I was on Coumadin for 6 months after and that was the last time I put much thought into them.
The Saturday before Thanksgiving I started having shortness of breath and exhausted all the time. Symptoms of blood clots for sure. But I also had a few other things that pointed to a 24 hour bug going around. So I assumed it was the bug.
On Monday this last week the symptoms were back. I finally got talked into going to the clinic. Funny when you walk into an Urgent Care and you say you have a shortness of breath...you skip to the front of the line.
They whirled me to ER and within seconds I was de-robed and had wires and IVs coming off of me. I barely blinked, I swear. Those ER nurses mean business (on a side note...ER nurses are truly amazing. They kept their calm and kept me calm.)
The doctor came in and asked questions and then determined I should have a CAT scan. Off I went to a cold room with a big machine that looks like a doughnut. I was all set to go when the doctor put a stop to it to do a pregnancy test. Haha...That ship had sailed. By passing that test, off we went.
If you've not had a CAT scan, they're a trip. They put this contrast stuff in you through an IV and you feel instantly warm and like you've pee'd your pants. Followed by this wonderful metallic taste in your mouth.
15 minutes later the doctor came in with the bad news. Blood Clots in both my lungs. The clots were in the lower lobes and not in the "danger zone" which is between the two lungs. He had called a transport and I would be heading into the hospital for further tests and to be watched.
The EMTs showed up. Handsome young men who were so friendly and really amusing the whole time.
I was admitted to Evergreen hospital and it would be determined later how long I would stay. They started me on blood thinners. Coumadin in the evening - for life. And they have me on Lenovox twice a day for a short period until my Pro-time levels standardized.
Back when I had the hysterectomy I had to give myself the same shots. I'm no fan of needles or shots. But if my life depends on it, then I'll do it.
They did an echocardiogram and an ultrasound on my legs and found nothing that pointed to causing blood clots. Nor any evidence that they traveled through my legs. That ultrasound...whew...that was relatively painful.
So I'm day two into this new life and have had some time to reflect slightly on it. The doctors have no idea why I'm getting blood clots. They assume I'm just predisposition-ed to them. Lucky me!
But what amazed me the most was the love and support from friends and family. You know you have loved ones. You know you have people who say they'll be there and you never really know until you put that to the test. The out pouring of support, concern, and love was a bit overwhelming. My heart grew a little bit. And I discovered I had a heart...the echocardiogram proved that.
A BIG thank you to The Niece, Seattle SIL, Blueberry and The Braspirs for coming to entertain me while I was in the hospital.
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