Another Setback

Well, the last two weeks I have been burnin' it up like the Energizer Bunny! But that all came to a screeching halt on Tuesday night when I was diagnosed with a blood clot in my left leg! I come to you now from Room 505 in the North Hills hospital in North Richland HIlls, TX.

Wednesday night a week ago I noticed that my left leg was swollen from just above the ankle down through the entire foot. By the weekend, it had advanced all the way up to my knee! The swelling would go down about 80% or better during the night while I slept, but as soon as I got on my feet in the morning, it would quickly return.  I went to my back doc because I thought it might have something to do with the Lyrica he had put me on a week earlier. His opinion, upon examining me on Friday, was that it was not the Lyrica and did not appear to be a blood clot. Not being happy with that diagnosis, on Monday, I contacted my primary care doc, and his advice was to go to the ER and get checked for a blood clot. I wavered a bit on that, but on Tuesday contacted one of my elders, also a doc, and his advice was the same. So, Terrie and I arrived at the NH ER about 10:30 on Tuesday night. Diagnosis: blood clot

They put me on an anticoagulant IV and admitted me for observation. As I have come to learn, that "observation" involves several days in the hospital as they "observe" how your blood's clotting mechanism adjusts to the meds. That involves becoming a pin cushion for the phlebotomists - all of which are excellent "stickers." My blood clotting factor has to get to a level between 2 and 3. I was at 1.1 this morning. Looks like I'm in for a few more days of "observation."

I did transition from the IV medication to one that is injected twice daily into my abdomen. A better trade than it might sound at first. The needle is small and the first injection this morning was no problem. The best thing is not having to have blood tests every 6 hrs and not being tethered to the IV tree. I can get up and move around, take walks & showers and sit up in a chair. I actually feel great, so I'm just passing the time chatting with Terrie, watching TV, napping, texting, entertaining multiple visitors (thank you all so much!) and now, I have my laptop for a while.

So, don't feel compelled to come by if you are in the area, but I would appreciate a continuation of the following:

Prayers up!