was too high. It had never occurred to me that I was dangerously anemic. My hair had been falling out. I had thought that there had been a problem with my thyroid, not that the hair loss had been due to a lack of iron in the little blood that I had.

The hair loss is what prompted me to seek medical attention. It scared me. Some women look good without hair. I am not one of them. My self-confidence flowed down the drain with my hair. I had thought about hats and had shopped for wigs online, but what I wanted was a SOLUTION to the problem, not a temporary cover-up. Unfortunately, I had also been recently widowed and was certain that a lack of hair would severely compromise my chances of ever dating again.

Blood work revealed the condition with my blood. I was dangerously anemic, so much so that when I was admitted to the hospital for a blood transfusion, the nurses refused to let me walk anywhere because they were afraid that I would pass out. They were shocked that I had even driven myself to the hospital! My condition was so severe that for all intents and purposes, I should not have remained conscious long enough to drive.

I received three units of blood during a twelve-hour transfusion, all the while enjoying some unexpected rest and another luxury that I hadn't subscribed to at home: cable television. I read books and magazines. I ate regular meals that the hospital provided. If I was going to be in the hospital for a few days, I was going to find a way to enjoy it!

The nurses regularly entered the room to take my vital signs, shaking their heads and looking gravely at me like they were communicating with the walking dead.

All the while, my hair continued to fall out, until every strand that wasn't anchored to my scalp held an elevated significance. My hairline was receding at an alarming rate, and I wasn't used to all the new color in my skin as a result of the transfusion. I looked red. I wasn't the pale color I'd been seeing in the mirror, and it took some time to adjust to "the new me".

After I was released, I was determined to make the changes necessary to improve my blood. I borrowed some books about nutrition and following their advice cut out the sugar and carbonated drinks from my diet. I took iron pills with orange juice twice a day, and took supplemental Vitamin "C" as well. The hair loss had me in a panic, so I also took Biotin supplements with every meal. I began to take a chocolate multivitamin chew every morning. I took a sublingual Vitamin "B12" tablet every morning. I increased the iron in my diet by eating "Total" cereal, canned beets, and more legumes. Follow-up blood tests revealed a new-and-improved iron reading of "14". I had made progress!

I was sure that I rattled when I walked, because I felt like I had been taking a large number of supplements. Sometimes, I became discouraged, especially when I was losing hair faster than it was growing back. To encourage me, God gave me a principle which He called "cumulative regeneration". He explained to me that small good choices can have a big positive impact on my life, if I'll keep making them and not give up.

I'm glad that I didn't give up. My hair is filled in now. I continue to take the Biotin to make it fuller. My energy level is up because I have more iron in my blood. (Recent blood tests have proven that I have no issues with anemia.) I feel healthier in general and require fewer naps.

Making changes for the better is never easy. Oftentimes, we have to behave against the grain of our instincts. The consequences of NOT changing far outweigh the inconveniences of making alterations to one's lifestyle. If I had continued to deprive myself of iron, the result would have been death.

If your instinct is telling you that you need to make a change for the better, in any area of your life, it will be to your advantage to bite the bullet and suffer the inconveniences that the changes require. Change now, or suffer far greater consequences later. The choice is up to you.