Scariest Week of My Life

On my other blog, I was answering comments to my previous post Family Emergency. I was in the process of responding to my friend, mystery author Bill Crider, when I decided to just post what I said on that blog and this one.

Medical Crisis

I’m home to shower and change while Larry stays at hospital with our daughter Adina who was admitted to the hospital Wednesday. On my other blog I’d written about the surgery my daughter had and the recovery process she was going through. The great recovery ended in tremendous pain and complications this past Monday.

Good and Bad News

The bad news? A blood clot. The good news? The blood clot was found in time. Thank God for Ultrasound. Deep Vein Thrombosis in right leg below the knee and above the surgery site. Adina has been on IV pain meds since admission on Wednesday so the pain management has improved so I don’t have to watch her sob in unbearable pain. They started injections of Lovenox, a blood thinner, in the stomach the day she was admitted.

Meds

Last night they added Coumadin, an oral med of blood thinner. If all goes well, she may be released tomorrow. We’ll continue the Lovenox injections for a few days in conjunction with the oral med which she’ll be on for at least 3 months.

Learning Experience

We’ve had cardiologists and hematologists as well as her orthopedic surgeon and the admitting doctor so we’ve got acquainted with some of the great physicians at the hospital.

Adina will have a blood test every week for as long as she’s on the Coumadin. There’s a lengthy regimen to abide by including wearing a medic alert bracelet so we’re all getting educated. Later, when I’m not as exhausted, I’m going to post an important message about DVT. It’s for everyone but especially for young women.

Takeaway Truth

They say you can’t go days on end without sleeping and eating, but that’s not true. You can, but you will feel incredibly exhausted. I’m off the get some shut eye before I head back to the hospital.

Tags: deep_vein_thrombosis, dvt, medical_emergency