WooHoo!! Well, done, Angela! Way to go you! Lisa

That's wonderful Aime!! Normal people take these 'simple' things for granted - and we appreciate them so much!!!

Every year in July the Maryland Institute of Art holds a very special festival that has grown and grown each year. I think that they now have so many partners in presenting this festival that is no longer a show to displaay the senior projects as it started out to be long ago. Artscape is full of the arts of all types. Music, dance, theatre, media- any form of art one can imagine is displayed. The best part is the festival is FREE. I had stopped going because of the heat and my weight. I knew I couldnt handle the walking and temperatures combined with my weight. Not this year!!! I went last night. I usually attend the last night when I go to enjoy the final concert of the festival. They always bring in some big name to end the festival. I planned to go right after work yesterday and stay til I dropped. I did have to come home to let the "girls" out as my son wasn't able to do it for me. I met up with a friend for a short period of time there. When she left, I stayed. This is a new one for me as I have a hard time doing things alone. I stayed so I could see the band Los Lonely Boys perform. Oh my!!! They were fantastic!!! The music, the perofrmance, the eye candy!!! All of it was wonderful. I danced. I sang. I jumped. I clapped. I whooped and hollered. I was on my feet from 6 PM til 10:30 PM. Have a wonderful Saturday!

Hi Michelle! I was referred to the hemotologist because I was in danger of becoming anemic. My Hemoglobin was low (and dropping) at 10.8 (normal 11.6-15.6) My Iron was low at 33 (normal 40-160) My Saturation was low at 13 (normal 16-50) My Ferritin was low at 20 (normal 20-300) He said the Ferritin was the big one to watch because that shows how the body is storing iron. He took blood and said to come back in 2 weeks for an infusion due to the fact that with the bypass, we do not absorb iron as normal people will. When I went in the other day, he did the labs again and the Ferritin was up to 23.8! I hadn't really done much differently except eat some spinach and liver. I asked him if I could try a supplement, and he said, "Sure, get something over-the counter and take it 3 times a day with vitamin C if you can tolerate it." I think the bottle was $7 or $8 for 2 months worth!!!! I went to Vitamin World at the mall and got 180 capsules of what they call "Easy Iron" that is supposed to be easier absorbed and less harsh on your stomach. Each capsule has 28 mg of iron along with some vitamin C and B-12. I started them Monday night, and so far, no problems (constipation, nausea, cramps)like I had in the past when I took Ferrous Sulfate. I increased my stool softener by 1 per day and added 4 prunes yesterday and everything is "running smoothly" so far. Sorry to be so long-winded, but I hope it helps. Good luck! Dawn

Poor you, Dawn! I have a question - why the iron transfusion - very low iron/anemia? they are having a hard time getting mine up. What prescription iron supp. are you taking? I want to look it up on my insurance plan and check it out. How low is your iron? Thanks for the info. Michelle