I was going to the Y for water aerobics.  Got there, looked down and saw a new bruise (above an old bruise) on my left forearm.

Huh.  Wonder how I did that?

(Ah, the life of mystery bruises – part old age, part low platelets; life goes on.)

By the time I get to my locker, The bruise is now quite a bit bigger, darker and a clearly visible lump has formed. 

Huh.  Wonder what’s going on there?

Mind you it doesn’t hurt at all.

Do an hour of water aerobics.  The bruise is now at least doubled in size, much darker and the lump is bigger – but still no pain.

Well.  What the fuck do I do about this?  Do I need to go to Urgent Care?  Do I ignore it (it doesn’t hurt)?  But it has gotten so much worse, so quickly.

Take a poll of the ladies in the locker room.  I finally get told – go to Urgent Care because it’s weird, it’s getting bigger and there’s that lump under the skin.

Okey-dokey.  Off to Urgent Care I go.

I get in quite quickly (yay)! 

Results – it’s a hematoma.  (A collection of blood outside the blood vessel.)

How did I get it?  No clue.  No I didn’t injure my arm, or do anything strenuous.  It is the arm where I get my iron infusions, and iron (the doctor told me) can irritate blood vessels.  The problem could have been exacerbated by my low platelets.  Because the blood is outside of the vein, it is unlikely blood clots are an issue.  I can continue having my iron infusions in that arm (which is good because it’s the only “good” vein I have. 

And yes, it’s definitely weird that it came up so fast and with no known injury. 

Warning – it’ll look like it’s healing, then look worse, and then finish healing.  That’s normal.

Whew.  That’s all I needed to know.  It’s weird but it’s okay.  Ain’t life in fat old lady bodies grand?