Two years go today I walked into the lobby pictured in the picture below to get a chest x-ray. It says in the picture just how bad off I was. They told me both lungs were full of blood clots and to get back to my dr immediately. So I got my husband so he could drive (he works in the immediate area) and we went to the dr. I was on the phone with my dad explaining what was going on I heard hospital out of the corner of my ear and told my dad I had to go because I heard something I didn't like.
For those that don't know, I've had big issues with hospitals since my gall bladder removal in 2000. Anyway, the doctor said I had to go, as it was had I waited 3 more days I woulda been dead.
So, we drove across the parking lot to the hospital and started the week and a day stay in the cardiac unit at that hospital waiting for a bed at UNC because apparently I also had a clot in my right atrium and a 13cm long one in my lower vena cava vein which if it broke free would have killed me.
UNC used thrombaletics for 24 hours keeping me flat on my back which was excruciating with my lower back injury to break up the lower clot with a filter protecting my heart, lungs, and brain. The next morning they went in manually with a filter in my neck to break up the last 40% of the clot.
The picture with my sister was from my stay at the first hospital. She came up as my family all live in GA and were scared so if I didn't let her up they all woulda,come up wink emoticon but I was thankful she came!
The last Picture was me this last January as my lungs were still healing from all the damage from the clots.
I'm happy to say that today, the original diagnosis of right side heart failure is gone, all the oxygen equipment is gone, and I'm living my life to the fullest! I still get winded from time to time, but I'll take that over the way I was 2 years ago! OH! The best part is I lost 40 lbs and have kept it off!
I am 40 years old. These were not my first clots. Listen to your body for the warning signs. I was getting weaker, I was needing to sit more frequently when walking, if I did a flight of stairs I had to sit to recover. You aren't lazy, get it checked! I had pain in my chest but didn't realize it. It doesn't discriminate age, gender, race, etc. I lost a HS classmate right after my incident and recently another classmates brother had a huge clot in his lung cut out.
Listen to your body!!! Let my story be a lesson, let my friends stories be lessons. Don't ignore the signs.
I am happier and healthier today because I went to the doctor and continue to when something doesn't seem right. I live each day to the fullest and as if it's my last cause you never know....I was told had I waited 3 days I wouldn't be here today to help y'all.....don't put things off that you want to do! Live with no regrets....I now do!
Sincerely,
Jeanne
