I have been whining for the past couple of months about my health. My shoulder had been hurting me since before the summer, and I was doing physical therapy for it. That ended when I got a cortisone shot in it just before Christmas. Then the week after Christmas I got this weird on the top of my left foot that turned into cellulitis.
That turned into a whining session on my part of the highest order. Partly because it really hurt, and partly because….well…I can be a whiner when I am in pain. Went to the Dr. about that one, thinking that I had been to the Dr. in the past couple of months more that I had been in the last freaking year. The pain with the foot traveled from the top to the bottom and kept me out of work for the week between Christmas and New Years. Looking back on this, I think that this is where I started with the blood clots.
Yes, blood clots. I was at a friends house helping him brew his first couple of batches of beer when I noticed I was really out of breath. Just talking was making me gasp, and I was sitting down more than I usually do. Went to work the next day and just walking from the parking lot into the store I had to sit down and catch my breath before putting my coat away. That wasn’t a good thing.
I called my Dr., and after listening to my whining again I was sent for a Cat Scan. Imagine my embarrassment when I found out that they really didn’t want to scan my cats, that it was the name of a procedure. Hopefully the cats will forgive me at some time.
Anyway, after the scan I talked to my Dr. who told me to go home and pack a bag because I was going to the hospital. So that is what I did, and that is also where it gets weird. Because I went home, tossed some clothes in the washer, made a sandwich, grabbed a bottle of water and relaxed. After transferring my clothes from the washer to the dryer I was walking by my cell phone and saw that I had a couple of calls on it. Picked the phone up, and it rang. It was my Dr. wanting to know where I was. And not in a friendly voice. She yelled at me. Asked me what I was doing. Told her I was doing what she told me, I was getting some things together for the hospital. She didn’t think that that was funny. So I went to the hospital.
It seems that both of my lungs had “extensive pulmonary embollisms”. Basically, a whole bunch of blood clots. If she hadn’t have told me to go home and pack a bag, I would have been at the hospital a lot earlier. It really wasn’t my fault. Just a small mis-understanding. And that is my story.
I will talk about the hospital stay tomorrow. Right now, I am bushed.
Thank you guys very much for being so concerned. It touches my cold, black heart to know that there are so many folks out there who care. MLW is also very appreciative of the words of support. You guys certainly do rock.
January 24th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Feel better Phil!
From what I know of you, relaxing at home before going to the hospital sounds exactly like what I would have expected (and also what I would have done). I am no MD, but pulmonary embollisms sounds like pretty serious stuff
January 24th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Nick, Thanks for stopping by it has been a long time since we have talked. It was and is pretty serious, and if she had been just a little bit clearer I would have been at the hospital a lot sooner. But the way it was presented to me was such that I figured I could get a couple of things taken care of and have some lunch. Go figure.
L8R dude.
January 25th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Phil
Say the word,Jon and I will be on our way with blood thinners of the best kind!!!
Get Well
Mike
January 26th, 2010 at 8:35 am
Pack up the medicinal necessities, dude. Get on I-94 and head east. I will be waiting.
L8R.