One year later and I'm still kicking
One year ago today I was in the ER with what I thought at the time was a heart attack. It turned out to be something completely different--a pulmonary embolism (PE) in my left lung. I'll never forget the moment when the ER doctor walked in asked me if I knew how lucky I was. At that time I didn't realize it, I was more concerned with breathing and the pain I was in.
The days that followed are somewhat of a blur as I was on pain killers, but one thing that I'll always remember is the concern in my dad's and brother's voices when they called to check on me. My dad called almost daily...I think this scared him pretty bad. I also can't forget Mary rushing over to the ER when the doctors she works for told her to get over there ASAP. I don't think a lot of people realized just how serious this PE was. About 1/3rd of people who get one don't survive. I could have been a statistic that night, but luckily I wasn't. Of course I can never forget my wonderful hubby travelling to Idaho to help my dad out with something last October because I was not cleared for travel yet. I'll also never forget that my doctor's office took me under their wing and I'm now a patient of the top dog in the practice.
I vowed to make some big life changes and have I followed through on that in the last 12 months. Irv and I travelled to Europe even though long plane trips are especially dangerous for those who have had blood clots. I quit my very stressful job and haven't regretted that decision even once. I followed through on a lifelong desire to work in Yellowstone over a summer, I've gotten back to long hikes, 5Ks, 7Ks, and a daily exercise regime. I volunteered relentlessly for Hillary and I lived through a heartbreaking defeat.
Someone has recently suggested that I don't know what fear is because I haven't experienced it. Let me tell you about fear. Any little ache or pain in the chest area makes me wonder if I've got another clot--is the next one going to be a widow maker? Is this pain in my leg the start of a clot that's going to travel to my heart or brain? Is the next clot coming today, or tomorrow, or never? The day I came off blood thinners was pretty scary too--there's a big chance of developing clots when that medication is initially stopped.
I don't live in fear. I do what I can to stay healthy which mainly involves staying active. There isn't anything worse for developing clots than sitting or laying around all day. I had some genetic testing done that indicates that my body doesn't process B vitamins properly so my hematologist has me on a whole boatload of B complex vitamins and folic acid. Thankfully I'm off blood thinners now, but for the rest of my life I'll be on a daily low-dose aspirin. Irv and I also plan to visit a different foreign country ever year as long as we're able. I am not afraid of the world.
I'm not complaining about any of this. This is my life and I'm grateful for it--I'll never be one of those people who sit around crying "why me". I'm working on my bucket list and living like today is my last day--something everyone should do. I'm trying to stay positive. I refuse to let toxic people with their negativity bring me down (other than Donald Trump).
In a support group I belong to they call these milestones clotiversaries.
Happy 1st Clotiversary to me!
The days that followed are somewhat of a blur as I was on pain killers, but one thing that I'll always remember is the concern in my dad's and brother's voices when they called to check on me. My dad called almost daily...I think this scared him pretty bad. I also can't forget Mary rushing over to the ER when the doctors she works for told her to get over there ASAP. I don't think a lot of people realized just how serious this PE was. About 1/3rd of people who get one don't survive. I could have been a statistic that night, but luckily I wasn't. Of course I can never forget my wonderful hubby travelling to Idaho to help my dad out with something last October because I was not cleared for travel yet. I'll also never forget that my doctor's office took me under their wing and I'm now a patient of the top dog in the practice.
I vowed to make some big life changes and have I followed through on that in the last 12 months. Irv and I travelled to Europe even though long plane trips are especially dangerous for those who have had blood clots. I quit my very stressful job and haven't regretted that decision even once. I followed through on a lifelong desire to work in Yellowstone over a summer, I've gotten back to long hikes, 5Ks, 7Ks, and a daily exercise regime. I volunteered relentlessly for Hillary and I lived through a heartbreaking defeat.
Someone has recently suggested that I don't know what fear is because I haven't experienced it. Let me tell you about fear. Any little ache or pain in the chest area makes me wonder if I've got another clot--is the next one going to be a widow maker? Is this pain in my leg the start of a clot that's going to travel to my heart or brain? Is the next clot coming today, or tomorrow, or never? The day I came off blood thinners was pretty scary too--there's a big chance of developing clots when that medication is initially stopped.
I don't live in fear. I do what I can to stay healthy which mainly involves staying active. There isn't anything worse for developing clots than sitting or laying around all day. I had some genetic testing done that indicates that my body doesn't process B vitamins properly so my hematologist has me on a whole boatload of B complex vitamins and folic acid. Thankfully I'm off blood thinners now, but for the rest of my life I'll be on a daily low-dose aspirin. Irv and I also plan to visit a different foreign country ever year as long as we're able. I am not afraid of the world.
I'm not complaining about any of this. This is my life and I'm grateful for it--I'll never be one of those people who sit around crying "why me". I'm working on my bucket list and living like today is my last day--something everyone should do. I'm trying to stay positive. I refuse to let toxic people with their negativity bring me down (other than Donald Trump).
In a support group I belong to they call these milestones clotiversaries.
Happy 1st Clotiversary to me!
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