Part 1: Clara – Is a normal haemoglobin level safe?

Today, I will tell you one test for Anaemia story. This story happened to Clara, a 25-year-old red-haired girl—she will be our main CBC heroine in this test tale.

Clara’s Hobby: Online Promotions and Freebies

Clara is a typical marketplace plunderer who has a hobby that is familiar to many: every night before going to bed and sometimes all evening long, she “hunts” for promotions in online stores. Clara is also a fan of freebies and will always take advantage of an opportunity to try something or get something for free or for an extremely small amount of the money she so carefully guards.

Meet Nikita: Clara’s Supportive Husband

Clara has Nikita, a dashing 27-year-old IT specialist husband she loves very much (perhaps even more than a freebie; at least she got him for free). Every morning, Clara brags to Nikita about the new promotional items she grabbed for her “basket,” how long the promotion lasts, and how much they need this new “catch.”

— I also found a pillow. You know, the one you told me about, the therapeutic one, — Clara shares with Nekit (she often calls him that) while preparing their breakfast. Nikita, of course, not only doesn’t remember him mentioning some therapeutic pillow, but he’s sure that he’s never even thought about them. But Nikita is used to agreeing — this is the best format for their CBC dialogue on the topic of marketplaces: she admires her “hunt,” and he nods along, moans in agreement, rarely saying anything like “you’re my clever girl”, and “of course, you need to.” True, sometimes he has to turn on the “stubborn curmudgeon” (quote from Clara) and stop his wife from making exotic purchases.

“It’s on sale for only 2700 now. Let’s take it,” Clara continues, putting an omelette on a plate before Nekit.

“Uh-huh,” was all her husband could say as he hungrily attacked the omelette.

Planning for the Future: Babies and Lottery Tickets

Clara and Nikita drive to work together. Nikita doesn’t have to go to the office, but he wants to give his wife a ride to her place of work. Clara is an accountant, so don’t get the idea that she’s not a big spender of her husband’s money. Lately, they’ve had a recurring theme on their morning commutes.

“Look at these cute little rompers,” Clara hands her smartphone to her husband. Nikita doesn’t like to be distracted while driving, but he can’t help but look. He’s wanted kids for a long time now, and he and Clara have finally planned their first child.

“Buy it,” Nikita answers.

  • – Well! No. They’re not on sale.
  • — The child won’t wait for the shares.

“It doesn’t look like he’s showing yet,” Lara jokes. They’re just planning to plan; she’s not pregnant yet.

– When are you going to buy a lottery ticket? And buy them in several places at once, 10 at a time. We need to win a bigger apartment, – Clara continues the topic.

“It seems like we’ve only planned one so far,” laughs Nikita.

“Yes, Nikitich will be there,” Clara asserts categorically.

“No, I want Nikitichna,” the husband answers, smiling.

– Yeah. And we’ll call her Sofia. We’ll have a fourth-grader named Sofia Nikitichna running along the corridors at school. And some older student will reprimand her: “Don’t run, Sofia!” And she’ll answer: “Who are you pointing at, honey? I rocked your mother in the cradle!” She’ll straighten her shawl, lift her dress so the hem doesn’t drag on the floor, and run on.

Clara likes to joke about the patronymic that her children will receive from her husband.

Clara’s Worries: Menstrual Bleeding and Concerns About Pregnancy

As you have already understood, our couple is wonderful. They have a nice apartment, and their income is sufficient. Everything is fine in their relationship, and both want children. Everything is fine, but something is bothering Clara and she seeks an Anaemia checkup. I was just recently discussing this issue with a friend at work.

Every time I feel like I’m bleeding, like something has torn me apart. I don’t understand why and where so much blood comes from every month,” Clara complained to her friend Masha.

Clara has heavy bleeding every menstrual cycle. And, of course, she has already made up stories in her head that she is problematic and that pregnancy will be risky for both her and the baby. Masha, who at 28 is already a mother of three, advised her, as an experienced person who has been through the fire and water of state hospitals, to contact a CBC gynaecologist at the local Anaemia hospital since her friend wants to get pregnant.

– There, they can advise you to undergo a preventive examination, that is, a medical examination. There, they will take Anaemia tests, and a therapist will examine you later, if necessary, where he will refer you. You never know what kind of unknown illness there may be.

The Doctor’s Advice:

And here is Clara at her initial Anaemia appointment at her local hospital. Of course, she told the doctor, both a new listener and a specialist, about her monthly “bloody waterfalls”. The CBC doctor did not become so emotionally involved in this dialogue, but with knowledge of the matter, advised Clara first to take all the necessary tests, including blood for haemoglobin and other indicators.

  • *Hemoglobin is a special iron-containing protein found in red blood cells (erythrocytes). Its main function is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all organs and tissues.

The Follow-Up Appointment: A Minor Inconvenience

Our heroine was glad to learn that this could be done for free at the hospital. However, the doctor also advised her to undergo a medical examination. Clara should have paid more attention to this advice. A medical examination sounded tedious to her as if it would waste her time. Having passed all the necessary tests in a day, Clara calmed down and began to wait for a follow-up CBC blood test appointment, which was scheduled in just a few days.

Nikita’s Concern: Are Clara’s Worries Being Ignored?

The evening before the day of the second CBC appointment, our heroine, as always, was “stuck” in the promotional sections of marketplaces and other sources of freebies. In general, she and her husband had already planned a joint event for tomorrow – a trip to museums and galleries, because tomorrow there will be “Museum Night” in the city.

For Clara, this is a mandatory annual challenge: you need to see everything and “get cultured” as much as possible since there is an opportunity to do it for free. But suddenly, she also came across an ad about sales and a drawing of an apartment in honour of the birthday of her favourite shopping centre.

– Nikita, tomorrow we will win an apartment in front of the museums!

– What? Where? – The husband did not quite understand what Clara had planned again.

In response, his wife hands him her smartphone, and Nikita sees that ad.

“But you have a follow-up Anaemia appointment test tomorrow evening,” Nikita remarks discontentedly.

– Oh, it’s just to find out the CBC test results. There’s a piece of paper with my results and the norms in a table. Everything is clear. The doctor will quickly tell you that everything is fine. We’ll have time for everything, – Clara answers, as always, carefree.

Nikita didn’t like her answer, but what does he know about these women’s affairs?