Well That Throws A Wrench Into Things

Tonight, instead of blogging about how wonderful my birthday went on Wednesday (which BTW was awesome), I will be telling you all what has transpired in my life over the last 24 hours! A little back history first...

If you click over on the History of Tater Bug on my right sidebar, you pretty much know about my past medical issues. If you don't feel like reading it, I will sum it up for you... Tater Bug's premature birth was the result of an infection I had that went undetected. That very same infection caused me to become septic, have bilateral pnuemonia, and a blood clot close to my heart.

Yesterday, when I got home from work, my feet felt funny. I looked down to find my feet and ankles VERY ABNORMALLY swollen. I mean, this gave new meaning to the word "Cankles!" I am a bigger woman, but this was not normal. I called my mom, fearing the worst. She is an ultrasound tech and came over immediately. We headed off to urgent care to have it checked out. Two things were at play here... Either fluid retention or a blood clot(s). We got checked in and coincidentally, my mom works adjacent to the urgent treatment center, so the doc ordered an ultrasound of my legs. Guess who did it? Yep, Momma!

She started on my right and didn't find any indication of a clot. Moved over to my left leg and got almost done with it before she found it. A blood clot in my left calf. Now, after my last clot, I had a full panel run on me twice checking for blood clotting disorders. Once while I was in the hospital and then over a year later... just to be sure. All came back negative. So why have I gotten another one? Beats me...

So now I am on Lovenox shots twice a day and coumadin until I get to a theraputic level. I was lucky in the sense that I didn't get my bum thrown into the hospital. I saw the NP at the hematologists office today. She basically informed me that I am on the lifetime coumadin train now! Wonderful! They took blood today and I am not sure that they left anything for me. I counted at least six vials! I get to go give blood again on Tuesday and I see the doctor himself on Wednesday. Maybe he can offer up some answers as to why this has all happened. Last time they blamed it on pregnancy, infection, and multiple IV attempts. I am almost 7 months post partum. This shouldn't be happening.

I have been keeping my legs elevated and the swelling has gone down a bit. I have been told to take it easy. I am having this overwhelming feeling of running out of my 9 lives. As far as I can count, I have already busted through at least 4 or 5! I was petrified to fall asleep last night. My fear of the clot moving kept me awake for most of the night.

So I guess I am asking for a few prayers here. If you can. I am scared and uncertain of what my future brings. It scares me to think that there is something else going on that we aren't finding.

Thank you!