Tag Archives: blood

Doctor’s Appointments: More Traumatic for Baby or Mom?

My husband and I were advised by a G.I. Specialist to have our daughter’s blood drawn due to some issues she was having with blood in her stool. They wanted to test it to make sure she didn’t have any blood clotting disorders. After giving it some thought for a couple weeks, not wanting to inflict pain on our baby if it wasn’t necessary, we decided we’d take his advice and take her to the “local” Children’s Hospital (a 30-minute drive, but definitely worth the extra time on the road). The morning of the blood draw, I woke up feeling … Continue reading →

Questions To Ask Before Getting Your Infant’s Blood Drawn

From the time my daughter was about three months old, she’s had blood in her stool. It’s not every diaper and not even every week, but it consistently reappears. Her pediatrician and a G.I. specialist have almost entirely ruled out the possibility that it is anything to worry about. Even so, they recommended we get her blood drawn to test for and rule out any blood clotting disorders. I’m not the type of parent who immediately goes along with what a doctor tells me. I like to do my research, weigh the pros and cons, and then make a decision. … Continue reading →

What are Bleeding Disorders?

Blood clotting (also known as coagulation) is how the body controls bleeding — it changes blood from a liquid to a solid. Proteins in the blood work together to stop bleeding. But if a person is missing or lacking in certain proteins, they may have a bleeding disorder. The term “bleeding disorder” covers a wide range of problems that all have one result: poor clotting and prolonged bleeding. Your doctor may refer to a bleeding disorder as coagulopathy, abnormal bleeding, or clotting disorder. Other things can cause bleeding disorders besides clotting protein deficiency: Defects in the blood vessels Abnormalities in … Continue reading →

Family Matters: Marriage Thicker Than Blood?

How devoted are you to your partner really? Devoted enough that if, for whatever reason, you had to choose between your husband/wife and your own family you’d choose your spouse? “Why on earth would I have to choose between the two, Courtney?” you may be wondering. “Surely nothing could be that bad it couldn’t be worked out.” Sadly, sometimes things are that bad. Sometimes things just can’t be worked out. For instance, sometimes a parent opposes a match so fiercely they throw down an ultimatum: marry him/her and I’ll never speak to you again. When my mom was living with … Continue reading →

Why Does My Body Need Iron?

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Iron is one of the most abundant metals on the planet. Good thing, too — iron is essential to most life forms, including humans. Iron is important to many of the proteins and enzymes that help maintain good health. What does iron do for the body? Iron is an essential component in the proteins that carry oxygen through the body. An iron deficiency can reduce oxygen delivery to the cells, leaving a person fatigued and with a compromised immune system. Iron is used by the body to help regulate cell growth and cell differentiation. The majority of the iron in … Continue reading →

Retired Greyhounds Serve as Blood Donors

More than fifty retired racing greyhounds have embarked on a new career at the Ohio State University veterinary school. The dogs donate blood four or five times per year. Why are greyhounds good blood donors? Many greyhounds have a universal blood type, making their blood suitable for any dog who needs a transfusion. Greyhounds have large veins in their necks that make it easy to draw blood. Greyhounds have very short hair that makes it easy to find neck veins and draw blood. These particular greyhounds are owned by professors, technicians, and students at the Ohio State University veterinary school. … Continue reading →

Defining Family

What is it that defines your family? Is your family defined by the people you’ve grown up with? Are they the one’s who’ve been there for you when you’ve needed them? I have chosen three main definitions of family to focus on: genetics, law and special relationship. When looking at family dynamics in adoption, we should know that people use any combination of these to base their perspective, some putting more priority on one over the other. Genetics: Being united by genes is one way people define family. Some people call this blood relation, or biologically related, and some call … Continue reading →

At-Home Blood Tests–Good or Bad?

My head hurts. My side aches. Is my liver functioning properly? Do I have kidney problems? Sound familiar? If it does you aren’t alone. There are many people (myself included) who may feel under the weather, but would rather skip the expensive trip to the doctor. Now there is a new way you can skip the trip to the doctor’s office, yet still get tested for an illness. New diagnostic tests let you order your own blood work, without ever seeing a doctor. You can check everything from your red blood cell count to your cholesterol levels through a medical … Continue reading →