Friday, March 10, 2006
DVT Awareness month.
March is now officially DVT awareness month.And this is my story.You can read about DVT here .I had been full on into aerobics at the local gym and had progressed into being an instructor.I loved it.I went 3 times a week and was healthy and fit and walked on the beach every day as well.But since november 87 I had been taking a hormone drug called Diane 50 because my skin was pimply and oily...and the whole time I had been taking the drug I had a sore leg.It used to ache at night and the doc kept saying it was because of the exersize and said..no pain no gain..So I continued to take it.
On June 19th 1988 I woke up with a blue,cold leg.I rang my mum and she told me to go to the doc so when his surgery opened at 8am I did just that.I drove there.He took one look at me and rang for an ambulance! I asked him what was wrong and he told me I would die if I didnt go to hospital.I didnt believe him so I drove home and thought about it for a while,then rang my husband(my ex) and told him what the doc had told me.He came zooming home from work and took me to the hospital.I remember the whole trip and went unconscious as soon as I got to the doors.Thats all I can remember til I woke up after surgery to remove a massive blood clot that had lodged in my groin.I was lucky to be alive.The surgeon who operated told me that I had 7 seconds to live and had a cardiac arrest in the operating room.I was in shock.My leg was fucked.I was on blood thinners and my exersize programme was gone.I was on bed rest with elastic stockings for 6 weeks,in enormous pain and really freaked out.
6 mths later I had more surgery.I had a vein bypass to help with the blood flow.They took the saphrenous vein from my right leg and transfered it across my abdomen and down into my left leg.I have had leg pain ever since.When I get tired my leg aches.When Im stressed my leg aches.When I walk too far my leg aches...throbs.
I almost died and now Im at serious risk of having another DVT or a pulmonary embolism...I have an 80 per cent chance of getting another one.And this month is DVT mth.There are ways of preventing it so they say.The hormone pills I took caused mine and they told me that if I hadnt been so fit and healthy I would have died.
But HEY! Im still here,still alive! Its my motto...you cant kill weeds:)
posted by butterflies @ 8:24 PM
5 Comments:
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You are beautiful & I love you. Thanks for this informative blog. I have been having problems with my right leg, it just hurts & sometimes feels swollen behind the knee (ya know, in the bend). Sometimes I can barely walk. Guess I will have to have it checked out. Thanks for pointing out the seriousness of DVT.
Have a blessed weekend!!!
Hugs to all...
Your strength amazes me!
PS.sent you some pics on email.
Love Sara
Wow - amazing story. Thank God for your husband's quick reaction.
And love your still being with me. Love you, Baby.
James
I'm so glad you are ok. That is a pretty scary story and i'm sorry you lived it. I hope your doctor's are keeping a close eye on you and taking good care of you...Hugs :)