This photo, which I took on Monday, doesn't even begin to show how deeply eggplant purple my foot and ankle have become. In addition, I've had so much swelling that it's difficult (damned near impossible) to get my right shoe on, and trouser socks cut off my circulation at the top.Thus, I made a trip to see my (new) doctor yesterday... and ended up in the third hospital I've been in in seven days.
Since I've already tested positive for carrying the Factor V Leiden genetic marker as someone with a predisposition for blood clots, having an elephant cankle raised my new doc's eyebrows up into her hairline.
Yup. She sent me straight to the emergency room for Doppler imaging to make sure I'm not experiencing any more* blood clots.
The good news?
No blood clots that they can see.
The PITA news?
No more fooling around with that aspirin-a-day nonsense that's gotten me by for the past four years. I've now got five day's worth of Lovenox injections twice a day (no worse than giving yourself an insulin shot) while I'm building up my Coumadin tolerance. Dr. Hot Stuff (and she is) tells me in (in no uncertain terms) that I'll be on the Coumadin for the rest of my life. Oh, joy. It's not so bad, I guess. I just hate to have to report in once a month for a protime test.
Considering the alternatives, however, that's not such a big sacrifice.
Anyhoo, I go back to see Dr. Hot Stuff on Monday.
Geeze. It's probably been two years since I've darkened a doctor's doorstep. I certainly am making up for lost time....
_____
*About four years ago I ended up at St. Joe's because I woke up one fine Sunday morning to discover that my left thigh was twice the circumference of the right thigh. I spent four days in the hospital and another ten days of bed rest at my brother's house because I couldn't climb the stairs to get to my own condo for fear of a clot breaking loose and going straight to a bad place. Uck. (The clot and attendant treatment. Not being at my bro's house.)
7 comments:
Soak that baby in cool water and then get a ice bag, or a frozen bad of peas, and keep it on that ugly bruise. Go smoke you a joint or two, drink some wink about two bottles will do it and finish it off with a few pills. You should be fine in a few days, Cat
Hahaha, that Cat is such a scamp...he left almost the same comment at my place!
Well, I just popped a vicodin, but I regret not having any grass in the house, because I sure can use some.
You and me, and our big city tsures. Feh! Get well soon, Les.
Uhmm Leslie.....
There's a MAJOR bummer with the coumadin, darlin'.
NO more alcohol. Ever. And yah, I know. It hurts.
Let me amend the no alcohol.....you can have an OCCASIONAL drink. As in one. Blogmeet style drinking can not be done.
And, you'll have to watch your diet.. be consistant as to how much Vitamin K you take in through diet or supplements, as that skews data on the protime. You can have greens, but they have to be a regular part of the diet, and not a major component (another bummer!)...
And, if the doc's not told you, it's very important to take the dose at the same time every day as much as possible. Also, no eating anything or taking another med for an hour before or after taking the warfarin/coumadin.
Damn. I would not wish this on anyone.
OMG! And I bet you are still going to work every day aren't you? ICE! Elevate! Call me! Love ya!
... get well soon!.... that's a helluva bruise...
Eric
hurl! that's sexy, girlfriend. hope you are feeling better than that leg looks. you're in my now quite crowded recovery prayers. good luck! and it's time to buy your tix to tex.
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