Hi Bonnie, Went out to get my vigna to take an updated picture, but the batteries on my camera are low, rats! Here's a picture from before so hopefully you will be able to see that the leaves look different than your two plants. The leaves on the vigna are sort of thin, not thick, and the stems are smooth, green and very flexible. Also, noted the each 'branch' has a grouping of three leaves. Hard to explain and when my batteries are charged, I can sent you a picture if you like.

Did you have a hospital stay and were you on intravenous blood thinner (heparin) there? Did your doc have you fitted for a circulation sock for the leg? How often are you seeing your doc now? Have you had ultrasound on the leg? A venograph? How much has the clot shrunk? Has an underlying cause been diagnosed? Seen a hematologist and been tested for underlying hereditary or secondary problems in your ability to form blood clots normally? Deep Vein Thrombosis is serious. And there are long-term effects. I've had 2 in the past 25 years and am now on lifelong coumadin therapy. Just having a DVT can cause you to be susceptible for more DVTs in the future. Doctors are NOT knowledgeable about this. There is a good Yahoo group for DVT sufferers. I forget the exact name of the group - but you need to be discussing this with fellow sufferers. If you had a large clot and you have been released from the hospital, then most likely you are out of immediate danger. The remains of the clot should by now be adhered to your vein walls and will not break off easily. You may have vein damage due to the large clot. Ask to be referred to a hematologist as well as a vascular specialist. As for the blood thinners - ask to be referred to an "anticoagulation clinic" to oversee your coumadin regimen. Doctor's offices are NOT equipped to oversee this effectively. If you are out of danger of embolism, then start getting exercise as soon as you are able, to help strengthen your veins and get your circulation back to normal. Walking is the best thing for you when you are able. Feel free to email me with any questions and good luck to you!

My dh's prostate cancer was found @ age 65 after elevated PSA. He was treated initially with antibiotics for possible prostatitus, but the follow up PSA did not decline. The cancer was not felt on exam. Next step was prostate biopsy, 3 of 14 specimens were +for cancer. The choices he was given: radical prostatectomy surgery, external beam radiation, implant radiation of "seeds" in the prostate, or "watchful waiting"...all viable options. He opted for the surgery via the surgeon using the DaVinci robot (very important to have surgeon who has performed many of these procedures). It was very successful, margins clean (no spread, caught early). No post op complications. Had incontinence of urine for a few months (typical), but now has full control. It will be 2 yrs in Oct that he had surgery. Like most men past age 50 he had prostatic enlargement, actually pretty severe & he had symptoms related to that (urgency, hesitancy, slow/poor stream). Even without the cancer he would have eventually needed some form of treatment. But that was a bonus of the complete prostate removal...goes like a race horse, as Jasdip says. LOL Prostate cancer is #1 most common for men & #2 killer cancer, but if found in very elderly, it is usually not deadly, they die with it, not from it. I had a dear friend whose dh died from prostate ca, age 67. Having screening PSA's is not without controversy. It seems valid to cease doing them at your dh's age 75, Chisue. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to try to answer.

Dear Ava Mapp, your story is unbearable. I understand what you are feeling and a lot of it is just plain anger. This is simply not fair. We depend on these professionals to make the right judgement call. Afterwards they tell you that you have to "be your own advocate." Don't listen to that. I'd say that the only way you might be very sure that you are getting the best treatment is if you have a family member who is a doctor or nurse and checks up and asks questions every step of the way. Even then, they tell you the medicine is an art and mistakes can be made. So I've expressed my own anger here on your behalf and which I have experienced myself. And in case anyone objects that the medical profession is a healing one -- yes, it can be. But it fails us many many times. I am grateful that there is so much good care but there are too many instances like this. It is true, you are now on a roller coaster. Your husband's spirit is still nearby. I believe that. You are a loving wife and lost a wonderful husband and you need all the sympathy and help that surrounds you now and still it is just a bit of comfort. Please believe that he hears you and God hears you and will take care of him now. You are full of tears and that's how it will be for a long time. I don't know when it will end; for me, it's been only four months and I take it a day at a time. God bless your husband.