That’s so excellent about you altering stuff, even drinking boring old water! It does seem to be these incremental adaptations that add up to something beneficial. For me, even doing occasional yoga has helped with my circulation, let alone flexibility. I hope you enjoy at least some of your alterations!
It’s so great to read of your numbers improving, I love good news for others. I think our haemoglobin levels are measured differently, but if I’m reading the figures right yours seem only just outside of the normal range so that’s another great achievement 
One way I try to reframe test results that aren’t ideal but still improved is to remind myself that I’d rather have blood cell numbers a little too high but closer to normal than way off altogether. My haematocrit being too high this week was a bit of a downer after it being ideal last week, but I knew it was likely due to the iron supplement I took to offset the horrible anaemic malaise I felt, and so I had to accept that having phlebotomy yesterday would be helpful.
And it was, I had a bit of an energetic spree after my letting and got loads done! Always helps to see my phlebotomy nurses—I’m getting to know a few who’ve treated me more than once and it’s lovely to build up these passing relationships. I took them in some homemade chocolate cookies and I could hear them cooing over them while my blood drained. My nurse and I were even comparing hiking shoes yesterday! Not even my other half wants to talk about that 
Love how you describe the “memory of pain sites”, that really is how it feels, like these localised personal injuries are memories. I’m sorry you have pain sites to be reminded of! And yes, isn’t it so weird that blood can be made in such random parts of our bodies?! It would gross me out if I thought too much about it so I’ll end there!
