Bad news. It's really not arthritis...

The "arthritis" in my hands and ankle had been growing progressively more painful - to the extent of 6 extra-strength Tylenol a day. Finally, a doctor at the university hospital diagnosed calcium deposits and bone damage - caused by an excess of iron in my body. Later, a DNA test confirmed that I have two copies of the mutated C282Y gene - one from each parent, and the most common genetic mutation for Caucasians - about 10% of the population are "carriers" and 1 in 300 are affected in some way.

BOMBSHELL! Hemochromatosis or "Iron Overload" has deposited a large amount of iron in many of my body organs - and extensive testing will be required to determine the extent of organ damage. The treatment for reducing iron consists of phlebotomy: removing blood from my system - 2 pints a week for up to a year. Phlebotomy or "blood-letting" is an ancient practice - going back over 2,500 years.

I'm unhappy that this was not discovered years earlier - and I'm troubled by the negative possibilities which testing might reveal. "Let not your heart be troubled" has become my mantra, but mortality is a sobering thought. Life is good - and life's experiences are good. And "What is, is".