I read this article about Francis M and his having leukemia and it made me think about myself, not that I’m paranoid or anything. The article mentioned that some of the symptoms of having leukemia are shortness of breath, paleness and fatigue. And here are the general symptoms that I found on the net:

* Anemia — Children with leukemia often have fewer than normal healthy red blood cells and platelets. They lack enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body, which causes a condition called anemia. Children with anemia may look pale, feel weak and tired and bleed and bruise easily.
* Recurrent Infections — Although children with leukemia may have a high number of white blood cells, these white blood cells are immature and don’t fight infection. Children may experience repetitive viral or bacterial infections. They often have symptoms of infection such as fever, runny nose and cough.
* Bone and Joint Pain — Pain in bones and joints is another common symptom of leukemia. This pain is usually a result of the bone marrow being overcrowded and “full.”
* Abdominal Distress — Abdominal pain also may be a symptom. Leukemia cells can collect in the kidney, liver and spleen, causing enlargement of these organs. Pain in the abdomen may cause a loss of appetite and weight.
* Swollen Lymph Nodes — Lymph nodes under the arms, in the groin, chest and neck may become swollen when leukemia cells collect in the nodes. Lymph nodes filter the blood.
* Difficulty Breathing or Dyspnea — With T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, leukemia cells tend to clump together around the thymus gland. This mass of cells present in the middle of the chest can cause pain and difficulty breathing. Wheezing, coughing or painful breathing requires immediate medical attention.

And here’s what I’ve been experiencing or had experienced in the past: shortness of breath, paleness, fatigue, and lately, bone and joint pain, which I think may be the cause of the cold weather and lack of exercise. I think I had anemia but because I was really pale before and since the red blood cells are the ones carrying oxygen in our body, this resulted to my shortness of breath and palpitations. And my monthly periods were really heavy which may have caused this but it regulated and the other symptoms stopped when I took ferrous sulfate supplement for about a month. But now the palpitations are back but just a little. The fatigue, there came a time when I got tired very easily without really doing heavy activities. So, what do you think? Am I just being paranoid? And I definitely don’t want to go to a doctor but I’m predicting I’m going to sometime soon. I guess it’s time for me to look for term life insurance rates now huh? Haha!

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