take your vitamins

I went for a check-up at the doctor, and the doctor said I needed to go on iron pills. I didn't think much of this because I've always been low. My mother is always low. My grandmother was low. I actually take iron pills when I occasionally remember too. Symptoms of low iron can be tiredness, irritability, headaches . . . but that's me on a normal day.

I offhandedly asked the doctor what my level was -- and I was offhandedly told it was five. As in my grandmother needed a blood transfusion at four. Five! Hemoglobin is supposed to be above thirteen for women. I've always had this theory that I don't need as much iron as everyone else, but five? And I'm functioning? I'm kind of impressed.

I'm going to conclude there must have been something lost in translation here.