Back to Reality

Well, we got home from vacation and if you remember from my last post I said that the altitude really bothered me this trip.  I was ready to get home because I knew that I would start feeling better.  Well, we get to Dalhardt and I couldn't breath any better but I thought it still because we were up higher than home is.  Got to Wichita Falls and. . . . . .nope, still can't breath.  Not sure what to think now.  We get home and it is still no better.  I spend the next day getting caught up on laundry and such and still wasn't feeling better.  Thursday I went to my regular doctor who did a ct scan but didn't find anything.  He got me an appointment with a cardiologist for the next Monday.  I was told by him and the cardiologist office that if I felt any worse to go to the ER.  Friday morning I got up and felt horrible.  I could hardly breath at all.  I was supposed to go to a class to get some professional development hours but I had the Mr. call to let them know I wasn't going to make it.  As the day went on I got worse.  Finally about 2 o'clock the Mr. got back home from running some errands and I told him that I needed to go to the ER.  He rushed me there and by the time we got there I almost couldn't breath at all.  During my7 or so hours in the ER they discovered that I had blood clots (yes, multiple. . . .many) in my lungs and one still in my leg.  I was admitted and put into ICU and given a clot buster infusion (2 hours).  Saturday a filter was inserted in the large vein where the main veins from your legs meet.  I stayed in ICU until Monday afternoon and was released to go home Wednesday evening.  I am on blood thinners for now and will be for a while (up to a year).  We are waiting on test results to see if I have a clotting disorder which would mean blood thinners for life.  One of the doctors told me that I was very lucky to still be alive.  I am back to living my life with no restrictions but I am cautious and anxiously awaiting the results of all the tests they ran.

Friday morning my husband's second cousin (she is a little younger than me) passed away after a three year battle with cancer.  We went to her funeral today and although I knew she was special it was amazing to listen to others talk about what she meant to them, about how positive she was and how she never lost her faith in God even in the end.  She leaves behind her husband and four young children.  She was such a special person and I will miss her very much.