I realized last night while attempting to carry on a conversation that I was slurring, having a rough time forming words with my mouth. It was as if my tongue wasn’t mine anymore, and I worked hard to appear sober while carefully manipulating my alien tongue and hoping my friend didn’t notice. I briefly wondered if I was having a stroke or something, since I was most certainly not drunk or stoned.

And then I looked at the cup of ice I was chewing, easily the 12th one of the day and that’s when it hit me: I am anesthetizing my mouth, all day, every day.

I’ll be glad when my iron level comes up. How long will it take for my hemoglobin to go from 7 to 12? I was at 7 on Monday.