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joyfulguy

Ole joyful's walking on air today

joyfulguy
12 years ago

It was just over a year ago that I was awakened early one Sunday morning with some pain after I'd taken in a smidgeon of air, then more pain if I took in a bit more, and more pain, escalating until, having taken a measure of breath, I couldn't stand it.

En route to licing room (dratted keyboard - that was supposed to be "living room" ... but when I saw what had erupted, I thought it too good to change) to start getting things going ... but. First things, first - visited the bathroom: no pain while sitting on the john. Talked to nurse on 800-number, she suggested 911 when I'd had some pain for over 5 min. But mine was just, at that point, when I was lying down ... so when I chose against 911 and ambulance, she told me to head for ER: I agreed.

Tomatoes rotting on vine (same game, this year), whatever didn't get to church that morning were shot, so picked some, took veggies to 2 churches, choir and minister at second one ready to process up the aisle as I was leaving to go to ER.

Should have signed in, then returned to church, as it was about 2 when they got me into a cubicle, took blood sample, X-ray, etc. Nurse said they'd found something in my blood, gave me shot, said if I cut myself I'd bleed more than usual.

Back next day for CT-scan ... tech said I might feel metallic taste in mouth, heat in mouth, groin area. No metallic taste, felt heat in mouth and back-side ... but nothing front-side, so guess equipment there not registering any more.

Son went with me to haematolgy on Tues., went about 6" in air when Isaid that, after I'd given blood for years, they'd found something like HIV in it, wouldn't take any more, but doc said that there were lots of such issues, usually nothing wrong ... and I haven't heard any more about having an HIV test.

They'd found a major clot in my lung (and at least one minor one, it seemed).

Chose to enter a research project, trying a new, simpler treatment to begin blood thinning, and I was put on the control, using Warfarin (commonly called "rat poison"). When I said here that I'd heard that if one is on it for under 5 years that one doesn't start looking like a rat, one of the KT participants reassured me, saying that her Dad had been on it for many years ... and no sign yet of sprouting a tail!

They've had me on the same level of Warfarin for over half of a year so it seems that I'm stable.

Have been on a couple of other research projects since, nurse asked about a one-shot follow-up this morning, I said "Fine" and, after signing everything, the (rather young) nurse tried to draw some blood. First prick - no blood ... same with second ... got some on the third try, but not enough, so she tried a fourth ... blood came out to fill the last of half a dozen vials, and she collected some more for a couple of the others that had been a bit sparse. She was hugely apologetic about having to poke me so many times, and I told her to not worry, it was just one of life's minor problems.

Blood pressure was a bit up (from running from parking lot, mainly, as I'd lost track of time at the Old Farts' coffee hour at church - one old guy was telling the story of his life) but it was right on where it should be a couple of weeks ago at my doc's.

Doc says CT scan in Aug shows clots all gone, that I'm in apple pie order ...

... that I'm poster "boy" for the clot program.

And, after getting back into former level of activities rather slowly, though I felt able to do whatever I wanted after the first night in ER, I figure that I can do pretty well all that I could do before this recent episode.

So - ole joyfuelled's walking on air, today.

The same ole joyfuelled

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