My lucky day!
Well, this has been quite the week.
Last Monday afternoon I noticed it was painful to take a deep breath. I'm a tough girl though so nothing is going to make me seek medical care.
Wrong! Twelve hours later in the wee hours of Tuesday morning I finally woke Irv up and said "I think I need to go to the hospital". This wait could have cost me my life.
After numerous tests, scans, xrays, ultrasounds, etc. the nurse came in and told me I had a PE.
What the heck is a PE? He proceeded to explain to me what it was and then I'll never forget the look on his face when he told me I was lucky I came in to the ER when I did.
My head was swirling with this newfound information. Pulmonary Embolism. I thought only people in medical shows on TV got this. It always makes for a dramatic and quick death.
Upon discharge I was ordered to go see my primary care doctor, and not just my primary care doctor but one of the partners in the practice. He squeezed me in and then filled my head with more details of what I'm facing. I'm not sure the morphine was completely worn off by then, but I tried to pay extra close attention. I go back on Tuesday, probably so he can say all the same stuff again, but this time I won't be on opiates.
I now have my own beautiful medical alert bracelet. Blood thinners are powerful medications and a simple fall could be deadly. This came with a list of activities to avoid for the next 12 months. At the top of the list--horseback riding.
I'm now on a medication that costs $32 per pill x 2 per day. That's a lot of bucks per month for at least 12 months. The doc gave me 3 weeks worth of samples (he probably wasn't supposed to do that) and then my insurance company willingly paid for the next three weeks without even a copay.
Physically I'm healing, feeling better each day, but yesterday was a very difficult emotional day as the realization of how my life will be different for the next 12 months. Then there's the fear that it will happen again and I won't be so lucky, the fear of going to sleep and never waking up. The realization that you work in a man's world and for the next several months you're not going to be able to pull your weight and you will be seen as an invalid. The fear of ever getting on an airplane again. Am I going back to work too soon, how much time should I take off. What is safe?
I don't know the answers to these question, but I found a PE support group on Facebook that has been extremely helpful (finally, something helpful on Facebook). They answer my questions, they let me know what to expect, the understand what I'm going through and right now they're by closest confidants and they let me know I'm not alone.
To those of you who have repeatedly called me and asked "how are you today", please know how much I appreciate that. This is a day-by-day process and I appreciate that you understand that, especially my dad and brother who have been so scared for me. It touches my heart and I'm glad to report that the EKG showed that I did not suffer any heart damage although there is some lung damage. To Mary who called sobbing when she found out, I love you too! Thanks to everyone on Facebook for the well wishes.
To those of you who call and ask me if I'm better yet. Please understand that no, I'm not better yet, I won't be better for weeks or months, it's a long process. Please understand that when you call and ask me that I'm going to tell you I'm just fine because I can sense that's what you really want to hear. I understand though, I didn't know too much about a PE until six days ago.
Yes, I'm emotional. I'm grateful. I'm thinking retirement will be happening sooner than later. Per my doctor's orders I'm trying to get my activity level back--half a mile on the treadmill yesterday and a mile today although I feel like an 85 year old woman with emphysema and a heart condition.
So what caused this? I'm an active person, I don't smoke, I had not recently taken a long car ride or plane ride. They think it's a medication I was on. Yes, I threw that medication out as soon as I got home!
I've been a pretty useless human this last week, but today I decided to make dinner for my sweet hubbie who had to stay awake in the ER all night with me. Our pig, Fifi, was ready to be picked up from the butcher this week so we're having braised Fifi chops for dinner.
Day-by-day, that's how I'll get through this.
Oh, one more thing. This happened after that debacle of a debate. I think we can blame this on Donald Trump!
Last Monday afternoon I noticed it was painful to take a deep breath. I'm a tough girl though so nothing is going to make me seek medical care.
Wrong! Twelve hours later in the wee hours of Tuesday morning I finally woke Irv up and said "I think I need to go to the hospital". This wait could have cost me my life.
After numerous tests, scans, xrays, ultrasounds, etc. the nurse came in and told me I had a PE.
What the heck is a PE? He proceeded to explain to me what it was and then I'll never forget the look on his face when he told me I was lucky I came in to the ER when I did.
My head was swirling with this newfound information. Pulmonary Embolism. I thought only people in medical shows on TV got this. It always makes for a dramatic and quick death.
Upon discharge I was ordered to go see my primary care doctor, and not just my primary care doctor but one of the partners in the practice. He squeezed me in and then filled my head with more details of what I'm facing. I'm not sure the morphine was completely worn off by then, but I tried to pay extra close attention. I go back on Tuesday, probably so he can say all the same stuff again, but this time I won't be on opiates.
I now have my own beautiful medical alert bracelet. Blood thinners are powerful medications and a simple fall could be deadly. This came with a list of activities to avoid for the next 12 months. At the top of the list--horseback riding.
I'm now on a medication that costs $32 per pill x 2 per day. That's a lot of bucks per month for at least 12 months. The doc gave me 3 weeks worth of samples (he probably wasn't supposed to do that) and then my insurance company willingly paid for the next three weeks without even a copay.
Physically I'm healing, feeling better each day, but yesterday was a very difficult emotional day as the realization of how my life will be different for the next 12 months. Then there's the fear that it will happen again and I won't be so lucky, the fear of going to sleep and never waking up. The realization that you work in a man's world and for the next several months you're not going to be able to pull your weight and you will be seen as an invalid. The fear of ever getting on an airplane again. Am I going back to work too soon, how much time should I take off. What is safe?
I don't know the answers to these question, but I found a PE support group on Facebook that has been extremely helpful (finally, something helpful on Facebook). They answer my questions, they let me know what to expect, the understand what I'm going through and right now they're by closest confidants and they let me know I'm not alone.
To those of you who have repeatedly called me and asked "how are you today", please know how much I appreciate that. This is a day-by-day process and I appreciate that you understand that, especially my dad and brother who have been so scared for me. It touches my heart and I'm glad to report that the EKG showed that I did not suffer any heart damage although there is some lung damage. To Mary who called sobbing when she found out, I love you too! Thanks to everyone on Facebook for the well wishes.
To those of you who call and ask me if I'm better yet. Please understand that no, I'm not better yet, I won't be better for weeks or months, it's a long process. Please understand that when you call and ask me that I'm going to tell you I'm just fine because I can sense that's what you really want to hear. I understand though, I didn't know too much about a PE until six days ago.
Yes, I'm emotional. I'm grateful. I'm thinking retirement will be happening sooner than later. Per my doctor's orders I'm trying to get my activity level back--half a mile on the treadmill yesterday and a mile today although I feel like an 85 year old woman with emphysema and a heart condition.
So what caused this? I'm an active person, I don't smoke, I had not recently taken a long car ride or plane ride. They think it's a medication I was on. Yes, I threw that medication out as soon as I got home!
I've been a pretty useless human this last week, but today I decided to make dinner for my sweet hubbie who had to stay awake in the ER all night with me. Our pig, Fifi, was ready to be picked up from the butcher this week so we're having braised Fifi chops for dinner. Day-by-day, that's how I'll get through this.
Oh, one more thing. This happened after that debacle of a debate. I think we can blame this on Donald Trump!
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