Wednesday Wellness: Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Because of this....

I am rewarded with this...
THE NOOK!!!!!!!!!!!
So recently my dad was diagnosed with Vitamin B12 deficiency and has to get monthly B12 shots. He could either go to his doctors office once a month to get these shots, or his loving, caring, and compassionate nurse daughter can give this to him. :)
Now, mind you, I like giving this to him as it keeps him in check. If he is "mean" to me, all I have to do is reminding him who is sticking a big old IM needle in his deltoid this week! Only kidding!!!
So, since I'm giving these shots to my dad and saving him a little time and money, they surprised me with THE NOOK this past weekend at the beach as a thank you!
I was more than excited!!!! I have been looking at the Nook and the Kindle for a while and I am already picking out a ton of books I can't wait to read!

First on the list - "Heart of the Matter" by Emily Grifin!

I just finished the book last night and it was as great as you all said it would be!

It's amazing the amount of joy I get from reading a good book!

So a little about Vit B 12 deficiency....

First let me tell you my father had numbness and tingling in his hands which his doctor was sure was just Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. My dad tried wearing the hand braces and all that, but with little improvement. His doctor decided to check his Vit B12 level, and sure enough, this was the cause of his numbness and tingling!
Why is this hard to diagnose at times? Well, usually if you have a B12 deficiency, you usually are anemic, or have low blood count and have macrocytic (large) cells. However, B12 deficiency can also occur in the elderly population with a normal blood count. (Not that my dad is elderly...he definately would not like me telling you all that! He is 62 and looking great!) Other signs and symptoms of this deficiency include tiredness, weakened concentration, irritability, and sleep disturbances. B12 deficiency may also be completely asymptomatic.

I was reading a journal article that stated we are not picking up the diagnosis often. It is treated so easily, sometimes by a daily pill and sometimes a monthly shot, or a combination. So, if you have any of these symptoms, it might be wise to ask your health care provider to check your levels.

There is so much more I could share with you on this topic, however, this is my blog, my downtime, my time away from work (and that 24 hour on call blackberry stuck to my hip). So, I will stop here for now and get back to a little reading on the Nook!